- Plan and prioritise: The core subjects
If you are not a trained teacher, set some reasonable objectives for yourself; attempting to cover the entire curriculum will most likely make you and your child nervous (particularly if you’re balancing employment and this new teaching job). Prioritize the core curriculum, which includes arithmetic and English. We think that doing your best is sufficient.
There are many innovative methods to cover the remainder of the curriculum; for example, viewing Horrible Histories or Blue Planet is a fantastic way to learn part of the humanities. There’s no need to recreate the wheel. There are several free internet materials available, as well as ones that you may purchase and those that your child’s school will probably send you.
Instead, prioritise and plan what you’re going to cover, and do your best to execute your plan. Like any new job, the first few days will be about finding your feet.
- Opening your new school
Make yourself at home in your new school! It’s time to meet your new students. With the youngsters, starting with “why” is critical. It assists the youngsters in understanding the objective of the activity and why they are being asked to complete it.
Each household’s “why” will be different: “because when we go back to school, we need to be up to speed with the curriculum,” but refrain from saying “because I said so, or you are grounded.” Begin with “why,” and then give the youngsters a choice: this is an excellent motivator. They may make an early decision to name and design their new school.
After they have completed this, you may begin to talk with them about what will be included in the curriculum. Spoiler alert: it mostly consists of math and English. Involve your children in the discussions about the many subjects you’ll cover and when you’ll do so.
Now that you’ve gotten your new class on board, it’s time to establish some school regulations. This might include restrictions against talking over one another, as well as emphasising the “absolutely no kids in the staff room” rule. Ever!
- Fresh start: Establish routines
Structure, particularly a morning routine, seems to work well for both children and adults. Put on your new school uniform and change out of your PJs.
Try to create a learning plan with your new class and, if feasible, designate a dedicated workspace for them – their new classroom. This way, kids will link this place primarily with their learning and will find it simpler to turn off when they are in other sections of the house. Consider arranging break and lunch hours to help them keep some ties to their regular school experience. You don’t need to install a bell for this, but a whistle would work if you’re feeling frivolous.
If you want to synchronise your job with their study hours, make sure you examine any work responsibilities that may impact this. There will be plenty of relaxation in the evening, and sticking to breaks will assist to stress the importance of learning time. If you can schedule this time with other “schools” (families), the children may be able to restore some social components by interacting with others and engaging in virtual playing.
- Figure out what technology you’ll need
Once again, your initial point of contact should be your child’s school or the local government. They could know what type of technology you will need to put up at home. Perhaps they would want to hold classes through Skype, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams. They may request that you download software such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Flash.
Consider the setup your kids have in your house in addition to what your child’s school requires you to accomplish. To work comfortably, older children may require the use of a keyboard or mouse. Younger children may benefit from innovative learning applications that make schoolwork enjoyable. You could ask your school if you can borrow an extra iPad or other piece of technology in exchange for good social distancing.
Extra support during COVID-19
Head to: https://learningfromhome.govt.nz/distance-learning/advice-for-parents-and-whanau
https://www.business.govt.nz/news/resilience-tips-for-small-business-owners/