Without clearly defined roles and goals, it is difficult to hold team members accountable for their contributions to the team and to the teams success. State Virtual Schools. Common Sense Media includes reviews of some books, as well. So, how do we, as a team of parents, educators, and administrators, work together as a high performing team and not fall into the 5 dysfunctions of a team identified by Lencioni? Will you and your children be ok with this or able to handle any repetition or boredom by supplementing with other activities? ), So, with this conflicting guidance and information, what should you do? Starting your day with gratitude and calm activities has been said to start your day off on a positive note. They are used to having their days and activities planned out for them months in advance. There are so many different aspects and layers of trust, as well. Accountability is the forth level in the pyramid identified by Lencioni, and aligns closely with constructive conflict and commitment. The best resource we have found for determining age-appropriateness of movies, games, applications and some websites is Common Sense Media, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/. They also expect to have to make up for missed learning in the fall for this last spring, especially for the younger students in lower grades. Everything you need to organize your area is probabily already in your home. bardot Decorating Amazon boxes and used soup cans make great arts and craft projects and excellent organizers! To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues. If your remote/distance learning/homeschooling is only planned to be temporary, keeping as close to the curriculum their classmates are learning in school will make for the smoothest transition when the time comes for them to go to school and join their classmates again. While you are determining how much time you want to dedicate to your work, also consider if there are specific days or times of day that you have regularly scheduled meetings, deadlines for regular work, or other time-specific restrictions.
These are all considerations when building a foundation of trust in a remote or distance learning team with all parties involved. (2018). (Various factors played into our decision, but one major factor for us was for the girls to have the option to participate in sports, clubs and other activities, and we were living in a location where they were districted into good schools.). Welltrainedmind.com. (Dont forget to include what you used to keep your fort together tape, staples, clothes pins, etc. How Timeboxing Works and Why it Will Make You More Productive. Digital Passport. If you would like to explore this option, a great start is to review your state on both the CRHE and HSLDA websites, start searching for local and regional homeschool associations (the HSLDA has a great resource for this, as well), and begin searching for curriculum options (which can come in fully pre-packaged curriculum options to fully customized curriculum that you pick and choose from resources on publishers sites and Amazon.com book sales, for example) (HSLDA, n.d.2). Resources for Families During the Coronavirus Pandemic. As you wrap up the day, after allowing your kids to play and relax for the first day, take three deep breaths and smile, knowing that you completed some planning and organizing, and that you are on your way. SheKnows.com. (n.d.). The first consideration is the age levels you are teaching. 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. One option is for grades 3-5, called Digital Passport, and is accessible here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport. If yours has not done so, or you would like to supplement the work provided to your kids, there are many approaches to doing so. (Remember to make the award something you can make, give or do with them at home, and that they can have or do after your conference call is over.). You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. Here are a few suggestions of where we might start: 1) Develop (and ensure everyone knows and understands) clearly defined goals. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, STEAMsational. Roblox. These can be accessed here: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19. at the schools themselves, but something to be aware of when asking them for assistance of any kind. Some states and districts are surveying parents to find out their comfort level with the options listed above (or others, depending on the state and district). How We Rate and Review. While you are working on a schedule more customized to you, your kids and your work schedule, two companies, Khan Academy and Scholastic, have recently provided lesson plans and activities free for children who are now staying home due to school closings. Carter, Christine. Given the current closure of public schools, many publishers are providing content online for free, as well. 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? For parents looking online for content for their children, who may not be familiar with different websites, movies or apps, or unsure how to tell what might be safe or age-appropriate, this post is for you. 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). (2020). (n.d.). As of now, you at least have an idea of how much time you want to allocate to work and to homeschooling and have identified an area where you can store and organize schoolwork and related supplies. What Are the Non-Core Subjects?. In the middle of the fall, we collectively decided that it was time for the girls to attend public school. Common Sense Media. Uncertainty and lack of direction and why can cause unnecessary stress and a lack of commitment. If you plan to homeschool long-term or permanently, focusing on this alignment might not be quite as important or impactful. Coronavirus Closed Schools: 27 Activities to Keep Kids Busy During School Closures. ), 2) Do you (and your student) want the ability or option to participate in after school activities? In work environments, especially when working on projects, everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities which are laid out on a project plan. The answer to this question can provide further guidance for what choice might be best for you and your family, on top of the obvious comfort level with sending them to a physical school building in August or September. The third consideration is the mode you wish to use to teach the subjects you have selected. 