Homeschooling is proving to be growing in popularity year after year. However, there are many parents who strive to achieve the desired results. Teaching is a complex matter which requires dedication and life-long learning therefore I can understand the many difficulties parents encounter while engaging in such a herculean task.

To give parents some perspective I put together a list of tips and advice useful for any teacher/homeschooling parent at the beginning of their journey. They are lessons that I’ve learnt throughout my years as a teacher and they are meant to give teachers and parents more confidence in assuming this essential role. The list below is by no means exhaustive and there will always be more to be learnt and experienced.

 

 

Take away ideas

 

Multiple Intelligences Test

Surprise bags

Lesson Plan Template

Attention Getters

Pace of activities

Learning Contract

Vision Board

 

 

Teaching tips for effective learning

• First, find out what kind of a learner your child is to choose the best activities for him. Try this multiple intelligences test. According to your findings, design and choose materials for your child’s dominant traits: more pictures, posters and videos for a visual learner, more games and movement for a kinesthetic learner etc

• Children are curious, so introduce surprise elements: riddles, music, dramatic stories, games, discussions, jokes, stimulating pictures etc. You can also bring a surprise bag that includes items used to introduce the topic of the lesson; have the child guess what the topic used by looking at the items.

• Listen actively to your child and take into account his wishes.  Since you are homeschooling, it is easier to take your time and do that. Respect his preferences, ask which activities he enjoyed most and use them again.

• Grow learner autonomy-gradually offer more independence as a learner, both in terms of what they learn and how they learn. An example of how they learn: at first have your child listen to a model and repeat it; later have him look for words for himself/ do a reading puzzle by himself; when confident enough, offer appropriate resources and let him do the work by himself.

• Be adaptable and flexible -act quickly when things don’t go as planned, prepare backups; be ready to assume different roles within a lesson: the prompter, the controller, the resource, the assessor.

• Know what you are teaching: read the lesson, do the exercises, think of what possible questions the child might have about the topic, try the activities yourself.

• Give clear and simple instructions; make sure the child understood them (ask him to explain what he has to do; ask a question to check).

• Give the lesson structure by following a simple lesson plan: introduce the topic (through a video, a poster, a song etc); discuss the lesson and have your children practice what has been discussed; your child actively works with the topic of the lesson (draw a project, make a presentation; have an interview, record a video etc).

• Prompt your child to correct himself first; if he cannot, offer the right answer/explanation; have him repeat. Offer reinforcements (praise, hugs, clapping, high fives etc) and create a positive learning environment.

• Always set time limits; make sure your child knows when to start and finish an activity; announce when there is little time left (eg 1 more min)

• Children’s attention span is limited so always be ready to get and maintain your child’s attention: make constant eye contact, decide on gestures for when you want to talk, you want them to speak etc. Use attention getters: you say “ready”, they say “ok”; you  say “one, two, three”, they must say “eyes on me”; you say “class” on various voices, they must mimic.

 

To avoid when homeschooling

• Don’t try too much, too fast
  • Teach a small amount of information; check what your child has taken in; give him opportunities to use the information; only then continue teaching

• Don’t talk too much
  • Ideally, during a lesson your child should talk more than you. Avoid long explanations and replace them with demonstrations if possible. Use gestures, have children explain back, offer plenty of opportunity for your child to practice what you teach.

• Avoid sitting too much
  • Change the pace of the activities: play a song and dance, then sit down on a cushion and discuss, sit on the chair and work on a task, go around the house to interview, survey etc

• Try to teach with a positive attitude
  • Leave all problems at the door.
  • When things don’t go as hoped for(not doing assignments, not willing to participate etc) write a letter to tell your child what is wrong and ask him to answer back. Do not act on the spur of the moment.

 

 

Simple and essential rules for teaching

 

Set rules

Decide on 3-5 rules from the very beginning and discuss what happens when breaking them. Rules must be simple and visible during the teaching process. It’s important to establish the rules together with the child, negotiate them and thus he will feel more empowered and more willing to obey the rules.

Outline objectives

Set clear objectives, short term (for each lesson), but also long term (in three months, the end of the school year etc). Identify them and discuss the commitment of the child, maybe sign a learning contract (you can find a model here)

Cultivate motivation

Stir interest and get your child involved. In order to help cultivate motivation, children need to be given autonomy, freedom to choose. It is also important to help them visualize outcomes (try a vision board) and build self-confidence (recognize student’s achievements, offer praise). Extrinsic motivation in the form of rewards could help, but it is advisable to use it for simple, mechanistic tasks.

Find a balance

Choose the right activities: not too long/easy/hard/ repetitive. Offer both feedback (constructive criticism) and praise. Opt for variety, but also be consistent in everything you do (students feel comfortable with a certain level of predictability).

 

Patience and perseverance, dear parents and teachers! You are homeschooling, in other words doing a wonderful job which no one else can do.

The focus of this article has only been on the child. I will focus on parents as teachers in a different article because of the complexity and importance of the subject.

For ideas of free activities and resources while homeschooling, please read 13 Sites With Free Resources for kids.