Mom and daughter in kitchen dancing, mom with wired headphones and phone

4 Reassuring Tips for Sudden Homeschool Students and Parents

Due to the pandemic, some parents are learning to homeschool their kids for the first time. If you're one of them, here are tips to help get you through.

Many parents around the country are settling into an unexpected new role: substitute teachers for their school-age kids. Daniel Katz, PhD, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Education Studies at Seton Hall University, works with new teachers who are getting their sea legs in the classroom. As a parent himself, Katz wants to offer tips to help make school-at-home work for everyone.

1. Remember what the situation is and what it isn’t

Dedicated homeschoolers have well-established curricula, activities, and social networks. Online learning platforms spend years creating formats that facilitate digital learning. Your students’ teachers were given weeks—possibly days—to move classes meant to be taught in person and with peers into a virtual environment. They have done this so learning can continue and your children won’t lose ground, but nobody has ever done this on this scale before. Be patient with the schools, teachers, and your children as we all figure this out.

2. Set a schedule—then feel free to break it

In school, students follow routines and schedules that they know well. Much of that is likely broken now. Help them adjust by setting clear times for when they’re expected to do schoolwork. However, your children are not in school, and other opportunities will come up. Don’t let a rigid schedule prevent your children from exploring what they want to do, including relaxing.

Related: How to Get Adjusted to a New Schedule

3. Pay attention to the social situation

School is a social environment. In fact, a lot of learning in school is also connected to social interaction and students learning from their peers. A lot of that has been taken away from students for now, and they need it. Opportunities to connect them with their peers are important and will help them adjust. Encourage them to use virtual “hang out” spaces to form study groups and keep in touch with friends and family while social distancing.

4. Ask teachers and school leaders what they need from you

You’re probably used to a lot of school-related issues being handled by teachers and administrators. Now that school is happening in your home space, there may be needs you haven’t thought of before that’ll make this transition easier for your student. Do they have a clear space to work? Does one student need more structure than the other one? Their teachers will have ideas that you can implement at home, so don’t be afraid to get in touch with any questions.

Related: How Parents and Teachers Can Help Combat “Senioritis”

Teachers spend years in school, have earned advanced degrees, and often have decades of experience in the classroom. You don’t, and you have important things to do too. You aren’t expected to do everything your life demands of you and be a full-time teacher. Both you and your student will get frustrated and may take it out on each other at times. Learn to forgive yourself for not being an expert educator and your student for any stressful reactions they exhibit in a situation neither of you can control.

Find more COVID-19 information and resources for students and parents right here on CollegeXpress for all your academic and stress management needs!

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Daniel Katz, PhD

Daniel Katz has been a member of the faculty at the College of Education and Human Services at Seton Hall University since 2002. He completed his doctoral work in Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy at Michigan State University. He was a high school English teacher in Hawai’i, where he taught at both the Punahou School and at the St. Francis School. At Seton Hall, he teaches courses on educational foundations, diversity, curriculum, and English methods.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Keaun Brown

Keaun Brown

$2,000 Community Service Scholarship Winner, 2020

As I transition to furthering my education, I can say with certainty that it simply wouldn’t be possible without the help of generous organizations such as CollegeXpress. Those who initially founded CX had no idea their platform would give a plethora of information to a first-generation homeless kid native to the ghettos of over half a dozen states. Everyone at CX and Carnegie Dartlet gave me a chance at a future when the statistics said I had none. And for that, I thank them.

Hannah Nelsen

Hannah Nelsen

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me look at colleges that fit my interests by taking my profile and matching it to colleges that have the programs I'm looking for. It has the ability to connect me to colleges so I can be contacted by them and look at them more in-depth to find what's right for me. Additionally, the scholarship database is super beneficial for getting scholarships for college. Not only does it help lift the financial burden of college but it shows all the opportunities available. Overall, CollegeXpress has been very helpful to me.

Makiyah Murray

Makiyah Murray

High School Class of 2021

The college application process has been a stressful one, but CollegeXpress has eased some of that stress with its readily available college resources. At the beginning of the process, I frequently used the college search feature, and now that I’m almost done applying, I’ve started using the scholarship search. Both of these resources have made it easier to find relevant information.

Alexandra Adriano

Alexandra Adriano

$2,000 Community Service Scholarship Winner, 2016

I've used CollegeXpress quite a bit as a senior, particularly for colleges and scholarships, so it's been a very big asset in that respect! I would recommend it to anyone looking to pursue a college education, especially seniors! This scholarship will help me achieve my goals in ways I couldn't have before, and I know that there are opportunities like that for everyone on the website and in the magazines!

Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has been a huge help! The website is very organized with finding the right scholarship for anyone and anything. With CollegeXpress, I've been able to find many scholarship opportunities to apply for. Not only that, I'm also able to search for the colleges I have interest in and see what’s required and what scholarships they offer. I've learned a lot from CollegeXpress. They've helped me in many ways to achieve my goals!

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Seton Hall University

South Orange, NJ

Fort Lewis College

Durango, CO

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, CO