In Ireland,
schools are closed for a while. Since we're homeschoolers (following
a curriculum), we aren't in a learning group right now (the peace is
better), so I thought some parents might find it helpful if we
describe what we do when we're just at home (and not in a
homeschooling group). We follow the Hungarian curriculum, adapting
the English (Irish) curriculum accordingly. My daughter has already
finished most of the subjects from Sixth class, now she just needs
broaden her knowledge.
IMPORTANT:
Turn off your TV, computer, phone, laptop (or at least close the screen) and select the place where they'll be working! It's important to designate the place as it also gives security, a point of reference (preferably not the couch – it's used for relaxing, so it's worth leaving a place that reserved just for relaxation). Mute your phone and don't talk to anyone during school hours. If you have to, quietly go to the toilet. Don't distract your child. If their mind is wandering, then it's worth using a time tracker (you can order it from Amazon, but it is in textbook or toy shops. We have one: https://www.learningresources.com/time-trackerr-mini).
If you're organised, they will be, too. A child is a mirror, and this is worth paying attention to.
I write the dates on the textbook pages in pencil, so they just need to look at the date above and know how much work they have to do that day.
Our daily routines:
We have breakfast from 9am (we set the table together, and more recently, after lunch, and clear it together, unless we're having very simple leftovers from the day before or has been in the freezer and just needs to be defrosted).
We work from 10 (initially, 2 hours a day if you can study intensively. As I've said, my daughter is in Sixth class – she studies about 4 hours a day, so she’s close to finishing in six months). They never work for more than 45 minutes at a time, then they take a break and continue. It’s worth taking a little exercise, eating an apple, some beet or have else something to chew on – the chewing will supply the brain with oxygenated blood. My five-year-old son living with Down's Syndrome learns , develops and plays with me.
If they have a question, they ask me in the kitchen or elsewhere quietly. Sometimes I don't know the answer. In this case, there are a lot of videos for learning on YouTube (explaining mathematical operations, physics, chemistry, with lots of very helpful instructional videos, thanks to the conscientious teachers who upload educational videos to the Internet).
I have told them many times, so it's quite fixed that they have to do the harder material before 12pm because their brains will get tired after that. When my third son wandered off, I would say, pointing at the clock, and he knows now, he had to do it then because later it would take longer (he knew that because he was very tired and unable to concentrate in the afternoon) to solve it, so now you rush around at 10am every day so you don't fall behind. If he is late, he never fails to point at the watch: Look, now it's past 12, do you feel tired? Our goal is to go up to midday on the more difficult stuff and up to 4pm on all the other tasks, including cleaning. If not, they won't get to watch a movie in the evening :))
We have lunch from midday (sometimes later, 1pm, and if the lunch is large, and the kids also help with cooking). We tidy up together afterwards (everyone puts their own dish in the dishwasher), then everyone goes back to work.
My son (he's in Third class) has time to read books that are good help for learning. My daughter continues studying.
If they've learned something from science or reading (or another subject) that you can watch as a nature movie or video, we usually watch educational movies. There are a lot on the internet.
Learning resources are very accessible, including games, visual aids, etc.. We use a lot of similar things (hot dots, tools for counting, and so on) which are good quality and very, very useful. You can order on E-bay or Amazon (if you worried about the virus, you can you antibacterial wipes). But you can also make cardboard or laminate visual aids (look for Montessori tools for mathematics, or you can also make them at home with Cheerios or other boxes. We use Montessori circles a lot for learn diving. :) There are many things in the household, but beans and lentils do too :))
IMPORTANT:
Turn off your TV, computer, phone, laptop (or at least close the screen) and select the place where they'll be working! It's important to designate the place as it also gives security, a point of reference (preferably not the couch – it's used for relaxing, so it's worth leaving a place that reserved just for relaxation). Mute your phone and don't talk to anyone during school hours. If you have to, quietly go to the toilet. Don't distract your child. If their mind is wandering, then it's worth using a time tracker (you can order it from Amazon, but it is in textbook or toy shops. We have one: https://www.learningresources.com/time-trackerr-mini).
