Stay home and stay safe. These can be accessed here: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. 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. 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. (n.d.). For example, if you choose to homeschool or opt for distance learning to start with in the fall, will you want to send your children back to school (this year or in the future)? 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. Single Bore, 2-3/8 in. How We Rate and Review. Thick Solid Brass Lock and Door Reinforcer, 2-1/8 in. 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. The two most commonly tested subjects in standardized testing tend to be math and language arts, so when we homeschooled, we put the most emphasis on these two subjects, integrating the others as appropriate and as possible. For those who are not experienced or knowledgeable about publishers used for K-12 education, the National University Library System has a list on their website, accessible here: https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. 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. I present to you the conference call activity challenge for today (03/17/2020): Conference Call Bingo (with your kiddos)! Examples of delivery modes include DVDs, online learning games, online video lessons, printable lessons, workbooks and textbooks, fully online classes, and instructions posted online that allow you to create your own. If any of you are like me, you started your working and homeschooling balancing act by trying to explain to your children how important work is, and how you have to focus (and they have to be quiet) while you are on work calls. The CRHE and HSLDA do a great job of keeping up with the current state regulations and how they are implemented (along with your legal rights and options as a homeschooler) (CRHE, n.d.; HSLDA, n.d.). 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. A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages. A great list of them compiled by STEAMsational is accessible here: https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/. While the kids play, you can plan your day(s). 2000-2022 Home Depot. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, Common Sense Media. Backset, 1-3/8 in. 2) Block off the appropriate time for schoolwork on your work calendar and communicate these expectations to your manager and coworkers. 4) *BONUS* You can also take an inventory of what you have for school supplies (paper, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, glue, scizzors, stapler, tape, whole punch, etc.). Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, Common Sense Media. Are you comfortable sending your children to school in the fall if they are physically opened for attendance? How Timeboxing Works and Why it Will Make You More Productive. Everything else is a bonus. These options are completed at a time and location of your convenience and have assigned teachers for all classes, as well as providing official transcripts and grades, just like on-ground/in-person school options. You can choose to homeschool your children with you being the primary teacher (as opposed to distance-learning where you are assisting your children with work assigned by their teacher). Backset, 1-3/4 in. 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. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. With everyone rushing around trying to figure out what they are going to do for the fall, it is important to also pause, step back, and consider how the plans you make for the fall fit into your future educational plans. They already do for other meetings and for lunch, right? Florida is more strict, but does have umbrella schools that allow for smoother navigation of the requirements. Educators need to be able to express concerns to parents and administrators when things arent working for them, their class, or even particular students. In my classroom, I start my classes off by having my students volunteer to Tell me something good. The good things could literally be anything, and they have ranged from I had a good breakfast this morning, to My football team won last night. If you want to add variety or switch things up a bit, the Bestow Team created a list of 30 gratitude games and activities for kids, accessible here: https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/. If your student is overloaded with work, have them work with their teachers and administrators to request extensions or accommodations where needed. x 4-1/2 in. If you decide you are not comfortable sending your child to their current school in the fall, what options do you have? This is a great time to have the conversation with your manager about the priorities of the work currently assigned to you, the hours they expect, or require, you to be available, and where flexibility does (and does not) exist in your schedule, workload and work-related responsibilities. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/. This is not true, legally. The ability to have an open and honest discussion with their teacher, administrator, or even boss, is a skill that will only help them in their future. Just take a few deep breaths and enjoy the time you have with your kids, because they really do grow up so fast, and this pandemic and chaos will eventually pass. The activities in the basket could be anything from printed mazes, cut and paste activities, manipulative for counting, coloring books, etc. (n.d.). Single Bore, 2-3/8 in. At those times, my kids were at the ages where they needed more hands-on help and their school workload was higher, so it worked well for us. x 4-1/2 in. What can your student do to promote these team functions also? Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, Headspace. Focusonthefamily.com. On top of a foundation of trust is constructive conflict. Educators have never taught during a global pandemic, much less taught remotely or taught some students remotely and some in person at the same time. Backset, 7-7/8 in. Youre Probably Homeschooling Way More Than You Need To. Chrome-Plated Steel Maximum Security Latch Strike with 3 in. Minecraft Official Site. Some organizations group activities in the following age groups, for example, Kindergarten to grade 2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. Awake and Mindful. They are asking because they truly care about your children and your input. To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues. Many parents are waiting for the school or school district to provide the details of the lessons your children will be assigned while they are out of school. The second consideration is the subjects you wish to teach. The most effective approach I found was to create a basket of schoolwork for the toddler and let her choose her schoolwork from the basket. Smoothing the transition in our new reality. To avoid things becoming disorganized, piling up, getting dirty during meals, etc., it is best to dedicate a shelf or whole bookshelf to the schoolwork, books and all related equipment. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, Roblox. If you are unsure, Common Sense Media is a great place to start. In these times, I found educational videos that could fill the spaces, where my children could still be learning, but I was able to focus on the meetings and my work. For later years (grades 3-5 and 6-8) we elected to study math and language arts every day, and study science, history/social studies, art and music one day per week each, leaving the additional day (which happened to be Friday for us) for making up work we didnt complete earlier in the week. Our toddler also participated, at an age-appropriate level, in virtual field trips, science experiments, and other educational activities with her sister. You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. If this was or is you, trust me, you are not alone. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, Connectiond Academy. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Thick Solid Brass Lock and Door Reinforcer, 2-1/8 in. What is Montessori Education? Write a list of the equipment you used to make your fort. Attention to results is the top and smallest portion of the pyramid. 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. ), As you think through the answers to these questions and others, I would like to share about our personal experience with the transition from homeschool to public school in Connecticut only a few years ago. These are legally optional. 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? Then, your stress levels went through the roof when it didnt all go smoothly with calm, quiet kids and dedicated focus for you. Some subjects that lend themselves to video lessons are art, music, history, and even physical education, for example. 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. Common Core Resources: Textbook & Publisher Resources. With some states canceling in-person schooling for the rest of the academic year and others extending the closures for additional time periods or indefinitely, but messages coming from politicians that we need to re-open the country, we are in a state of wait and see. The one thing that all of those spaces had in common was a dedicated space to store all of our supplies and work. While you are determining how much time you want to dedicate to your work, also consider if there are specific days or times of day that you have regularly scheduled meetings, deadlines for regular work, or other time-specific restrictions. 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. While you are working on a schedule more customized to you, your kids and your work schedule, two companies, Khan Academy and Scholastic, have recently provided lesson plans and activities free for children who are now staying home due to school closings. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/, Common Sense Media. You will need to research your options in your area if this is a deciding factor for you. Bauer, S. W. (2016). 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). (n.d.). Others may be planning their own lessons and activities. In work environments, especially when working on projects, everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities which are laid out on a project plan. The key is not to be happy or unhappy about the approaches, but to be informed. (2020). The public school administrators where we are were extremely helpful in working with us to determine the best placement. Marc Zao-Sanders (2018) wrote an informative article on TimeBoxing, accessible here: Organizing your space is another aspect of your current situation that you have total control over. Thick Solid Brass Lock and Door Reinforcer, 2-1/8 in. Bore, Brass, Non-Recessed, 1-3/4 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? 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. Here are a few options, as examples: CDC. In Connecticut, the only thing you are legally required to do is file with your local board of education a letter of Notice of Withdrawal. x 4-1/2 in. Backset, Defender Security Door Reinforcer, Fits 1-3/4 in. Backset, 1-3/8 in. Retrieved March 16, 2020 from, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, https://www.digitallearningcollab.com/state-virtual-schools, Common Misconceptions about Working and Homeschooling, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/, https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/age-appropriate-chores/, https://grownandflown.com/soft-skills-for-teens/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers, https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_school_closures_can_strengthen_your_family, https://hbr.org/2018/12/how-timeboxing-works-and-why-it-will-make-you-more-productive.