Teacher Approved Tips & Tricks for Creating the Best At-Home Learning Experience for Your Child
Professional teachers give their expert tips on how to best support your child as they take on learning from home this school year amid the coronavirus pandemic
PEOPLE spoke with teachers with experience ranging from elementary to high school about the things you need to know as you prepare to teach your child at home this school year.
Differentiate School From Home
When it comes to creating a learning environment that is best for your child, try to separate "class" from "home." You can do this by creating a specific place for your child to learn.
"Establish a clear, and when possible, separate area for learning (preferably not the kitchen table, though this is unavoidable in a lot of households). Have materials laid out and ready to go, and keep the learning space clean and cleared off."
— Madeleine Smith, 5th-10th grade teacher
"When students are working from home it is essential to create a classroom-like environment. During the first week in my classroom I always create a space with rules and routines. Parents can easily do this at home to create a structured environment for the students."
—Bailey Frye, 3rd grade teacher, South Carolina
"In education, proximity is a huge part of classroom management. It's important to be close, but not overbearing. Balancing a sense of freedom, with a sense of accountability. In a home setting, it might be easy to send a student off to their room to work. That would be fine, but make sure to physically be present on a continual basis."
—Jennifer Simmons, middle & high school teacher, South Carolina
"While it helps to have a quiet space for your child to focus, you should still be checking what they are doing. As a teacher, I can tell you for a fact that a lot of online games are happening during school time!"
—Maggie Bussard, K-8 teacher, New York
Keep a Schedule
By and large, every single teacher we spoke to noted the importance of keeping your children on schedule.
"Set clear expectations about what you are doing and how long it will take. For example, instead of [telling your child] 'go read' be specific with 'you are going to read for 15 minutes, I'm going to set the timer now.' Having a timer they can look at helps with this."
"Kids thrive in routines. They will fight it and tell you they don't like it, but that is because they are developmentally pre-dispositioned to argue with it. But the reality is that even though they say they don't like it, they actually do. It gives a sense of comfort and security. Having a set schedule every day will help tremendously. Even something as simple as making your own daily agendas or check lists can help your students. They like to know what to expect."
"It is so important for students to have a rigorous and continuous schedule. The teacher can help with providing what that schedule would look like in the classroom and parents can apply it at home. Teachers and parents can work together to create and schedule and options for students to complete activities at that time.
Another great strategy a parent can do is to provide the student with brain breaks in between subjects or at a specific time so students know there is an end in sight. These brain breaks could be jumping jacks, a walk around the neighborhood, listening to a favorite song, or even a snack. Giving students a consistent schedule as well as breaks helps them be structured and know what to expect."
— Carolyne Martin, 3rd & 4th grade teacher, South Carolina
Make Time for Movement & Outdoor Time
If your child needs a break, they need a break! Set a timer and let them shake it out before moving on to the next task. Here's what teachers have to say:
"If kids have been sitting for half an hour non-stop, take a movement break before they keep working."
"Offer 'time off' for students who are burnt out and do not have the mental capacity to learn anything new at that moment in time.
Give students 5-10 minutes to sit outside or anywhere away from the learning space (no technology needed – just a quick self-reflection)
If a child is hungry or thirsty, allow time to fix those problems before the learning occurs. Normalize eating and drinking as separate activities to learning, in a different space when possible!"
Consider Implementing a Reward System
Here are a few reward systems that work for teachers in the classroom:
"A system I love that I have seen others use with their kids at home is earning fake currency for doing school work, tasks around the house, or any other positive behaviors. Remember, rewards do not have to be screen time or food-based. You can also give experiences as rewards like getting to pick the family activity that night."
"Utilize an online system like Class Dojo. You can create a homeschool class and reward points for great behavior during the day! Create a point system at your house with a visual for the students. After every 10 points, students receive an award. This can be something as simple as starting an hour later, or wearing pajamas all day!"
"The best reward systems have been created by the students because every group has a different want — let your child decide! For example, they can choose to play minutes of football outside, get a piece of candy, have five minutes to check social media, etc."
"The most important part of any reward system is knowing what motivates your student. The reality is that, in my experience, there isn't a one-size-fits-all system that is going to excite and motivate all students. I recommend setting smaller, attainable goals. Kids and adults alike love feeling successful.
"I would try to steer away from solely using tangible/bought items as rewards. Those are OK every once in a while, but you also don't want to condition kids to always expect that. Look for other opportunities to reward kids."
Bring Their Learning Back to the Real World
Finding a way to connect with your child about what they are learning is the key to helping it all sink in. The same is true whether they're distance learning or at school.
"Find real-world examples that link to the content your child is learning. Instead of Netflix binging in the evening, find a documentary about the earth, history or art. Take time to create things from pieces of nature or things around the house that relate to their content. The more they can build a connection between their work and the real world, the more they will buy in."
"Parents should also encourage learning at home by reading with students, having a conversation about books and making learning fun and applicable at home. This can be done over dinner conversation .... What did you learn today? Oh, how do you do that? These kinds of conversations are important since students may not have as many opportunities to discuss learning as they would in a classroom setting."
Give Them Some Choice
Just because your child is in a routine, it doesn't mean that they don't have any autonomy.
"Within your routine, leave room for student choice. Kids respond well to choice. However, how much choice you leave your student will depend on them. Some students would enjoy and thrive in an environment with lots of choice. For example, you could say, 'Here's your daily assignments,' and let them pick the order in which they tackle them. However for some that can be overwhelming. For those students you might need to say 'We can do this subject or this subject, which would you like to do first?'"
