Here we are. It’s an unprecedented time when we are trying to figure out a new way to live in the world. It’s overwhelming and there has been plenty of information to try to fill the gap.
For parents who now find themselves with children at home for the foreseeable future, I’ve seen some great schedules posted about how to do at home learning with our kids. Yet for many, trying to balance working from home with kids out of school can make it challenging to stick to a schedule.
It may seem like a small difference, but for some kids, having the autonomy to choose their activities and when they will do them is huge.
That’s why I like Accomplishment Charts. (Don’t want to read a whole post? Jump over to Accomplishment Charts to get the free downloads.)
I learned about Accomplishments years ago when my kids were in a Montessori school for kindergarten.
Accomplishments allow for learning through an individualized plan. It also allows the child to self-direct. While some children will need help following through on their accomplishments, autonomy and self-direction are great skills to practice during this time off school. They are also hopefully things that will allow parents to get some work done, too.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines accomplishment as:
- something done or finished successfully
Accomplishments also tend to include feeling proud of what you have done. I’m aiming to teach my kids qualities and abilities that equip them for society. Part of that is teaching them how to self-direct. (Some kids need more help with this than others, and mine fall into the “needing help” category.)
To that end, I created some charts to help them work through basic skills: morning routine, bedtime routine, and at home learning on summer days (I’ve adapted it slightly for these days off school).
All of those routines will help maintain some normalcy during this time.
Autonomy means being able to choose. Kids need choices, but it is helpful to create some guidelines around this.
For example, set a specific waking time and bedtime. Also set a time-frame for when the accomplishments need to be, well, accomplished.
In our house, the rule is that they can complete their accomplishments at any point as long as they are done by 4pm.
Once the accomplishments are done, then they get the reward of (non-educational) screen time or a family game night or a family movie.
Everyone has their own style of learning. Some prefer having a strict schedule to follow. Some are last-minute workers. Some can mix work with downtime and still get it all done.
In my house, I have one kid who will buckle down and finish everything immediately; one kid who will work a little, play a little; and one kid who will wait until the last possible moment and cram all the work into a small window. (Yes, she does this ALL THE TIME, with EVERYTHING. And yes, I’ve tried countless ways to help her learn to plan ahead. It is a constant work in progress.)
Three completely different work styles, all supported by this method. My kids are also different ages and grades. I’m not an educator or homeschooler, so this method gives them a framework without needing me to do a ton of research to find a curriculum for each child.
There have been a number of online educational activities and schedules posted this week.
I particularly like the Khan Academy schedule because it links directly with their online learning.
Scholastic has Learn at Home activities by day with some really great content.
I’ve also seen a wonderfully structured Daily Schedule that has been shared online (along with several spoofs of that schedule – because like I said, not all of us are built for this kind of structure).
If you use these files, please share your feedback with me at firstname.lastname@example.org. Please let me know if I can update or adapt the forms to better suit your needs.
Happy At Home Learning!