While you are on a conference call today, have your kids stand next to your whiteboard or sit next to you coloring or doing some additional activity, and work with them to complete a bingo card based on what is said or done on your conference call. While I worked and homeschooled, I had a variety of types of jobs, all technical/knowledge-working jobs, some with more flexibility than others. Connections Academy. Homeschool Organizations. Digital Compass. To step back and take a look at what this truly means, it is helpful to have a lens through which to view this team and the relationships and responsibilities of the members of the team. Schedules created and posted in a common location provide clarity to everyone involved and help the parents avoid questions like what are we doing today? and what subjects are we working on today? There are many free printable planners and schedules available online. 100 Things to Teach Your Teen While Youre Stuck at Home. Are you comfortable sending your children to school in the fall, as long as CDC guidelines for schools are followed (CDC, 2020)? Greater Good Magazine. The activities in the basket could be anything from printed mazes, cut and paste activities, manipulative for counting, coloring books, etc. Ultimately, only you can decide what is best for you and your children. Looking at these from a more positive lens, as opposed to negatively identifying them as dysfunctions, the list of what teams need to thrive include: The foundation of working together as a group, especially in a stressful, unclear, unpredictable situation like remote learning during a global pandemic, is trust. Common Sense Media. As homeschoolers, they worked at their own pace in different subjects, which was great for their education and learning, but made the transition to an age-based grade-level determination a challenging one. For those that had more meetings than others, I allocated the time for the meetings first, and then figured out what schoolwork I could fit in. In work environments, especially when working on projects, everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities which are laid out on a project plan. If you want to really make it fun and engaging with everyone involved, you or the meeting organizer can make up a bingo card and send it out to everyone on the call. How We Rate and Review. To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues. See below for our experience transitioning our kids from homeschooling to public school and considerations/lessons-learned that you might find helpful. Considerations for Schools. (n.d.). A few of the things that are currently within our control are: 1) our reactions to the current situation, 2) our attitudes, 3) our schedule and 4) our space. If you have decided that you are not yet comfortable physically sending your kids back to a school building, thinking through some of the following questions might be helpful in deciding between distance learning (assuming this option is available/offered through your school) and homeschooling: 1) Do you want to choose your own curriculum, make your own lesson plans, etc., or do you want to assist your children in completing teacher-assigned activities? Administrators need to be able to raise concerns when they see inactivity and absences, to agree or disagree with reasons behind them, and then for everyone to be able to constructively discuss options for solutions, and even test out different solutions (and yes, sometimes fail and try something else). Awake and Mindful has collected five yoga videos for kids that might be one option for a calm activity to start off the day. One option is for grades 3-5, called Digital Passport, and is accessible here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport. Current Homeschool Laws. Youre Probably Homeschooling Way More Than You Need To. Many people choose to live near Elberta, AL because of its good reputation as well as its proximity to several parks and recreational areas. It is important to understand the risks and the comfort level you have with those risks, and, depending on the approach taken, the health risks for your children and for you (and for everyone in your household). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, Scholastic. Smoothing the transition in our new reality. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, Headspace. So you are looking for homes with modern kitchen in Elberta, AL? The answer to this question can provide further guidance for what choice might be best for you and your family, on top of the obvious comfort level with sending them to a physical school building in August or September. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, Digital Learning Collaborative. (2020). This is not true, legally. Age-Appropriate Chores. Retrieved March 16, 2020, from, Zao-Sanders, Marc. What is Montessori Education? In the box item, may require some assembly: See link for more details: https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/hashtag-home-elberta-modern-contemporary-bathroom-vanity-mirror-w004051686.html?piid=17187435%2C23619414, Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device. Make a fort out of anything you like (Amazon boxes, sheets, blankets, etc.). It is also very important to note, especially when you are reading and researching your options, that there are two extremes to the homeschooling debate or conversation, especially in Connecticut, but it is likely evident elsewhere, as well. On top of a foundation of trust is constructive conflict. You have been logged out. Having a dedicated space will allow you to put everything away in a neat and orderly fashion after every day, so that it is available and easy to access the following day. I present to you the conference call activity challenge for today (03/17/2020): Conference Call Bingo (with your kiddos)! (n.d.). Almost three years later, I can tell you that it was the right choice for both of them, without a doubt. Remember the CDC guidelines and be innovative in your organization and space planning. Its also important to understand what is and what is not likely to happen in the next year curriculum and academic-wise and how that might impact you and your children. Free Printable Homeschool Planners. This is when choosing distance learning through the school, working with the school on curriculum or even taking advantage of optional portfolio reviews, or employing a certified teacher in a pandemic pod could work out better than doing what we did with creating a custom curriculum. You will need to determine the best balance and schedule for your family based on the ages you are teaching, the subjects you have selected, and the modes you have chosen to use to teach those subjects. Excellent choice! 