If you're organised, they will be, too. A child is a mirror, and this is worth paying attention to.
I write the dates on the textbook pages in pencil, so they just need to look at the date above and know how much work they have to do that day.
Our daily routines:
We have breakfast from 9am (we set the table together, and more recently, after lunch, and clear it together, unless we're having very simple leftovers from the day before or has been in the freezer and just needs to be defrosted).
We work from 10 (initially, 2 hours a day if you can study intensively. As I've said, my daughter is in Sixth class – she studies about 4 hours a day, so she’s close to finishing in six months). They never work for more than 45 minutes at a time, then they take a break and continue. It’s worth taking a little exercise, eating an apple, some beet or have else something to chew on – the chewing will supply the brain with oxygenated blood. My five-year-old son living with Down's Syndrome learns , develops and plays with me.
If they have a question, they ask me in the kitchen or elsewhere quietly. Sometimes I don't know the answer. In this case, there are a lot of videos for learning on YouTube (explaining mathematical operations, physics, chemistry, with lots of very helpful instructional videos, thanks to the conscientious teachers who upload educational videos to the Internet).
I have told them many times, so it's quite fixed that they have to do the harder material before 12pm because their brains will get tired after that. When my third son wandered off, I would say, pointing at the clock, and he knows now, he had to do it then because later it would take longer (he knew that because he was very tired and unable to concentrate in the afternoon) to solve it, so now you rush around at 10am every day so you don't fall behind. If he is late, he never fails to point at the watch: Look, now it's past 12, do you feel tired? Our goal is to go up to midday on the more difficult stuff and up to 4pm on all the other tasks, including cleaning. If not, they won't get to watch a movie in the evening :))
We have lunch from midday (sometimes later, 1pm, and if the lunch is large, and the kids also help with cooking). We tidy up together afterwards (everyone puts their own dish in the dishwasher), then everyone goes back to work.
My son (he's in Third class) has time to read books that are good help for learning. My daughter continues studying.
If they've learned something from science or reading (or another subject) that you can watch as a nature movie or video, we usually watch educational movies. There are a lot on the internet.
Learning resources are very accessible, including games, visual aids, etc.. We use a lot of similar things (hot dots, tools for counting, and so on) which are good quality and very, very useful. You can order on E-bay or Amazon (if you worried about the virus, you can you antibacterial wipes). But you can also make cardboard or laminate visual aids (look for Montessori tools for mathematics, or you can also make them at home with Cheerios or other boxes. We use Montessori circles a lot for learn diving. :) There are many things in the household, but beans and lentils do too :))
Then you can make
a lapbook, expanding kids' knowledge. As a project, you
can go through some major topics and end up with a lapbook. Here are
some
examples: https://www.google.com/search?q=lapbook&sxsrf=ALeKk01-777R1aZqniECjQtquY1KYEt4xw:1584088845839&source=lms
2ahUKEwjFssvnhpfoAhX5RxUIHcaaBZcQ_AUoAXoECAwQAw
The essence of the lapbook: crafts (everyone loves crafts and they can learn this way. If they have to write things down, they should write keywords, the most important information, so they learn how to extract the essence from a text.
As already mentioned, we always start with maths (or more difficult subjects), because the brain is not tired in the morning, and then writing is for the younger ones (not for my daughter, of course who organises herself). At the end, reading, science, or whatever is easier for your child. My daughter used to history for pleasure (the Middle Ages were no longer fun for her). In the workbook, she would recap what she had read.
In the evening they are free from formal study, so they may do things like gymnastics or go hiking. There may be study walking (bringing a little notebook and writing down what kind of trees and plants we see, looking up further information at home afterwards, etc.), You can even compare the two walks (what was then and what is now).
