Coronavirus has made all Kansas parents homeschoolers. Here’s what veterans say to do
Relax. You can do this. And as isolated as you feel right now, you’re not alone.
That’s the message several Kansas homeschooling parents have for other parents scrambling to fill the chasmic void left by the state’s schools — ordered closed by Gov. Laura Kelly for the remainder of the academic year due to the novel coronavirus.
Even if parents are able to stay home for the duration — and many are not — they’re now thrust into the front lines of their kids’ education. What to do? How? When?
It’s instructive that when The Star asked two homeschooling moms what the keys are to homeschooling, neither talked about reading, writing or arithmetic. They talked about parents keeping their composure and confidence — and about seeing this as an opportunity to grow closer as a family.
“The more worked up a parent gets, the worse it’s going to be for a child,” says longtime homeschooler and former state Rep. Amanda Grosserode. “If you get worked up, if you get upset, they’re not going to learn. They’re going to shut down. So, the biggest key is to stay calm. When you hit that breaking point where you’re done, they’re done, take a break. Because no learning happens at that point.”
“Take a deep breath! I promise it will be ok!” Wichita homeschooler Carrie Farris wrote on her Facebook page. “You have an amazing opportunity to bond deeply with your kids and really get to know who they are! They will surprise you. Yes, even the teenagers.
“Find the joy! Watch old movies, read books aloud, teach your kids how to two-step, do a free online art project, dig in deep to your favorite book of the Bible — the list goes on and on. We have all been given an amazing gift of time, a very precious commodity.”
Both Grosserode and Farris acknowledge that there are good and bad days in homeschooling but, says Grosserode, “Your success is not dependent upon the bad days.”
Farris says that homeschooling can be a valuable learning experience for parents too. “I have learned so much more homeschooling my kids than I learned the first time around in school myself.”
Both homeschool moms caution parents not to expect their homes to look or function like a formal classroom. Grosserode suggests being flexible with your schedule if possible: She has a high school junior who jumps into classwork first thing in the morning, while her eighth-grader is not a morning person. Go with what works for each child.
“Kids learn at their own rate. They do in a classroom as well — it’s just harder to see,” she says.
For parents of younger children, Grosserode notes, be aware of the need to burn off energy, despite the current social distancing: “Finding ways that you can help manage both energy and emotion for your kids is going to be pivotal.”
As for curriculum, most schools and teachers are scrambling to provide lesson plans and such. And while it might take some late-night internet surfing, there’s a ton of help out there online.
Education site AgeOfLearning.com/schools is offering schools and school districts its digital education programs ABCmouse, Adventure Academy, and ReadingIQ — for preschoolers through eighth grade — for free due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Both Grosserode and Farris recommended ABCmouse.com for the youngest learners, as well as khanacademy.org. Farris suggested allinonehomeschool.com for a free Christian homeschool curriculum. Grosserode suggested time4learning.com for pre-K through 12th grade, as well as ixl.com, and starfall.com for pre-K through third grade.
And with all kinds of video tutorials, Grosserode adds, “YouTube is really, honestly, pretty fantastic. It’s just a process of research. And sometimes trial and error.”
The main thing is, don’t stress. You can do this.
“Even if your student does nothing formally for the next two months, until the end of the school year, they’re still going to learn something,” Grosserode says. “Life is going to teach them those things. There are so many ways that you can enhance learning for your kids that have nothing to do with their nose in a book or on a computer.”
Again, don’t try to recreate a public school classroom in your house.
“It’s OK if your child wears a superhero costume and hangs upside down on the couch while doing math,” Farris says.
It will still count for a lot in the end.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