Have Patience (and Fun)
"Patience, patience, patience. If this is brand new for the family, it is a huge adjustment. Set aside a space in your home that is dedicated to school. It will make the transition easier for everyone if materials can be left in space and do not have to be moved everyday. Make it fun! Treat this like you would if they were going back to a school building. Take their picture at the beginning of the day, pack their lunch, etc. Make it a full experience so they are excited!"
"Make things fun and memorable. The things that kids remember at school will be the same things they remember at home — the moments where they were having meaningful fun and engagement. For some people e-learning at home with their kids will be a challenge, but it is also an opportunity. As parents, we only get a finite amount of time with our kids while they are young. Embrace this extra time that we have at home with them and make some memories. Play some board games together. Hold a family talent show. Host a family paint night. Maybe you have a readers theatre performance of a play in your living room. Cook with your kids. Invite them to come outside and help with stuff in the yard to learn about nature. Adopt a 'class pet' like a hamster or fish to study. Make memories!"
Embrace the Attitude (Especially for Teens)
"Sometimes you have to let the attitude go. Middle schoolers in particular are experts at eye rolling, tooth sucking, and mumbling some back talk under their breath. Not every expression of frustration that they give you warrants a lecture or even acknowledgement. If you argue or acknowledge it every time, it will turn into a full-on argument almost every time, which will be time consuming and will drain your energy. The reality is that sometimes they need to express their frustration that way, but they will move on much more readily if you just let those go sometimes. For example, if you ask your kid to work on their math work and they roll their eyes, but then take the paper to go do it, is it really necessary that you address the attitude? Probably not. Pick your battles."
Consider Your Child's Emotions
We are all living through unprecedented times, and though your kiddos may be showing it in different ways, they're also working through a lot of big emotions. Our teachers suggest giving them some space to feel.
"Their socio-emotional health is just as important as their academics. Offer them time to discuss their feelings, write it down, or give them an outlet. We can only expect so much of students at a young age. I know that I can only expect so much of my 8- and 9-year-old students. Let them have fun, be kids, but also be consistent with their schedule. Set aside time for school and play. Give them choices. Knowing they are still kids is important to note. Focus on their socio-emotional cues and know when enough is enough. Academics will always be there, but them being kids only lasts for a little while. Let them be little!"
"Understand that some days will be really tough, and if the most you can get them to accomplish is going outside or reading a few chapters of a book, that is enough."
Technology Dos & Don'ts
One of the harder aspects of teaching is managing technology, but these teachers have a few tips to make it easier at home.
"The computer is not a babysitter! Engage with what your kids are doing, even if it is just for a few minutes at a time if you are juggling work or other commitments. The best part about remote learning was seeing my kids getting their parents and whole families involved in projects and hearing about how much fun they had together.
If possible, make a separate user on the computer that is for school so that they are not distracted by things on their normal account. If they are sharing a computer, having separate users also will help avoid accidentally using a sibling's account."
"To keep kids focused on devices you have to give them breaks from the device. It sounds counterintuitive, but they really do need to step away for a little while. It isn't good for anyone to sit in front of a screen/device all day.
I LOVE using Google applications with my students because I can actively see them working on their screen. When I have students typing scripts, they create a Google doc to write their script and then they have to share their doc with me. It allows me to see them actively typing and working on it. And it is kind of fun because if I know they are goofing off, I can write a little note to them through Google docs and remind them to get on task. You could do the same with Google slides as well."
"Use the 'focus' feature that most app windows have, so that there is literally nothing around the screen except the window they have open. Turn off WiFi when possible (working on a paper, math problems, etc). When not possible, ensure that all apps that have messaging or game features are completely closed or blocked if possible.
Don't Skip Out on 'Specials'
"As a performing arts teacher I feel compelled to add that you should not let your kids skip their 'specials' classes. It might be the creative or movement break your kid needs! It could be their favorite class in school and help make the least favorite more bearable. Make sure you have checked the assignments and communication from every teacher your child would normally see in a week, not just a homeroom teacher."
Accept That Your Your Child May Struggle
"They learn in the struggle. There were many times during e-learning where I wanted to really jump in and almost tell my son the answer because he was not getting it. It's hard to see your own kid struggle. But remember that it is okay to let them sometimes."
Have a Question? Ask!
"If you have a question about an assignment, ask! We know you are not all trained educators, it is OK! We will be happy to hear from you and see that you care. Also, if there is an issue that comes up, we only know if you tell us. I would much rather get a message saying the internet connection is unstable and be able to send back a suggestion for an alternative, low-tech assignment than wonder where a kid's missing work is."
"You are not a teacher, and no one expects you to be. Your students teachers are not perfect either. You will both make mistakes, and you will both learn through this process. Take time for yourself and remember this situation is new for everyone"
"For my third graders, I would want parents to try to stay in contact with me as much as possible. Understand that teacher, student, and parent are all on the same team. Being on the same side and asking questions will be important for student success."
Supplies Teachers Love for Their Classrooms
- Basic art supplies; colored pencils, markers, crayons, markers, etc.
- Basket and trays for organization
- Folders and binders for papers and documents
- Dry erase boards or butcher papers for that your kids can work out problems
- Clip boards so that learning can happen anywhere
- "Treasure box" of recycled material in case inspiration strikes