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. ), As you think through the answers to these questions and others, I would like to share about our personal experience with the transition from homeschool to public school in Connecticut only a few years ago. Stay home and stay safe. You dont have to wait until plans for the fall are released to figure out what you are comfortable (and not comfortable) with. Are you comfortable sending your children to school in the fall if they are physically opened for attendance? Youre Probably Homeschooling Way More Than You Need To. What if schools are opened in a virtual-only format to start the school year and transition to blended or alternating schedule formats, or even full capacity later in the school year? (Note that we do still have the requirement that they add us on all social media accounts so that we can monitor their activities there if we choose to do so.) Hopefully, you have found this content helpful, and are on your way to planning a (relativelythey are our awesome kids, after all) calm, fun and enjoyable adventure educating your children at home while working. The second option is for grades 6-8, called Digital Compass, which is accessible here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass. 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. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. These extreme stances come with equally strong language, which can be misleading to the new or uninformed, so it is important to make sure you fully understand the true requirements before making decisions, finalizing your plans, and submitting any notices or documentation. It is nice to have a separate table, countertop, or other area that you could leave your work out on all the time, but in most cases, this is not an option. Retrieved March 16, 2020 from, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html, https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, https://www.digitallearningcollab.com/state-virtual-schools, Common Misconceptions about Working and Homeschooling, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day/, https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education, https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/age-appropriate-chores/, https://grownandflown.com/soft-skills-for-teens/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-compass, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers, https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html, https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_school_closures_can_strengthen_your_family, https://hbr.org/2018/12/how-timeboxing-works-and-why-it-will-make-you-more-productive. For gratitude, an easy option to start your day would be to talk about three good or positive things. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, Earthcam. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.connectionsacademy.com/, CRHE. Retrieved April 19, 2020 from https://grownandflown.com/soft-skills-for-teens/, Minecraft. There are many misconceptions about homeschooling, in general, but especially with working and homeschooling. You can choose to homeschool your children with you being the primary teacher (as opposed to distance-learning where you are assisting your children with work assigned by their teacher). weddbook seda pompones detalle boda Well, the best approach comes down to whether this is a temporary or long-term/permanent option for you and your family. charisse jocelyn The last thing we need is to waste time searching for books, pencils, paper and other supplies while we are trying to work and homeschool. 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. The standard subjects tend to include math, language arts, science, history or social studies, art, technology, health, physical education, and music. It is also an opportunity for us to find ways for our kids to help around the house and to teach them new life skills that are no longer taught in schools. Its important that parents, educators and administrators clearly define what the goals are and monitor progress toward those goals. You will need to research your options in your area if this is a deciding factor for you. The activities in the basket could be anything from printed mazes, cut and paste activities, manipulative for counting, coloring books, etc. 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. We have never parented (or helped our kids with remote learning) during a global pandemic. 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. Just take a few deep breaths and enjoy the time you have with your kids, because they really do grow up so fast, and this pandemic and chaos will eventually pass. Free Printable Homeschool Planners. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/, Montessori Northwest. (Many states do not allow homeschoolers to participate in activities at the public school, but some states do. You are the parent, and you know what is best for your children. For states who are planning in-person school options, many are still providing distance learning as an option, and homeschooling is always an additional option. (n.d.). You can research options for full-time online schooling, which some states offer for free (Digital Learning Collaborative, 2018). Educators need to be able to express concerns to parents and administrators when things arent working for them, their class, or even particular students. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, Focus on the Family. All movies, for example, have ratings from Common Sense Media, as well as a kids rating and a parents rating, but even more helpful are the details provided by Common Sense Media behind their specific rating. 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. Just take one step at a time and focus on one goal at a time. (n.d.). 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. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites, Common Sense Media. Either way, some people are going to be happy and some unhappy, regardless of the plan or approach that is taken. Find a fort posted by someone else and draw a picture of their fort and estimate how many people you think could fit in their fort. Yes, movies sometimes work, but how about something possibly more fun (for you and for them)? Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport, Common Sense Media. School and schoolwork does not have to be an all-or-nothing situation. 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. Greater Good Magazine. Many state and local education-related publications have language that indicates that the notice of intent to homeschool and the portfolio reviews are required. There are a few things to consider. How might this impact your childs motivation to do their schoolwork? While the kids play, you can plan your day(s). Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://welltrainedmind.com/a/what-are-the-non-core-subjects/?v=7516fd43adaa, Common Sense Media (n.d.). Making sure others respect your time is actually easier than it might seem at first. If your student is overloaded with work, have them work with their teachers and administrators to request extensions or accommodations where needed. Others split them into pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-5 and grades 6+. 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. So, what options are there? How might it impact their learning? (2020). (The first is required if choosing homeschooling and not purchasing a pre-packaged curriculum or enrolling your children in a full-time online school. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, The new challenge to keep the kids occupied during conference calls is: FORT MAKING!!! Below, I will provide a few options and considerations for finding content for your children that is age-appropriate and safe for them, as well as being safe for you and your computer. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/, National University Library. To commit to common goals, everyone on the team has to be aware of the goals, understand why those goals are important, and be aware and accepting of their role in helping the team attain those goals. (n.d.). If this was or is you, trust me, you are not alone. In fact, they have created a launch page for the current times, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic, Common Sense Media. You can ask the school about options for continuing distance learning (if they dont already include that as an option in their fall plans). Your child or children will be perfectly fine with a couple or a few hours of school-related work and other fun, educational activities while you focus on work. Educators have never taught during a global pandemic, much less taught remotely or taught some students remotely and some in person at the same time. (n.d.). The CRHE and HSLDA do a great job of keeping up with the current state regulations and how they are implemented (along with your legal rights and options as a homeschooler) (CRHE, n.d.; HSLDA, n.d.). You will need to determine what is best for you and your children. With some states canceling in-person schooling for the rest of the academic year and others extending the closures for additional time periods or indefinitely, but messages coming from politicians that we need to re-open the country, we are in a state of wait and see. This is not true, legally. Khan Academy has provided help and getting started pages for their content here: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, and the lessons themselves are accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Scholastic has provided schedules and lessons here: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html. Bauer, S. W. (2016). (2018). At this point, state and local boards of education are doing the best they can with the little information they have to plan for something none of us have ever had to deal with before. (n.d.). 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. Being completely clear on goals, roles, and contributions can promote commitment and team cohesion. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/, Common Sense Media. A lesson I learned the hard way many times is that they cant both be done (effectively) at the same time. In all honesty, because we got sick of answering the question of Can we watch? questions, we came up with a specific rule to guide their choices. Some subjects that lend themselves to video lessons are art, music, history, and even physical education, for example. For other jobs, like when I administered analytics servers, I had more flexibility to design my work day around the desired school schedule. If you are homeschooling on your own, you and your children might be the only members of the team, but for others remotely schooling via distance learning options provided through their school or district, there are many other members of the team, as well. The first major hurdle for the transition was figuring out what grade they should be in. KEY POINT: You do not have to replicate your full workday and the full school day, so give yourself a break and get rid of that expectation right away. The second consideration is the subjects you wish to teach. Ultimately, only you can decide what is best for you and your children. Either way, you will need to allocate time for schooling for your children and for your work. (This is a big deciding factor that can save or cost you a lot of time and stress. 