No doubt, these are challenging times. Amid this growing pandemic stress and uncertainty, it seems more important than ever to stay connected with each other – particularly as teachers and learners. Clearly, it’s an interesting balance that has already spawned social media jokes like the “my coworker…” memes (Describe your learner’s behavior as if they were a coworker). But memes aside, the combination of working at home and supervising your learner’s education during our time away from school has the potential to create both stress and family conflict. Good news, experts say that the best way to reduce stress and to ensure learning takes place is to maintain structure.
“I would say to parents, do your best and cut yourself some slack as well, because it is not really possible for parents to suddenly be able to juggle everything, to be 100% present, to oversee all their student’s homeschooling with complete efficiency and also to do their job,” said Eli Lebowitz, a clinical psychologist at the Yale School of Medicine who treats child anxiety. Certainly, as parents, we are elated that our learners are at home, safe and healthy. But, as eLearning begins soon, it won’t be long before we begin to ask ourselves, ‘how long is my child going to be at home?’
Given our new normal, “how can we help our learners maintain a healthy, learning-centered home routine?” Certainly, eLearning and other daily tasks may be destabilizing, but parents can combat this by setting up consistent routines. And no it doesn’t have to be either regimented or perfect. So what is a good start? First, make sure your learners still wake up at a reasonable hour, eat a good breakfast, and YES, put on clothes. Why not start with a fun routine in the morning. Do “morning announcements” using an empty toilet paper roll as a microphone. Also be sure to block out time for physical activity and try to give your learners a sense of calm, day-to-day.
Secondly, create a dedicated spot to work in. Mine is our dining room table. And yes, protect your electronics (from you know who). Have a quiet space, in which you can close the door if you need to (or can). Next, have your learners read every day and do some problem-solving with real-life situations. For example, I’ll be assigning a STEM project during each unit, in which the whole family can participate. Also, it’s an absolute must to have your learners keep an agenda of what work needs to be accomplished throughout the week and be sure to monitor their progress daily. Don’t worry, we won’t judge you if you still want to try those color-coded calendars. Accountability is key. We, as educators, will establish accountability systems, but so should you.
Lastly, be sure to meditate or practice your religious (spiritual) traditions. Faith and purpose are important traits not to lose sight of during these trying times. Focus on the positive and don’t forget to check in on (virtually) your friends and family members.
So, are you all set? Take your time getting started. Yes, eLearning at home can be a headache. Remember Rule No. 1: Don’t panic – we’ve got this! Here are some weekend survival tips. Plan a virtual field trip to a museum, or the Smithsonian, or perhaps even a zoo or aquarium – animal cams are awesome. Family STEM projects are great ways to bring the family together in a fun way.
I wish you and your family a safe and healthy eLearning journey. Remember to practice social distancing. Learn to greet each other with a loving nod, a hand to the heart, an air kiss, or even Spock’s salute (Star Trek). Live long and prosper!
Be blessed!
Place-Based Learning 