SUDDENLY HOMESCHOOLING - A QUICK HELP GUIDE

Welcome. I know this is a crazy time and you are struggling to figure out "what now" in terms of everything in your life, including the fact your kids are now home with you every minute of the day. The goal of this page is to try and offer you some ideas and suggestions to make the most of this time together.

A WORD OF ADVICE

If you haven't read it yet, this is blog post is the best place to start. It offers ideas on how to use this time to add learning to your day and advice on how to handle this sudden thrust into learning at home.

Read it Now

FAQs

What do I do? How do I start?

First, just breathe. It's going to be ok. 

Second, you don't HAVE to do anything right now. You will not ruin your children if you don't consider adding school to your day right now. 

Third, make everything you easy. Do not replicate school at home - it rarely works and will stress all of you out. If you have multiple kids, try to do some fun learning stuff together.

Follow the guidelines of KISS - KEEP IT SIMPLE SILLY.

If you really need a guideline for a daily schedule, there are plenty floating around social media. Honestly though, it's better to kind of go with the flow and have a general routine than one that runs on a clock. 

For example, your day can run like: 

Wake up and Breakfast, Learning time, Chores, Lunch, Outside time, Free time, Supper, Free time, Bed on whatever kind of flow works for you. 

Do not plan to do school for several hours of the day. Keep learning times short and fun.

For learning ideas, see below.

How can I make sure my kids aren't falling behind during this break?

Remember, it's all kids everywhere dealing with this same issue. No one will get farther ahead than anyone else right now.

Start with an area that your child might struggle with in the classroom, if you want to, but don't feel pressured to "do school" because they might fall behind. You can use this time to help bolster their learning and get ahead.

 

What homeschool curriculum should I use?

Do not spend money on major homeschool curriculum. There is a good possibility that the school system will provide *something* for their students if this situation will be long term, but they just haven't had the time to put that together yet. 

Instead, focus more on life skills, beefing up areas of weakness, building relationships, and just spending time together. 

Look below for some learning ideas.

My Kids are in French Immersion. Where can I find French resources?

You can find a fantastic list of amazing French Language resources for stories, podcasts, educational websites, news, fitness ideas, and other activities at Taleming.com.  

Also check out ForFrenchImmersion for French Immersion resources.

How can I teach my kids and work from home at the same time?

Welcome to the world of prioritization. 

This is an admittedly challenging task, figuring out what needs to happen when. Setting time for learning and time for working is a good way to help. 

I have a blog post with some tips on how to work and homeschool that might help.

What if this goes on longer than a month or two?

IF this goes on longer than expected and the school systems don't offer an interim solution, do not panic.

There are so many awesome resources out there that your children can learn from. It will be ok. 

I will update this page as things progress.

FUN ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS

ADD LEARNING TO YOUR DAY

If you just want to add some learning to your day, here are some ways to do that:

PRESCHOOL

ELEMENTARY

MIDDLE SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL

If you just want to add more intentional and focused learning to your day, here are some grade by grade resources to help you:

Need more grade specific resources? Check out these Learn At Home Plans.

FREE ONLINE FUN CLASSES

ART

Kennedy Center Education
Artist-in-Residence at Home

1 pm Eastern

Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together.

New episodes will be posted each weekday at 1:00 p.m. ET and then remain online to be streamed afterwards. Check back each weekday for new LUNCH DOODLES!

ASTRONOMY

From Discover The Universe

2 pm Eastern

We've decided to help all families isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic by offering free online astronomy mini-courses for kids aged 8-12.

Join us every weekday at 2 p.m. (EDT) for 30 minutes of educational fun. Various subjects will be covered and many collaborators will be presenting.

ANIMALS

Cincinnati Zoo

3 pm Eastern

While the Cincinnati Zoo is closed and kids are home from school, let us help make your children’s hiatus from school fun and educational.

Join us for a Home Safari Facebook Live each weekday at 3pm EDT where we will highlight one of our amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home.

FROM MY SITE

FREE PRINTABLES LIBRARY

For now, all the printables in my library are available to everyone without having to register. Find resources for history, geography, science, math, language, and more.

TAKE A VIRTUAL TRIP ACROSS CANADA

Take your kids on a tour of Canada – from Newfoundland to BC and through the three territories - all from the comfort of your home.