Will you and your children be ok with this or able to handle any repetition or boredom by supplementing with other activities? What if schools are opened in a virtual-only format to start the school year and transition to blended or alternating schedule formats, or even full capacity later in the school year? It is nice to have a separate table, countertop, or other area that you could leave your work out on all the time, but in most cases, this is not an option. Graphic Scholastic Learn at Home. Tee, Mens Parents need to be able to bring concerns to educators and administrators when things arent working for them and their children. In Connecticut, the only thing you are legally required to do is file with your local board of education a letter of Notice of Withdrawal. at the schools themselves, but something to be aware of when asking them for assistance of any kind. While you are on a conference call today, have your kids stand next to your whiteboard or sit next to you coloring or doing some additional activity, and work with them to complete a bingo card based on what is said or done on your conference call. Florida is more strict, but does have umbrella schools that allow for smoother navigation of the requirements. One combined list of these is accessible on EarthCam.com, here: https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/. If yours has not done so, or you would like to supplement the work provided to your kids, there are many approaches to doing so. Others may be planning their own lessons and activities. Khan Academy has provided help and getting started pages for their content here: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, and the lessons themselves are accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Scholastic has provided schedules and lessons here: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html.

The public school administrators where we are were extremely helpful in working with us to determine the best placement. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, Scholastic. Awake and Mindful. heathered Everything else is a bonus. If you are homeschooling on your own, you and your children might be the only members of the team, but for others remotely schooling via distance learning options provided through their school or district, there are many other members of the team, as well. (n.d.2). Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, Digital Learning Collaborative. Its also important to understand what is and what is not likely to happen in the next year curriculum and academic-wise and how that might impact you and your children. I present to you the conference call activity challenge for today (03/17/2020): Conference Call Bingo (with your kiddos)!

Stay home and stay safe. We have never parented (or helped our kids with remote learning) during a global pandemic. Carter, Christine. With some states canceling in-person schooling for the rest of the academic year and others extending the closures for additional time periods or indefinitely, but messages coming from politicians that we need to re-open the country, we are in a state of wait and see. Although Im not fully convinced that this is the best approach to managing your time, the concept of Timeboxing is similar to the approach Ive recommended above. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. Trust that everyone is working toward a common goal, for example, is one type of trust. Just take a few deep breaths and enjoy the time you have with your kids, because they really do grow up so fast, and this pandemic and chaos will eventually pass. Common Sense Media provides two different options for digital citizenship education. As you wrap up the day, after allowing your kids to play and relax for the first day, take three deep breaths and smile, knowing that you completed some planning and organizing, and that you are on your way.