Housework we also do together The 9-year-old son takes the dishes out of the dishwasher, tidies up the two living rooms (not cleaning, just tidying up); my daughter makes breakfast, serves lunch and dinner, washes the dishes and sometimes helps out here. Matthew (my 5-year-old son, living with Down's Syndrome) helps with vacuum cleaning and the laundry. The rest is up to me. :) But they also help me if I have a lot to do. :)
You can motivate them with a behaviour table, or give them stickers or something (if they finish their work, they get a dot in a calendar (or sticker, whichever you prefer) and choose from a wish list). Write wish list and what they want most – it has to be on the list for three months (if they change them mind, you can remove it) can cost you €20-30. They can remove things they don't want, then there will only be only important wishes left (they cross out a lot of these, you'll see :). When you've finished their daily learning and work, you can get sticker (yellow for us, like the sun, or whatever you like :)) points on the calendar, and when they collect 30 60 (whatever you want), you buy them the game or whatever. :)
The essence of the lapbook: crafts (everyone loves crafts and they can learn this way. If they have to write things down, they should write keywords, the most important information, so they learn how to extract the essence from a text.
As already mentioned, we always start with maths (or more difficult subjects), because the brain is not tired in the morning, and then writing is for the younger ones (not for my daughter, of course who organises herself). At the end, reading, science, or whatever is easier for your child. My daughter used to history for pleasure (the Middle Ages were no longer fun for her). In the workbook, she would recap what she had read.
In the evening they are free from formal study, so they may do things like gymnastics or go hiking. There may be study walking (bringing a little notebook and writing down what kind of trees and plants we see, looking up further information at home afterwards, etc.), You can even compare the two walks (what was then and what is now).
Housework we also do together The 9-year-old son takes the dishes out of the dishwasher, tidies up the two living rooms (not cleaning, just tidying up); my daughter makes breakfast, serves lunch and dinner, washes the dishes and sometimes helps out here. Matthew (my 5-year-old son, living with Down's Syndrome) helps with vacuum cleaning and the laundry. The rest is up to me. :) But they also help me if I have a lot to do. :)
You can motivate them with a behaviour table, or give them stickers or something (if they finish their work, they get a dot in a calendar (or sticker, whichever you prefer) and choose from a wish list). Write wish list and what they want most – it has to be on the list for three months (if they change them mind, you can remove it) can cost you €20-30. They can remove things they don't want, then there will only be only important wishes left (they cross out a lot of these, you'll see :). When you've finished their daily learning and work, you can get sticker (yellow for us, like the sun, or whatever you like :)) points on the calendar, and when they collect 30 60 (whatever you want), you buy them the game or whatever. :)
Some friendly advice: discuss in the evening what they've liked that
day. This is very good feedback, and feedback makes it easier to plan
for the next day. :)
If things fail, don't worry, these things happen. Sometimes my son completes two daily lessons in one day, for example, so on Friday he wants to be off. Don't worry, every day is a new day, new chances, so try again tomorrow. Before we started homeschooling, I'd been searching for information for three months, so now whoever is suddenly forced into this situation won't find it easy. During my first year, I did online courses.
One good tip: magnesium. :) You'll be calmer and more organised. I take 500 mg daily. Also, drink a lot of water as kidney stones don't help.
I wish you every success and good health! :)
Hope this helps. :)
If things fail, don't worry, these things happen. Sometimes my son completes two daily lessons in one day, for example, so on Friday he wants to be off. Don't worry, every day is a new day, new chances, so try again tomorrow. Before we started homeschooling, I'd been searching for information for three months, so now whoever is suddenly forced into this situation won't find it easy. During my first year, I did online courses.
One good tip: magnesium. :) You'll be calmer and more organised. I take 500 mg daily. Also, drink a lot of water as kidney stones don't help.
I wish you every success and good health! :)
Hope this helps. :)
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