4 tips for parents in 2024!
By Matt Kumar from 24 Hour Answers
Balancing homeschooling with a remote job can be frustrating. However, with the right strategies, you can create a structured learning experience for your child while staying on top of your work! Below I’ve listed 4 tips I feel are important for parents to consider when working remotely.
1. Create a Dedicated Learning Space in Your Home:
A designated learning space can definitely help with homeschooling. It provides a physical boundary between 'school' and 'home', helping your child focus and structure their day.
I found this helpful for my family given we are at home for the majority of each day. Here's how you can set up an effective learning space:
Where: Home office, spare bedroom, even nooks do great. We try to avoid learning at the dining room table or kitchen island since we eat there as well. It’s a never ending cycle of removing learning material or plates and silverware.
Include Furniture: Include a desk and chair, shelves for resources. I also recommend a calendar or whiteboard for planning each day or week.
Personalize the space: Let your child help decorate. Include posters of what topics they are learning about or interested in.
2. Finding All-Inclusive Curriculum:
Today’s homeschooling parents are fortunate to have access to comprehensive, self-guided learning platforms like IXL and MiaAcademy. These platforms offer a variety of subjects and cater to many grade levels. They're particularly useful for:
Self-Paced Learning: They allow students to learn at their own pace, fostering independence. Practice problems and homework: Additional material is provided for students to work on in a very structured setting.
Flexibility: These platforms fit well into a working parent’s schedule, as they require less hands-on teaching time. Kids can login whenever, and work on material while you catch up on emails. These are great sites to utilize, especially with elementary and middle school aged children.
3. Connecting with Local Co-ops for Community and Structured Learning:
Homeschooling co-ops have become increasingly common over the last 5 years.
Co-ops are great for:
Social Interaction: Your child can interact with peers, which is essential for social development.
Shared Teaching: Parents often take turns teaching, allowing you to focus on your work on days you're not teaching.
Diverse Learning Experiences: Co-ops can provide access to subjects or activities that are challenging to teach at home, like lab sciences or PE.
I highly recommend checking for local Co-ops on Facebook within a 20-30 minute drive. Often many churches and libraries facilitate meetings for students.
4. Leveraging Live Online Classes and Tutors:
For subjects that are outside your expertise or when your work demands more of your time, online classes and tutors are a game changer. They offer:
Expert Instruction: Tutors and online instructors often specialize in their subject areas and provide high-quality education.
Engaging Formats: Live classes are more engaging than pre-recorded lessons, keeping your child interested and involved. It also encourages your child to ask questions in a live setting.
Flexibility: Many websites offer a range of scheduling options, making it easier to fit into a busy workday.
Platforms like Outschool offer a variety of classes that can complement your homeschooling approach.
Final thoughts
Homeschooling while working from home is definitely a balancing act, but with the right resources and strategies, it's definitely achievable. By incorporating the 4 points I go over, you could easily create 20 hours a week of learning where you aren’t the lead teacher.
