Homeschooling a 1 and 3 year old during Covid 19
Hi all!
I am going through a tough time thinking of sending my two boys back to school during this time. It is so hard for me to imagine for them to get sick and I am seriously thinking of homeschooling them until this all really has an almost endpoint. And now hearing that the winter maybe even worse, I am seriously panicking. Granted, my boys are still little (1 and 3) but the oldest is getting ready for PreK and I don't want either one of them to fall behind.
Wanted to get some advice for homeschooling. Are there any programs or how do parents homeschool their children? What are the typical schedules for homeschooling and are there any online courses that one can take or online teachers? My sons is bilingual in English and Spanish, but I want him to have more structure and I want to make sure I am teaching him correctly or if there are other ways of teaching him.
Thanks so much!
Parent Replies
Nooooooo way do you need to worry about homeschooling curriculum for kids your age! Just read with them, talk to them/with them, give them hands on activities like blocks, duplos, playdoh, and relax! Nobody falls behind *before* PreK.
Hello,
I agree with the last post about not needing to overly-worry about your little ones being behind. However I just wanted to share a link that I use to come up with ideas to keep my 3.5 yo entertained while learning. Also this is our schedule.
https://cliengage.org/public/tools/materials/covid-19-family/
8 am - get up, stretch- water garden
9 am breakfast
10:30 am (zoom meeting w daycare friendsTTh)
11 am free play
12 pm walk around neighborhood- discussing colors/shapes/size of objects, counting numbers we see or letters
12:30 pm lunch
1 pm read 2 books and then nap
3 pm water play outside
4 pm free play
5 pm video call Grandma
6 pm dinner
7-8 pick up toys ready for shower
8 on read books and sleep by 9.
Usually at bed time we discuss our day, what we discovered, etc. Kids take so much in but in the end I think they learn the most by spending quality time with parents and being able to have conversations.
I do have to note that both my husband and I are also working from home and we take turns as we can to make this possible. It's not always perfect but it's ok!
Best wishes to you as you find a learning routine that works best for your family.
Check out AOHL.net.
This is an East-Bay support and social group for home learners and their parents. We usually meet in pre-selected parks on Thursday afternoons for lots of social time for all ages. There is a wealth of knowledge and ideas from all kinds of families and their learning styles.
We are not meeting currently due to COVID-19 guidelines but I hope we can resume soon.
Good Luck!
Your concern is how most parents initially feel when starting to homeschool their children after leaving a traditional public school setting. Your worry shows that you value education. There are many groups on Facebook you can join to glean advice and insights on homeschooling. California Homeschool Network and The Homeschool Association of California are excellent state organizations to review, but you do not have to be a member to get answers to questions about homeschooling. If you are looking for structure and support starting out at a public charter school that offers individualized instruction may be an avenue to explore. They have credentialed teachers that help parents select curriculum and supplemental resources during the school year as well as provide support. My child has an IEP and we left our district five years ago. During this time he has been appropriately supported and keeps making steady progress in academics. When schools closed we kept having classes because some of his instruction is online and no transitions had to be made. Children in charters I know of are distributed Chromebooks and hotspots (mobile internet) at the beginning of school so I do not know why school districts cannot gather these resources for students that need them. The perception that public charters do not meet the needs of students they serve has not been my experience. Homeschooling requires work and commitment and parents typically have to put in more time than at a public school. For many homeschooling families home is our home-base and our classroom is anywhere that brings learning alive. We learned pretty quickly that our homes will not survive being turned into mini classrooms. Each family needs to be true to the values, style, and rhythm that works for them. We are also concerned about what the new normal will evolve into as many community spaces like museums, libraries, and parks may not be as safe to visit due to an even larger community spread of COVID 19. My child's charter school resource center may remain closed as well in the next school year. Therefore, homeschooling for safety reasons may not be realistic if you think staying inside all day with worksheets is all homeschooling is about. If on the other hand you can tolerate great uncertainty with even greater creativity, you will do fine homeschooling. We are all in this together.