Science and art took the most preparation because we conducted experiments and made a variety of art and craft projects, so we split these days, so that they were not back-to-to back, allowing for some planning and preparation time in between. If you have chosen to homeschool instead of opt into distance learning through your school, and the option is temporary, you may wish to file the notice of intent to homeschool and proceed to work closely with the school to ensure the smoothest transition back into the school when the time is right. Instead of trying to convince your kids why they should be quiet and calm during your conference calls and hoping for the best, you might try giving them specific activities to keep them busy during these times. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/. A big lesson learned in this transition is that no matter what homeschool curriculum you choose, there will be differences in what they learn there and what is covered in the public school curriculum, thus, some material will be repeated and there will be gaps to be filled in other places. If you want more information prior to pursuing this option, your best bet is likely to reach out to the school or district directly for more information about what the portfolio review might look like, what kind of support and guidance you can expect from them, etc. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.roblox.com/, Wiess, S. R. (2020a). The state regulations say that families MAY submit a Notice of Intent to homeschool and participate in portfolio reviews. Age-Appropriate Chores. You can research options for full-time online schooling, which some states offer for free (Digital Learning Collaborative, 2018). Hopefully, you have found this content helpful, and are on your way to planning a (relativelythey are our awesome kids, after all) calm, fun and enjoyable adventure educating your children at home while working. Write a list of the equipment you used to make your fort. The key is not to be happy or unhappy about the approaches, but to be informed. While we await final proposals for opening of schools in the fall from states and local districts, we are all asking what if? What if schools open as usual in the fall at full capacity? Considerations for Schools. (n.d.). Our toddler also participated, at an age-appropriate level, in virtual field trips, science experiments, and other educational activities with her sister. Starting your day with gratitude and calm activities has been said to start your day off on a positive note. Retrieved March 16, 2020 from, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, https://www.digitallearningcollab.com/state-virtual-schools, Common Misconceptions about Working and Homeschooling, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/, https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/age-appropriate-chores/, https://grownandflown.com/soft-skills-for-teens/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers, https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_school_closures_can_strengthen_your_family, https://hbr.org/2018/12/how-timeboxing-works-and-why-it-will-make-you-more-productive. Make a fort out of anything you like (Amazon boxes, sheets, blankets, etc.). A few of the things that are currently within our control are: 1) our reactions to the current situation, 2) our attitudes, 3) our schedule and 4) our space. The fourth consideration is the schedule of the subjects you have selected to teach. These can be accessed here: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19. These are all considerations when building a foundation of trust in a remote or distance learning team with all parties involved. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.connectionsacademy.com/, CRHE. Harvard Business Review. Other paid options exist for states which do not offer state virtual schools, like K12, ConnectionsAcademy, although many others exist, as well (Connections Academy, 2020; K12, 2020). 3) All members of the team should remember that discomfort leads to growth and work on being ok with being held accountable, with hearing feedback that they dont really want to hear, and with giving honest, constructive feedback to other members of the team when things arent working well. (n.d.). Graphic Current Homeschool Laws. Before you start, identify an award they will earn if you get a bingo and/or if they black out the entire card by meeting the criteria of each bingo square on the entire bingo card. If you are teaching one child, you can skip this section. The first consideration is the age levels you are teaching. Retrieved March 19, 2020 from https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, Bestow. It will make your planning much easier and less stressful if you acknowledge right now that you are one person and cannot be an effective fulltime teacher for 8 hours and full time worker for 8 hours, nor do you need to be. With everyone rushing around trying to figure out what they are going to do for the fall, it is important to also pause, step back, and consider how the plans you make for the fall fit into your future educational plans. If you decide you are not comfortable sending your child to their current school in the fall, what options do you have? A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages.

