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Introduction

Home learning or Homeschooling is the term used to refer to home school education. It is an alternative that consists of unifying all educational areas in the family context outside educational institutions, both public and private.

Learning at home, without going to school, is a possibility that for some families becomes the best option. The boys and girls who are educated at home following a homeschooling program do not go to school because their relatives, usually their parents, are the ones who are in charge of providing them with the training that makes the acquisition of learning possible. This type of education is an ancestral method used centuries ago, in a stage prior to modern schools, when knowledge was imparted generation after generation within the family.

Teaching at home implies that the family comprehensively assumes the education of children, without delegating any of the functions inherent to this task to other institutions, and the family becomes the institution that transmits values ​​and principles, which deals with the affective and emotional development of children, and also assumes other functions in the transmission of skills and knowledge necessary for the training and full development of minors.

When curiosity and hunger for learning come together, it is the children who wonder how they can set out to achieve new goals and start new adventures. At home, with some of the best online homeschool programs every parent can help children find learning, undoubtedly will help them to explore and learn to develop their best skills.

It is important to remember that education does not only come hand in hand with school learning. The day to day, inside and outside the home, is one of the leading actors in our history.

How to Create a schedule and routine for home learning?

• Designate a quiet space in your home for home learning, where possible. Try to get your child to choose a place that he thinks is suitable for studying.
• If you have not yet implemented it, create a communication channel with your child so that he can openly share their ideas and thus maximize educational achievement.
• Avoid distractions from siblings, TV shows, tablets, or other devices that can distract your child and divert attention from learning. Set rules so that everyone at home tries to be as quiet as possible while your child is in class.
• Review assignments and school expectations, and help your child set a reasonable time frame for completing assignments.
• Create routines and set reasonable expectations for your child, and reinforce them through reminders (eg, written schedules, photos), positive comments, or rewards.
• Establish regular bedtime and make your child wake up at the same time like in the school days.
• Include breaks in the schedule so you can enjoy fun activities, free time, healthy meals and snacks, time outdoors, and physical activity . Provide opportunities for him to spend some time away from screens. If your schedule allows, take a break with your child to connect and find out how the day is going.
• Consider how your child can stay connected with friends and other family members without having to be with them in person (eg, video conferencing, FaceTime, car visits).
• Have a plan to be flexible with your schedule – it’s okay to tailor it based on your day! Consider setting aside a certain amount of time each week that allows for more flexibility in your child’s learning schedule.

Consider your child’s individual learning needs

• The transition to home will be different for preschoolers, elementary school students, middle school students, and high school students. Ask your child what he likes and finds difficult about homeschool programs, and then make any necessary adjustments.
• If your child has special or demanding support needs, consider improving the structure and regularity of the learning routine. Increase the frequency of reminders about expectations, and share positive comments or other rewards when you meet them. Consider taking a moment at the end of each home learning day to talk with your child about the progress made that day toward the set goal. Over the net we come across some of the best online homeschooling sites that provide us with adequate information on homeschooling.
• For younger children or those with trouble concentrating, take more frequent breaks and use a timer to indicate that the break is over. You might also consider using breaks as rewards when you get through more difficult activities.
• For younger children or children with sensory problems, it can be difficult to keep them seated at a table all day. Consider alternatives such as sitting on the floor, putting pillows on the floor, or using a yoga ball.
• For children with an individualized education program (IEP), work with your child’s special education team to create a virtual learning plan and set specific learning, social, emotional, or behavioral goals. Work together to create strategies that support your child’s progress toward set goals (e.g., visual goal charts and timelines, audible or visual activity timers, positive verbal reinforcement, a comfortable learning environment) and commit to regularly monitor progress.

Consider additional options for learning

• If you are looking for additional home learning options beyond regular school assignments, collaborate with your child’s teacher or some of the best online homeschooling sites to create creative learning opportunities that meet the needs and interests of children of different age groups who are members of your household while preventing the spread of COVID-19 (eg, virtual field trips, virtual college visits, home activity ideas).
• Consider hands-on activities such as puzzles, painting, drawing, and doing things that complement online learning activities and reduce screen time.
• You can also use independent play in place of structured learning or use a reward when your child is doing a challenging structured learning activity or task.
• Practice writing and grammar skills by writing letters to family and friends. It is an excellent option to help your child feel connected to others without having direct contact with people.
• Consider starting a journal with your child to document this moment, and talk about shared experiences, challenges, and memories.
• See if your local library is hosting virtual or live reading events, and encourage your child to dabble in available audiobooks or ebooks that they can read for fun.

Conclusion

Homeschooling ends up becoming a lifestyle for families who choose this option. The implication in the education of the sons and daughters that it implies requires the dedication of very valuable time and space, which we do not always grant to our little ones. This entails the experience of unique moments, of significant emotional charge, that make the affective bonds strengthen and that the family dynamics are transformed.

The most important part of this type of learning will lie in the fact of sharing these new experiences with them: developing children’s emotional intelligence and social skills is as important as teaching them new languages ​​and disciplines through good habits. In a professional and social future, they will know how to share their wisdom. Helping children to acquire skills through play will ensure that, for them, those teachings they receive last over time. And if those games do not include competitiveness and favor positive development, it will help them to know how to unlock other types of daily challenges and difficulties with which to continue progressing and learning.

Have you ever thought of home learning for your kids? Let us know in the comments below.