Tips for "Seasonal" Homeschoolers (i.e., Those Peeps who are Homeschooling During Covid-19 Only)
This post is for all my sweet friends who are pleading (through tears!) for homeschool advice ASAP. Since everyone seems to be asking the same questions, I thought it would be easier to put the answers in a blog post. I wish I could share these tidbits with you in person, at my kitchen table (preferably over a bag of Chick-fil-A sandwiches - ha!) - but, alas, that's not possible during this quarantine. So please know this post serves as my big, encouraging hug to each of you. You're doing a GREAT JOB!!! And your kiddos will be JUST FINE this year! (Better than fine, actually!)
Ok, without further ado, here are my answers to your questions:
(1) ARE YOU CRAZY FOR MAKING A LAST-MINUTE DECISION TO HOMESCHOOL YOUR KIDS THIS FALL? CAN YOU REALLY DO THIS???
Yes, you can absolutely do this! And, no, you're NOT crazy. You can absolutely rock this homeschool thing!
(2) WHAT MATERIALS/BOOKS DO YOU NEED FOR YOUR FIRST WEEK OF HOMESCHOOL?
None! Really! For those who insist on suggestions though, I've included a few ideas below. ;-)
But, first, if I could humbly offer one piece of advice, it would be this: slow down, take a deep breath, and focus on having FUN with your kiddos! This is NOT the year to turn your children into miniature Einsteins. No need to buy every curriculum under the sun. Truly. This year is such a beautiful GIFT. You have an opportunity to connect with your children without all the distractions of an ordinary year. You get to PLAY. And READ. And MAKE MEMORIES that you'll cherish forever. Please, please take full advantage of this extraordinary opportunity!
Ok, for those who really want concrete ideas for the first week of homeschool, here are a few suggestions:
(1) Turn your first few days into a celebration (or a grand adventure!) - ditch the textbooks and the workbooks, decorate the house with balloons and streamers, and dig into a giant cookie cake together (or a massive pancake breakfast, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles)!
(2) Go outside! Nature walks are a fabulous perk of home education. Search for insects... can you find all 6 legs? Identify local birds (what makes a bird a bird? - feathers!). Search for your family's favorite picnic spot and then sketch the surroundings (this is fun to repeat as the seasons change). You might not view these nature walks as "school," but I promise your children are learning while they're exploring and sketching the great outdoors. (Consider carrying a pamphlet like this one or this one to help you identify local plants and animals. Also, these sketchpads and colored pencils are wonderful! Oh - and these binoculars are great too!)
(3) Let your kids tinker! Free play is largely absent from today's traditional schools, so kids are missing opportunities to discover their passions/hobbies. Now is a great time to let them try all sorts of new stuff! Tinker Crates, Doodle Crates, woodworking kits, engineering sets, musical instruments, cooking/baking, movie-making, and drawing/painting are excellent diversions in the first week of school (and beyond!).
(4) Try some of the challenges on these STEM cards.
(5) Try some of the science experiments in these books: Naked Eggs and Fire Bubbles. Or google "fun science experiments for kids" for a slew of free ideas.
(6) Stay in your pajamas and watch "educational" movies according to your kids' interests... Apollo 13 or Hidden Figures for space enthusiasts; weather or nature documentaries for science lovers; World War II movies/documentaries for history buffs... the possibilities are endless. The snack options are endless too. ;-)
(7) PLAY GAMES! Guess in 10, Quiddler, Think Fun Math Dice, Rush Hour, Blokus, Wildlife Bingo, and Monopoly are all educational games. Also, the Pop games, Zingo games, and Tiny Polka Dot are solid options for younger kiddos (preschool to 2nd grade-ish).
(8) Draw your favorite characters using videos from Art for Kids Hub.
(9) Have "big, juicy conversations" - that's what Julie Bogart advises, and she's one of the most fabulous homeschool mentors around. Discuss dreams, goals, movies, friendships, quarantining, etc. Use "would you rather" prompts if you're stuck. The point is to CONNECT with your kids. Bonus: good writing begins with good communication skills... the more you chat, the better you communicate (verbally and with a pencil)... so think of these conversations as your "writing" lessons for the week. ;-)
Basically, my advice is to surprise your children with a DELIGHTFUL first week of "school." Learning can be such an exciting, magical adventure for the entire family, especially when you're free to explore ANYTHING that strikes your fancy! Indulge in ALL the privileges of home education, including late wake-ups and homemade breakfasts... plus oodles of books, games, and conversations. These days are for the memory books!
3) WHICH BOOKS/CURRICULA/RESOURCES AM I USING FOR EACH SUBJECT FOR EACH OF MY KIDDOS?