Tee, Mens (n.d.). ), Have your parent/guardian take a picture of your fort, with the list of equipment used and post it to Twitter using the hashtag #fortchallenge and tag @HomeschoolWork. (n.d.). If you want to really make it fun and engaging with everyone involved, you or the meeting organizer can make up a bingo card and send it out to everyone on the call. Also, be sure that you are fully informed about what activities are offered or not offered for any who opt into remote or distance learning through the school, as this likely differs on a district by district or school by school basis. You can ask the school about options for continuing distance learning (if they dont already include that as an option in their fall plans). (This is a big deciding factor that can save or cost you a lot of time and stress. 1) Draw out a rough daily schedule (or weekly, if your daily work schedules vary), allocating specific times for work and for schoolwork. A visual representation of the five dysfunctions Lencioni identifies is shown below. As of now, you at least have an idea of how much time you want to allocate to work and to homeschooling and have identified an area where you can store and organize schoolwork and related supplies. Everything you need to organize your area is probabily already in your home. Accountability is the forth level in the pyramid identified by Lencioni, and aligns closely with constructive conflict and commitment. Hurell Here are a few options, as examples: CDC. We homeschooled in many different locations, including a multifamily house where we had a full room dedicated to homeschooling, my parents house where we had an area in the basement, our family members kitchen counters, and even an RV, when we traveled around the US. Small wins go a long way. Awake and Mindful has collected five yoga videos for kids that might be one option for a calm activity to start off the day. Greater Good Magazine. Common Sense Media, for example, provides a list of Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sides, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.headspace.com/covid-19, Khan Academy (2020). Tee. They are used to having their days and activities planned out for them months in advance. When we homeschooled, for earlier years, where I had many conference calls, and the kids were younger, we used videos for most of the elective subjects and studied each subject almost every day. Graphic Either way, some people are going to be happy and some unhappy, regardless of the plan or approach that is taken. While you are determining how much time you want to dedicate to your work, also consider if there are specific days or times of day that you have regularly scheduled meetings, deadlines for regular work, or other time-specific restrictions. If your student is overloaded with work, have them work with their teachers and administrators to request extensions or accommodations where needed. State Virtual Schools. 5) Choose activities to start your day off on a calm and positive note. Its challenging to ensure everyone is on the same page during a normal school year, but even more challenging during a global pandemic. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/legal, HSLDA. You are the parent, and you know what is best for your children. When you are planning your days, you will first need to decide how much time you want (or need) to spend with your focus dedicated to your work (in meetings, for example), and how much time you want to spend homeschooling your child (or children). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Khan Academy. Youre Probably Homeschooling Way More Than You Need To. No year, and no day, to be honest, looked the same for us, even when I tried to plan it to be the same, and my kids turned out just fine. These extreme stances come with equally strong language, which can be misleading to the new or uninformed, so it is important to make sure you fully understand the true requirements before making decisions, finalizing your plans, and submitting any notices or documentation. 3) Identify the delivery mode you want to use for each subject and each child. Always be appreciative.). Commitment is built on a foundation of trust and constructive conflict. K12. When I started homeschooling and working from home, we had one preschooler and one toddler. To avoid things becoming disorganized, piling up, getting dirty during meals, etc., it is best to dedicate a shelf or whole bookshelf to the schoolwork, books and all related equipment. Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sites. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, The new challenge to keep the kids occupied during conference calls is: FORT MAKING!!! 100 Things to Teach Your Teen While Youre Stuck at Home. Remote Learning with Khan Academy During School Closures. Schedules created and posted in a common location provide clarity to everyone involved and help the parents avoid questions like what are we doing today? and what subjects are we working on today? There are many free printable planners and schedules available online. Graphic that you will be bound by? See below for our experience transitioning our kids from homeschooling to public school and considerations/lessons-learned that you might find helpful. Educators have never taught during a global pandemic, much less taught remotely or taught some students remotely and some in person at the same time. The second is what is being referred to as remote or distance learning, or, in our district, cooperative distance learning, which I think describes this option very well. Khan Academy Schedules for School Closures. Almost three years later, I can tell you that it was the right choice for both of them, without a doubt. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, National University Library. You will need to determine the best balance and schedule for your family based on the ages you are teaching, the subjects you have selected, and the modes you have chosen to use to teach those subjects. We also chose to provide our girls with education regarding proper behavior online, rather than feeling the need to constantly police them and their online activities. Your next steps are: 1) Identify the age groups of the children you are educating and whether they need to be planned separately or if the plan and content can be the same.

5) Understand and be honest and open about what you (and your student) can and cannot reasonably take on and complete given everything you have going on outside of school responsibilities, and be open to working with your student and their teachers and school administrators. Some subjects that lend themselves to video lessons are art, music, history, and even physical education, for example. It is important to understand the risks and the comfort level you have with those risks, and, depending on the approach taken, the health risks for your children and for you (and for everyone in your household). Note that this option and how it is implemented differs greatly per state. Its important to have an honest conversation with your family and make the decision that is best for you, and to communicate that through these surveys. On top of a foundation of trust is constructive conflict. (Note that we do still have the requirement that they add us on all social media accounts so that we can monitor their activities there if we choose to do so.) Montana requires a notice of intent to homeschool to be submitted to the local Superintendent of Schools, but does not require any other forms or portfolio review, etc. A lesson I learned the hard way many times is that they cant both be done (effectively) at the same time.

The two most commonly tested subjects in standardized testing tend to be math and language arts, so when we homeschooled, we put the most emphasis on these two subjects, integrating the others as appropriate and as possible. In all honesty, because we got sick of answering the question of Can we watch? questions, we came up with a specific rule to guide their choices. Bauer, S. W. (2016). ), 4) If you choose homeschooling instead of distance learning, are you fully informed of any reporting requirements, regulations, etc.

