Many children this school year are participating in at least partial at home learning. For some parents, you may have decided to jump in with full time homeschooling. A large part of setting up your child for success is making sure that they have a dedicated space to participate in class, and a place to effectively do their homework.
Below we’ve listed some of our best tips for making your time at learning from home a success for everyone involved.
Find a dedicated space for your child.
If you found yourself unexpectedly thrown into learning from home last school year, chances are, the kitchen table, couch or dining room table were the places that a lot of the schoolwork took place. It’s absolutely okay!
However, creating a separate space for school at home can help with reducing stress, improving focus and concentration, and developing healthy boundaries at home as we all navigate work, school, rest, and play in the same space.
Keep it tidy.
Once you have a dedicated workstation, ensuring that the space is neat and uncluttered will help cut down on distractions and help the day go better in general. A tidy space should also help with losing important papers and keep avoidable anxiety at bay.
Get your child involved.
Your child will be the one actively learning each day, so make sure it is a space that they are comfortable in. It could be as simple as a desk and a chair in a designated corner, but your child may want to get more creative. This may include a bouncy band attached to the legs of a chair, colorful posters, or other creative items that help your child to feel ready for school at home.
Set clear expectations.
Many of us have trouble buckling down and focusing when there are many tasks in front of us. When using a Time Timer in the home classroom, the student can see how much longer a given subject is set to last, or how much time is left before lunch time or a break.
Part of setting expectations for children for school at home is making sure that everyone understands the structure of each day. So, writing out a schedule the night before for the next day could be the game changer to reduce stress and anxiety.
No matter how you have your child’s learning space set up, we know that you and your child will find the best methods that work for your unique situation. Everyone is different and needs change over time. This is new and uncharted territory for everyone, and here at Time Timer we are cheering you on.