5) Understand and be honest and open about what you (and your student) can and cannot reasonably take on and complete given everything you have going on outside of school responsibilities, and be open to working with your student and their teachers and school administrators. Common Sense Media provides two different options for digital citizenship education. Other paid options exist for states which do not offer state virtual schools, like K12, ConnectionsAcademy, although many others exist, as well (Connections Academy, 2020; K12, 2020). 2) Block off the appropriate time for schoolwork on your work calendar and communicate these expectations to your manager and coworkers. It is important to be fully informed of all legal and regulatory requirements prior to making your choice, so that you are making a fully-informed choice. There are also many online tours of national parks, zoos, and aquariums. When you are planning your days, you will first need to decide how much time you want (or need) to spend with your focus dedicated to your work (in meetings, for example), and how much time you want to spend homeschooling your child (or children). 30 Gratitude Games and Activities for Kids to Practice Thankfulness. (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. 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). The one thing that all of those spaces had in common was a dedicated space to store all of our supplies and work. Without clearly defined roles and goals, it is difficult to hold team members accountable for their contributions to the team and to the teams success. State Virtual Schools. Common Sense Media includes reviews of some books, as well. So, how do we, as a team of parents, educators, and administrators, work together as a high performing team and not fall into the 5 dysfunctions of a team identified by Lencioni? Will you and your children be ok with this or able to handle any repetition or boredom by supplementing with other activities? ), So, with this conflicting guidance and information, what should you do? Starting your day with gratitude and calm activities has been said to start your day off on a positive note. They are used to having their days and activities planned out for them months in advance. There are so many different aspects and layers of trust, as well. Accountability is the forth level in the pyramid identified by Lencioni, and aligns closely with constructive conflict and commitment. The best resource we have found for determining age-appropriateness of movies, games, applications and some websites is Common Sense Media, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/. They also expect to have to make up for missed learning in the fall for this last spring, especially for the younger students in lower grades. Everything you need to organize your area is probabily already in your home. bardot Decorating Amazon boxes and used soup cans make great arts and craft projects and excellent organizers! To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues. If your remote/distance learning/homeschooling is only planned to be temporary, keeping as close to the curriculum their classmates are learning in school will make for the smoothest transition when the time comes for them to go to school and join their classmates again. While you are determining how much time you want to dedicate to your work, also consider if there are specific days or times of day that you have regularly scheduled meetings, deadlines for regular work, or other time-specific restrictions.
Without clearly defined roles and goals, it is difficult to hold team members accountable for their contributions to the team and to the teams success. State Virtual Schools. Common Sense Media includes reviews of some books, as well. So, how do we, as a team of parents, educators, and administrators, work together as a high performing team and not fall into the 5 dysfunctions of a team identified by Lencioni? Will you and your children be ok with this or able to handle any repetition or boredom by supplementing with other activities? ), So, with this conflicting guidance and information, what should you do? Starting your day with gratitude and calm activities has been said to start your day off on a positive note. They are used to having their days and activities planned out for them months in advance. There are so many different aspects and layers of trust, as well. Accountability is the forth level in the pyramid identified by Lencioni, and aligns closely with constructive conflict and commitment. The best resource we have found for determining age-appropriateness of movies, games, applications and some websites is Common Sense Media, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/. They also expect to have to make up for missed learning in the fall for this last spring, especially for the younger students in lower grades. Everything you need to organize your area is probabily already in your home. bardot Decorating Amazon boxes and used soup cans make great arts and craft projects and excellent organizers! To this day, we stand by that rule and have had very few issues. If your remote/distance learning/homeschooling is only planned to be temporary, keeping as close to the curriculum their classmates are learning in school will make for the smoothest transition when the time comes for them to go to school and join their classmates again. While you are determining how much time you want to dedicate to your work, also consider if there are specific days or times of day that you have regularly scheduled meetings, deadlines for regular work, or other time-specific restrictions.