2) Identify the subjects you would like to teach each of the children. Harvard Business Review. Remember that you have options and that considering the short term and the long term will help smooth any future transitions for you and your children. Remember that deactivating cookies may affect your experience on our site. Its challenging to ensure everyone is on the same page during a normal school year, but even more challenging during a global pandemic. Will you and your children be ok with this or able to handle any repetition or boredom by supplementing with other activities? How might it impact their learning? Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/content/orgs/, K12.com. Another point to consider is that you have every right to make the time spent educating your children as high a priority as any other meeting, so schedule it. As part of a successful, high-performing and well-functioning team, we have to work together as a team toward common goals, just like a sports team or a project team in an organization. Accountability is the forth level in the pyramid identified by Lencioni, and aligns closely with constructive conflict and commitment. The state regulations say that families MAY submit a Notice of Intent to homeschool and participate in portfolio reviews. The second consideration is the subjects you wish to teach. (Remember to make the award something you can make, give or do with them at home, and that they can have or do after your conference call is over.). Homeschool Laws By State. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, Roblox. Patrick Lencioni wrote a book called, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, which gives a simple, straightforward way to think about what is needed for teams to function well and to thrive. Your child or children will be perfectly fine with a couple or a few hours of school-related work and other fun, educational activities while you focus on work. The one thing that all of those spaces had in common was a dedicated space to store all of our supplies and work. Common Core Resources: Textbook & Publisher Resources. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/legal, HSLDA. As the name implies, they are essential to the website's functionality and cannot be disabled. (2020). Headspace, a mindfulness and meditation app, is providing a series of their meditations for free in the midst of the current situation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, Focus on the Family. We ended up placing them in lower grades than the work they were working on as homeschoolers, both because of their ages and because we knew the work would be easy for them, allowing them to focus on the major personal and social transition with less stress. This can be important if you are deciding between temporarily homeschooling your children and opting into distance learning (especially in middle school or high school grades). You have the option to choose which types of cookies to allow below. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, Common Sense Media. 3) Clear out, setup and organize your dedicated storage area for your schoolwork and related supplies. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, Wiess, S. R. (2020b). Either way, you will need to allocate time for schooling for your children and for your work. So, what options are there? Our girls were homeschooled since Kindergarten, and I chose materials for each individual subject for each girl, and planned the curriculum and lesson plans myself throughout this entire time. One way to focus and be able to sift through all of the options is to decide what modes you wish to use to teach each of the subjects you selected, and limit your searches to the selected mode for each subject. However, with everything clearly defined and with trust, constructive conflict and commitment, holding each other accountable for their respective parts becomes much easier, and does not need to involve finger pointing or other negative non-constructive behaviors. Here are a few suggestions of where we might start: 1) Develop (and ensure everyone knows and understands) clearly defined goals. In my personal opinion, consistency in accountability, especially for online learners, is fundamental to their success, I believe, but it takes everyone involved being on the same page to maintain an appropriate level of accountability. (Remember: If you dont know where you are going, any road will get you there. AnimalCams. Khan Academy has provided help and getting started pages for their content here: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, and the lessons themselves are accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Scholastic has provided schedules and lessons here: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html. 3) All members of the team should remember that discomfort leads to growth and work on being ok with being held accountable, with hearing feedback that they dont really want to hear, and with giving honest, constructive feedback to other members of the team when things arent working well. Its important to have an honest conversation with your family and make the decision that is best for you, and to communicate that through these surveys. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.roblox.com/, Wiess, S. R. (2020a). Your next steps are: 1) Identify the age groups of the children you are educating and whether they need to be planned separately or if the plan and content can be the same. ), So, with this conflicting guidance and information, what should you do? Everything else is a bonus. If you are unsure, Common Sense Media is a great place to start. The best resource we have found for determining age-appropriateness of movies, games, applications and some websites is Common Sense Media, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/. CommonSenseMedia.org. Khan Academy Schedules for School Closures. Focusonthefamily.com. Many of our kids had packed schedules of school, sports, and other activities, with barely enough time to grab a sandwich in the car for supper. The reality is that we need to accept that nothing is going to be perfect in this imperfect situation, so for the perfectionists out there (like myself), if we are surviving and our families are surviving, we are doing the best we can, and that is good enough. A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages. (Many states do not allow homeschoolers to participate in activities at the public school, but some states do. SheKnows.com. There are so many different aspects and layers of trust, as well. