We've sent you an email to confirm your subscription. We do this with marketing and advertising partners (who may have their own information theyve collected). Everything you need to organize your area is probabily already in your home. From shop TangledTulip, ad by MintImprintDIY 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. The one thing that all of those spaces had in common was a dedicated space to store all of our supplies and work. Its important that parents, educators and administrators clearly define what the goals are and monitor progress toward those goals. 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. TangledTulip The rule for our girls was that they had to look at all movies, games, and apps up on Common Sense Media and bring them to us prior to asking the question of whether they could play, watch or download something. 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. $15.89, $17.66 Small wins go a long way. Homeschool Laws By State. Original Price $10.00 mishmashbyash You will need to determine what is best for you and your children. Smoothing the transition in our new reality.

Here are a few suggestions of where we might start: 1) Develop (and ensure everyone knows and understands) clearly defined goals. (30% off), ad by TangledTulip (This is in no way intended to imply that they wont help you, since we have always experienced the exact opposite, especially when in direct contact with teachers, administrators, etc. Sellers looking to grow their business and reach more interested buyers can use Etsys advertising platform to promote their items. SheKnows.com. It is important to remain aware (and equally appreciative for any help they provide) that the schools and school districts are not required to assist homeschooling families, and that submitting an intent to withdraw (and/or an intent to homeschool) does have a direct impact on their budget, as they are funded on a per-student basis. 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. Saying no will not stop you from seeing Etsy ads or impact Etsy's own personalization technologies, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive. Retrieved March 16, 2020 from, Center for Disease Control (CDC). $27.00, $30.00 Ad from shop GoldCoastal 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. Make a fort out of anything you like (Amazon boxes, sheets, blankets, etc.). To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues. 2) Develop open lines of communication between parents, educators and administrators. (This is the option rated as highest risk by the CDC) (CDC, 2020). Homeschool Organizations. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, Wiess, S. R. (2020b). birthday happy 65th decorations balloons flip card guest gifts What if schools open in a blended format, where schedules are alternating day to day or am/pm? $1,275.20, $1,594.00 (Dont forget to include what you used to keep your fort together tape, staples, clothes pins, etc. On top of a foundation of trust is constructive conflict. DonitoStudio When you get stressed or overwhelmed, just remember that surviving is all you and your family need to do right now, and the rest will all work out eventually. 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. A visual representation of the five dysfunctions Lencioni identifies is shown below. Ad from shop Bloomingfully $9.60, $12.00 A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages. 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. 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. (10% off), ad by KBDigitals Find out more in our Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy. Yours will too. 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. Common Sense Media includes reviews of some books, as well. If you are teaching more than one child, you will need to decide, based on their ages, maturity levels and possibly reading levels, whether you need to plan separate work for each, or whether you can plan once and have them all working on the same work. Common Sense Media, for example, provides a list of Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sides, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites. FREE shipping, ad by PrettyLittleClippie 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. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, Common Sense Media.

Trust that everyone is working toward a common goal, for example, is one type of trust. PartyTouchesUK Ad from shop StickerlickerDesigns These can be accessed here: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19. 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. From shop StyledeShop, Sale Price $11.22 Ad from shop PrazoliProducts I present to you the conference call activity challenge for today (03/17/2020): Conference Call Bingo (with your kiddos)! We made a decision years ago to provide some independence and ownership of content decisions to our kids, specifically for movies, games, and apps. From shop mishmashbyash, ad by Portafoliodesigns 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). What we sometimes forget, though, is that our kids are, as well. When I started homeschooling and working from home, we had one preschooler and one toddler. 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. 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. The pause for them is a huge change and requires adjustment, but provides an opportunity for us, as parents, to teach them how to slow down and be ok with being bored or finding their own activities. While I worked and homeschooled, I had a variety of types of jobs, all technical/knowledge-working jobs, some with more flexibility than others. They are asking because they truly care about your children and your input. The options are so abundant that it can often be overwhelming, especially for those new to educating their children at home. RabbitKo Ad from shop mishmashbyash So, what options are there? Original Price $12.00 Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, Roblox. Educators need to be able to express concerns to parents and administrators when things arent working for them, their class, or even particular students. Its also home to a whole host of one-of-a-kind items made with love and extraordinary care. 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? FREE shipping, ad by MeStoryDesigns Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, Common Sense Media. 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. Original Price $23.50 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. ParkersCrazyCookies

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. Note that this option and how it is implemented differs greatly per state. Considerations for Schools. Found something you love but want to make it even more uniquely you? Original Price $14.95 Well, the best approach comes down to whether this is a temporary or long-term/permanent option for you and your family. The seller might still be able to personalize your item. Ad from shop TangledTulip Youll see ad results based on factors like relevancy, and the amount sellers pay per click. (Note that this is not a comprehensive list.) However, we can control our reaction to it by staying safe, keeping our family safe, and following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (2020) guidelines posted here: In my experience homeschooling and working full time (from various locations and time zones), the biggest lesson I learned was that I needed to be organized, but also flexible. Attention to results is the top and smallest portion of the pyramid. 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. Some of the common misconceptions include: Lets attempt to address these one by one. For gratitude, an easy option to start your day would be to talk about three good or positive things. It will make your planning much easier and less stressful if you acknowledge right now that you are one person and cannot be an effective fulltime teacher for 8 hours and full time worker for 8 hours, nor do you need to be. 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). tj@E 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? What can your student do to promote these team functions also? Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://hslda.org/legal, HSLDA. 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. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. AnimalCams. 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.