I think it’s fair to say that we are in the midst of some pretty uncertain times at the moment. We all have a number of worries at the moment about our own health and that of family and friends.
There’s a huge focus on the moment about what will happen if/when schools close. But what about us home educators? We are all seeing huge changes to our everyday lives and we will need to find new ways of working during these uncertain times.
Here are some things that I am looking to implement at home for my own children.
Continuing the day to day projects
All of our groups and meetups have been cancelled. Regular groups such as our speaking and listening group have been cancelled (face to face). I am now looking into doing these via Skype or zoom (or similar). I think having these virtual meetups will be good for the children, and it will also still give us a date to work too with our projects.
Can you switch to online classes?
We have switched our Spanish group online (it would usually be held face to face) and it worked really well. I’ll admit I was a little dubious as to how it might work but it did and the children enjoyed it very much. If you run or attend groups then it’s worth thinking about how you might be able to run it online.
Look at seasonal activities
We are going to be having much more time at home, so looking at seasonal activities such as spring crafts, lunar cycles and notable days are going to play a big part for us. Having these shorter areas of work help to break up some of the more in-depth studies and I like to focus these shorter pieces of work on crafty type things. I’m going to be using the Creative Steps magazine for a lot of inspiration with this I think!
Try out those programs you’ve been thinking about
As Home Educators, we are probably already aware of the wide variety of online resources that are available. And, if you’re like me, you’re probably quite careful about what you subscribe to. There’s so many wonderful companies offering trials or access for a short period of time. This is the time to check those out and it might help you make decisions about future subscriptions.
This week we have decided to purchase a new tablet (using money we will save from cancelled classes and groups) so this will give us some new flexibility with our learning too.
Lean into new rhythms
Finally, remember that this is a huge monumental change for us all. Take the time to lean into these new rhythms. You’ll be missing contact with family members as well as having to adjust to other family members being at home (working hopefully!). Embrace the changes and look at it as a way of refreshing what you do. Enjoy the coming spring and summer and as difficult as the weeks ahead will be, children are adaptable and resilient and, generally, cope better with change than we do.
Take time to set up online social groups to maintain contact with friends and family. Remember to check-in with each other and remember that it’s OK to feel anxious and unsure. Talk to partners and family and know that in time things will pass. Try to embrace this time and create new patterns for family life.