Another point to consider is that you have every right to make the time spent educating your children as high a priority as any other meeting, so schedule it. Smoothing the transition in our new reality. Game Reviews. (2018). These are accessible here: https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/. You will need to determine, based on the number and ages of children, your work schedule, and any other constraints, what subjects you want to teach and can manage to do so with minimal stress. There are many options for finding safe content online for kids. Homeschool Laws By State. Welltrainedmind.com. SheKnows.com. We cannot control what this pandemic has become or is about to become or the ripple effects it may cause. For those who are not experienced or knowledgeable about publishers used for K-12 education, the National University Library System has a list on their website, accessible here: https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. Enter your credentials to acces your account. schoolwork has to follow the school day/week schedule, the schoolwork has to only include academic subjects, the kids have to be working on academic work the entire time, socialization is an afterthought when homeschooling, the kids are responsible for schoolwork and parents need to continue all of the housework. 2) Identify the subjects you would like to teach each of the children. The ability to have an open and honest discussion with their teacher, administrator, or even boss, is a skill that will only help them in their future. (Remember to make the award something you can make, give or do with them at home, and that they can have or do after your conference call is over.). (Many states do not allow homeschoolers to participate in activities at the public school, but some states do. How We Rate and Review. While you are working on a schedule more customized to you, your kids and your work schedule, two companies, Khan Academy and Scholastic, have recently provided lesson plans and activities free for children who are now staying home due to school closings. Why not act like the dedicated school time is just another meeting? Marc Zao-Sanders (2018) wrote an informative article on TimeBoxing, accessible here: Organizing your space is another aspect of your current situation that you have total control over. 2) Block off the appropriate time for schoolwork on your work calendar and communicate these expectations to your manager and coworkers. There are many misconceptions about homeschooling, in general, but especially with working and homeschooling. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, Common Sense Media. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, STEAMsational. Being completely clear on goals, roles, and contributions can promote commitment and team cohesion. Yes, movies sometimes work, but how about something possibly more fun (for you and for them)? You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. (n.d.). (n.d.). In work environments, especially when working on projects, everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities which are laid out on a project plan. The third consideration is the mode you wish to use to teach the subjects you have selected. To commit to common goals, everyone on the team has to be aware of the goals, understand why those goals are important, and be aware and accepting of their role in helping the team attain those goals. For those that had more meetings than others, I allocated the time for the meetings first, and then figured out what schoolwork I could fit in. For example, Connecticut only requires a notice of withdrawal, legally, but does recommend (only a recommendation, not a legal requirement) a notice of intent to homeschool and portfolio review. However, we can control our reaction to it by staying safe, keeping our family safe, and following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (2020) guidelines posted here: In my experience homeschooling and working full time (from various locations and time zones), the biggest lesson I learned was that I needed to be organized, but also flexible. KEY POINT: You do not have to replicate your full workday and the full school day, so give yourself a break and get rid of that expectation right away. (2020). An example of this is a new kindergartener starting homeschool in the first year of school eligibility. Administrators have never run schools, districts or boards of education during a global pandemic. Focusonthefamily.com. For states who are planning in-person school options, many are still providing distance learning as an option, and homeschooling is always an additional option. Retrieved March 16, 2020, from, Zao-Sanders, Marc. For parents looking online for content for their children, who may not be familiar with different websites, movies or apps, or unsure how to tell what might be safe or age-appropriate, this post is for you. The truth is that our kids (or any of us, for that matter) have never learned or gone to school (in person, hybrid or online) during a global pandemic. What if schools open in a blended format, where schedules are alternating day to day or am/pm? Tee, Mens What Ill provide below is a brief overview of some of the options for planning the work, starting with four considerations for doing so. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, Roblox. This includes finding appropriate websites, movies, games, and applications, teaching your children about online safety and digital citizenship, and knowing how to distinguish between free, safe content and free, unsafe content. The one thing that all of those spaces had in common was a dedicated space to store all of our supplies and work. (n.d.). Join our list and get 10% off your next purchase. When you get stressed or overwhelmed, just remember that surviving is all you and your family need to do right now, and the rest will all work out eventually. Accountability involves all levels, including our children consistently being held responsible for their work.

Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, Focus on the Family. There are actually more options than you would think, and you are your and your childrens best advocate. If you are teaching more than one child, you will need to decide, based on their ages, maturity levels and possibly reading levels, whether you need to plan separate work for each, or whether you can plan once and have them all working on the same work. However, with everything clearly defined and with trust, constructive conflict and commitment, holding each other accountable for their respective parts becomes much easier, and does not need to involve finger pointing or other negative non-constructive behaviors. Think about other ways that you can work to promote trust, constructive conflict, commitment, accountability, and attention to results as part of your students learning team and pick one item to focus on at a time.

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