This is THE question that I'm getting over and over again. Folks want to know EXACTLY what our family is using to teach each subject... like, down to the exact edition, y'all. But here's the deal, friends... each family is different, and you should choose materials that suit YOUR family's interests/time/abilities. Plus, those who are planning to homeschool for only a season will almost certainly need to choose different materials (according to your school's standards). Nevertheless, because some of my favorite peeps are still pushing for the full rundown of our materials, here ya go:
Math: Singapore Math's Primary Mathematics (Level 3 for my 3rd grader; Level 6 for my 6th grader)
Writing: Brave Writer's Partnership Writing for my 3rd grader; IEW's All Things Fun and Fascinating AND IEW's Medieval History Writing Lessons for my 6th grader (plus these online Brave Writer classes: Dream Big and Shakespeare Family Workshop)
Grammar: Evan-Moor grammar workbooks (Amazon offers these workbooks for 1st-6th grades)
Copywork: Brave Writer's Arrow guides for our read-aloud books
Spelling: All About Spelling
Logic/Reasoning: The Thinking Toolbox
STEM: Lots of stuff, including these cards and engineering sets and tinker crates
Spanish: Duolingo, Workbooks, Songs, & One Third Stories
Greek/Latin: Flashcards
History: Mystery of History
Science: Lots of stuff, including lessons from Apologia's Exploring Creation series
Art: Various materials, including lessons from Shelley West's elementary art curriculum
Music: Still Singing Tin Whistle Hymns
Typing: Mickey's Typing Adventure for my 3rd grader; Keyboarding for my 6th grader
Read Aloud Books: The Phantom Tollbooth, Crispin (to support our medieval history lessons), Rapunzel, The Giver, Frindle, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, A Long Walk to Water, Esperanza Rising, Out of My Mind, Dogs Don't Tell Jokes, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Little Prince, and How to Eat Fried Worms
Online Classes: Shakespeare Family Workshop and Brave Writer's Write for Fun: Dream Big
(4) ARE THERE ANY GREAT ALL-IN-ONE CURRICULUM OPTIONS FOR YOUNGER PEEPS?
Yes! We love My Father's World and Five In a Row for prechool-2nd grade.
(5) WHAT DOES OUR DAILY SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE?
Ha! Depends on the day (and the temperament of our precious baby girl)! In general, we begin each day by reading a book aloud. Then we gather on the floor of the living room OR around the kitchen table for our "together work" - that's all the stuff we do together as a family (including history, science, music, Spanish, etc.). After lunch and outdoor play time, we'll tackle individual work: math, copywork/grammar, spelling, and writing lessons. We try to wrap up our work by 3 PM each day... sometimes we finish at 1 PM, and other days we finish at 4. No biggie!
My tip regarding the daily schedule is this: start with something ENJOYABLE for everyone. For our family, that's reading aloud and then diving into the day's hands-on projects (history, science, etc.). You'll find that your kids will more happily bounce into "school time" when you begin with the fun stuff. ;-)
(6) WHICH STANDARDIZED TESTS DO WE TAKE AT THE END OF THE YEAR?
Colorado law requires that all homeschooled students either (1) take a standardized test in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, OR (2) complete an academic evaluation by a qualified person.
We've found Seton Testing's Stanford 10 Online Test to be easy/painless to administer (although it's regarded as more challenging than the IOWA test used by most schools), so we've always opted for the standardized test over the personal evaluation.
States differ in their testing requirements; I'd check your state's laws before researching options. (Regardless of your state's laws, you'll almost certainly find an approved test through Seton. They offer EVERYTHING!)
(7) IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES (HOMESCHOOLING FOR 1 YEAR ONLY), WHAT WOULD I DO?
This is probably the most common "final question" that I'm asked after all the other questions have been covered. ;-)
My answer? I'd use this time to do all the things I CAN'T do when the kids are in school: travel, enjoy weekly field trips (there are plenty of outdoor options during this quarantine, including parks, national forests, lakes, and even the zoo), etc.
I'd also let the kids sleep in... there's no need to begin any school work at 7 AM. For reals. Most kids are capable of completing their school work in 2-3 hours. (In fact, this is why a lot of families choose to homeschool in the first place.)
In case I haven't said this enough, I'd have FUN with my children! I'd dance and sing and turn up the volume on Alexa every morning. I'd wear costumes to teach history lessons. I'd perform messy science experiments (outside!). Basically, I'd RELAX and enjoy the year. You will be SHOCKED by the amount your children learn - and retain! - when their "teacher" acts a little bonkers. ;-)
I'd skip school (or wrap up early) on those perfect autumn days when we'd rather be outside than hunched over a math book. Carpe diem! ;-)
Speaking of fall, I'd make a fall bucket list (or print one from Etsy or Google), and then I'd attack those tasks with gusto!
I'd spend time with grandparents and extended family as health and quarantine laws permit. (Tea parties with Grandma are delightful! And grandparents are fabulous history teachers. I learned more about the 1930s-1950s from my grandparents' stories than from any textbook.)
I'd focus on developing good character/habits in my children... serving an elderly neighbor together will teach lifelong lessons. (We can mow lawns, pick up groceries, and wash cars for those who can't get out during the COVID-19 season.) Also, I'd read In This House We Will Giggle. It's an awesome resource for families with elementary kiddos!
Do your kids know how to do their own laundry? Cook a meal? Tend to the garden? If not, this is a great time to teach some life skills. ;-)
I'd allow the kids to do their school work under a tree, on the trampoline, at a park, etc. As long as the work is done well, the environment doesn't matter. Relish the freedom of home education!
(Sidenote: If you're human - and if you're teaching human children, then you'll almost certainly have a few bad days. They happen to everyone, including the most Mary Poppins-ish of teachers! Remember that bad days are just DAYS (not months or years), and they won't scar your children. Tomorrow (or maybe next week) WILL BE BETTER. No need to bail on a plan that you decided was best for your kiddos. It's still a good plan!)
Finally, I'd celebrate random holidays. This Highlights Almanac lists everything from National Opposite Day to National Croissant Day. Do you know which month is National Oatmeal Month?
WHEW! That's it, folks! That's everything I'd share with you if we could chat in person. (Y'all know I'm chatty! Ha!)
My hope and prayer for each of you is that you'll LOVE this season of connecting with your kiddos.
May God bless you with His joy, wisdom, and PEACE this school year!
