Everyone thought the pandemic was going to last a few months; then, we can all go back to our regular programming. However, as the crisis continues to unfold, the hard truth that we can never operate like before becomes a hard pill to swallow. The pandemic has changed how we live, work, and approach the world.
One sector of society that is struggling to adapt is academic institutions and schools. The traditional face-to-face classes become high-risk activities due to the small space with limited ventilation, causing the virus to spread. Some colleges have tried to adapt to the situation by exploring a hybrid of in-person and distance learning classes or deciding to reopen campuses with additional safety measures in place. However, some teachers, like those from Penn State and the State University of New York, have expressed their concerns and dissatisfaction with returning.
With the mounting issues surrounding the next moves of the education sector, some parents are choosing to try their hand at homeschooling. It has become a more affordable, concentrated, and safer option than relying on the uncertain learning methods of schools operating in survival mode. However, before diving in headfirst, parents should be aware of the intricacies of homeschooling. There’s more to it than telling your child to read his books and test his knowledge through worksheets. Parents can maximize the strengths homeschooling offers by being aware of these two common myths:
Myth: You need to recreate learning in a classroom
It’s tempting to copy off your child’s original class schedule and implement that at home. While it might work in some ways, trying to replicate classroom learning does a disservice to the freedom provided by homeschooling. Both children and adults learn best when they are interested in the topic and can see its applications to everyday life. They become more engaged and motivated to do the work as well as remember the concepts more easily. For example, instead of teaching fractions through workbooks, you can get a pizza to illustrate how fractions make up a whole or explore their significance when cooking.
Myth: You are limited to traditional academic subjects
While math, science, and languages are essential, they are not the be-all and end-all of life. Sometimes, traditional schools can be a bubble that shields students from the realities of the world. All the knowledge they acquire work well in the four corners of the classroom but not when they are not part of the educational system anymore.
Homeschooling can address this problem because of how it’s integrated into home life. Parents can teach their children how to accomplish vital domestic tasks such as cooking their meals and doing necessary home repairs. They can even delve into more specialized subjects such as programming and social media management. You can have a bring-your-child-to-work day when you can explain what your profession is. Let them try a hand at writing simple code or learning how to archive social media posts for monitoring. The knowledge they will get will be more helpful in the long run.
With the education system in limbo, parents can explore homeschooling as an alternative to continue their child’s learning. They should, however, be mindful that homeschooling is more than recreating the classroom and sticking to traditional subjects.
