Parents, please take the pressure off of yourself to home-school - ‘homeschooling’ is now a widely misused term for what millions of parents are currently trying to emulate, when in reality homeschooling is a choice to remove a child from an educational establishment, fully prepared, with obligation and legal responsibility to adhere to government standards.
Millions of us did not elect this and did not prepare for it.
It was thrust upon us as a result of a worldwide pandemic and as such we have to consider it something new and a bridge to the extended work our brilliant schools are now offering.
Do not assume, with no choice in the matter, you are suddenly expected to be a teacher, in the same way, you wouldn’t suddenly assume you could drive if I showed you a car for the first time, or could be a basket player upon seeing a basketball.
Just like the notion of ‘social distancing’ has morphed in circles to a more appropriate ‘physical distancing’, (we need to be social no matter how far from one another) we’d do better to consider ourselves offering ‘learning guidance’ than homeschooling, we parents are currently facilitators, conduits and occasional presenters - connecting our children to things that will engage, occupy and better them in small, small steps, wherever form they come in.
Over the last week, I’ve spoken to many parent friends who are already feeling the strain to fill their days with school-esque timetables - the goal really should be to set a rhythm in the day, for families to be around each other for so long in enclosed places - something that we may need to continue for months.
Keep your child engaged with fun learning activities after school.
Learning does not have to stop or become monotonous.
Engage your child with different learning instruments that will clear their concepts and help them learn new concepts and ideas at their own pace and in their own space.
It’s only normal that some parents have second thoughts about sending their children to any public school.
They might consider homeschooling their children instead.
But if for the parents it is their first child they will have certain uncertainties in what and how to go about with their child’s learning.
Thus, let us look at some of the ways in which parents can effectively homeschool their children.
Regulations: For the student’s long-term benefits, be sure that what you are doing is approved by the law and make sure to get it certified by passing the high school exams and eventually the JEE Mains if everything goes right.
Manage time: Time administration and organization can help you immensely within organizing all of the activities associated with homeschooling lesson programs, daily routine, family period and the rest of the household chores which are anyway your own responsibility like a parent.