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, National University Library. For example, one was created by E. Gilliam, and is accessible here: https://www.conferencecallbingo.net/blog with the printable version accessible directly here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0. (Parents, dont be jealousyou can make forts, tooand even take your conference call from inside your fort, if you want to.). Instead of trying to convince your kids why they should be quiet and calm during your conference calls and hoping for the best, you might try giving them specific activities to keep them busy during these times. Many other options exist, just be sure that you are accessing them through sites that you trust. 8 Myths About Renting You Should Stop Believing Immediately, 6 Ways Home Buyers Mess Up Getting A Mortgage, 6 Reasons You Should Never Buy Or Sell A Home Without An Agent, Difference Between Agent, Broker & Realtor, Real Estate Agents Reveal the Toughest Home Buyers They've Ever Met, Before You Buy, Look for Red Flags in the Neighborhood. Essential cookies are a website's basic form of memory, used to store the preferences selected by users. Retrieved April 19, 2020 from https://grownandflown.com/soft-skills-for-teens/, Minecraft. Then, your stress levels went through the roof when it didnt all go smoothly with calm, quiet kids and dedicated focus for you. Many state and local education-related publications have language that indicates that the notice of intent to homeschool and the portfolio reviews are required. Well, the best approach comes down to whether this is a temporary or long-term/permanent option for you and your family. That is why we have compiled a list of 11 homes with modern kitchen that are currently for sale within Elberta, AL residential boundaries, including open house listings. More details about the rating systems used for the Common Sense Media ratings can be found here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. While we await final proposals for opening of schools in the fall from states and local districts, we are all asking what if? What if schools open as usual in the fall at full capacity? They had to tell us the recommended ages by Common Sense Media, parents and kids and were only allowed to watch movies, play games or download/use apps that were 2 years over the lowest age recommended out of the three. A lesson I learned the hard way many times is that they cant both be done (effectively) at the same time. These extreme stances come with equally strong language, which can be misleading to the new or uninformed, so it is important to make sure you fully understand the true requirements before making decisions, finalizing your plans, and submitting any notices or documentation. Always be appreciative.). Enjoy! The first major hurdle for the transition was figuring out what grade they should be in. ), 3) Do you think you might want to send your students back to school in person either some time this year or in future years? (Various factors played into our decision, but one major factor for us was for the girls to have the option to participate in sports, clubs and other activities, and we were living in a location where they were districted into good schools.). One is that everyone (or nearly everyone) you work with is in the same boat right now, so they understand the need to balance, and you shouldnt be shy about sharing what you are trying to accomplish. (2020). 1) Draw out a rough daily schedule (or weekly, if your daily work schedules vary), allocating specific times for work and for schoolwork. Although Im not fully convinced that this is the best approach to managing your time, the concept of Timeboxing is similar to the approach Ive recommended above. Small wins go a long way. A big lesson learned in this transition is that no matter what homeschool curriculum you choose, there will be differences in what they learn there and what is covered in the public school curriculum, thus, some material will be repeated and there will be gaps to be filled in other places. (Also, in Connecticut, if your children were never enrolled in a public or private school, no notice of any kind needs to be filed. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.k12.com/. It is also an opportunity for us to find ways for our kids to help around the house and to teach them new life skills that are no longer taught in schools. Carter, Christine. 5) Choose activities to start your day off on a calm and positive note. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.digitallearningcollab.com/state-virtual-schools, HSLDA. (The first is required if choosing homeschooling and not purchasing a pre-packaged curriculum or enrolling your children in a full-time online school. Calling it schoolwork for the toddler made her feel like she was getting to do something cool that her big sister was doing, while really just doing what she would have been anyway. 5) Understand and be honest and open about what you (and your student) can and cannot reasonably take on and complete given everything you have going on outside of school responsibilities, and be open to working with your student and their teachers and school administrators. All movies, for example, have ratings from Common Sense Media, as well as a kids rating and a parents rating, but even more helpful are the details provided by Common Sense Media behind their specific rating. They also expect to have to make up for missed learning in the fall for this last spring, especially for the younger students in lower grades. (n.d.). schoolwork has to follow the school day/week schedule, the schoolwork has to only include academic subjects, the kids have to be working on academic work the entire time, socialization is an afterthought when homeschooling, the kids are responsible for schoolwork and parents need to continue all of the housework. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.headspace.com/covid-19, Khan Academy (2020). The fourth consideration is the schedule of the subjects you have selected to teach. In my previous post, I noted that some schools and some districts are providing work for their students, which is great! When we homeschooled, for earlier years, where I had many conference calls, and the kids were younger, we used videos for most of the elective subjects and studied each subject almost every day. They already do for other meetings and for lunch, right? The password reset link was invalid, Parents need to be able to bring concerns to educators and administrators when things arent working for them and their children. In fact, they have created a launch page for the current times, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, Common Sense Media.

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