Thread by @grantboulanger

Friends and colleagues, a good friend shared some tips for schooling from home I think are deserving of a wide audience.
If you have school aged children, you’ll find this helpful: 1/ #COVID19WL #Langchat

“I started unexpectedly homeschooling one of our children last fall. Since almost everyone else is suddenly in the same boat now, a couple of recommendations. These have worked well for us. I can't promise they'll all fit your family... but just in case some are helpful: 2/

“1. Don't suddenly change your home routine today. What would you be doing on a normal day off school? For today, that's enough. Taking some time to allow the huge change to sink in is enough for now. Bake something together. Watch a movie together. 3/

“Join your kid in their favorite video game. For today, being together is enough. For today, be the parent your kids know, not suddenly their teacher. No matter how big they are, the consistency and predictability of you being you is most important right now. 4/

“There is plenty of time for the schoolwork piece to happen... today, and probably tomorrow, and maybe the next day too, is about feeling safe in the midst of the changes.

2. Once you do start "school" again, don't expect it to take as long as a typical school day. 5/

“You don't have to fill the whole day. (For real.)

3. As much as possible, find joy in supporting your child as they learn instead of battling over schoolwork. Some days will be amazing. Other days might leave you in tears as you... 6/

“hide in the basement "flipping laundry" because this whole thing is ridiculous and awful. (Not that it ever happened to me, of course...) It will get easier as you slowly develop routines together. 7/

“4. If possible, read out loud to your child, even if they are getting taller than you, if they will possibly tolerate it.
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“5. Make sure you have a genuine conversation, and hopefully a genuine shared moment of laughter, with each child each day. This probably matters more than anything else.
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“6. When you start schoolwork, find a routine that feels manageable, and then make sure it has plenty of flexibility. Some days a book is too good to put down. That's awesome. Some days you may have other things to do and supervising schoolwork can't happen. That's okay. 10/

“Some days it may all get overwhelming and nothing good happens. That's fine too. Sometimes classes at school don't happen because there's a fire drill, or an assembly, or a sub, or a pandemic. It doesn't have to look exactly the same each and every day. 11/

“Focus on the learning that happens over the week more than on any one particular day. 12/

“7. Expect big emotions. Some students are experts at holding in reactions to frustration or confusion at school because they're in front of teachers and peers. That might not be the case at home. Don't get dragged into it.
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“Give your kid space to work through it, even if it means setting aside work for a bit. The emotional growth is as important as anything else that kid could be learning.” /Fin