By Crystal Laiosa
Bachelor’s Student, School of Business
It’s the end of the year. The holidays hit with a bang, much like everything in 2020, and now you’re left to organize the aftermath.
Maybe you’re dreading the school year because you are going to be responsible for homeschooling your children in 2021. But don’t worry; there are resources available to you.
Online Homeschooling Resources
There are many valuable homeschooling resources for supplementary curriculum available online. But where can you find a decent curriculum? State government websites are excellent tools for curriculum resources and content standards. For older children, these sites also have graduation requirements.
State content standards are categorized by grade and subject under the education section. Once educational standards are established, the creative ways to teach that topic are endless. During my time working in early childhood education, I found a number of creative resources worthy of sharing.
I like Teachers Pay Teachers because it offers a bounty of original educational materials searchable by age, subject or price. You’re able to browse homeschooling resources like worksheets, lesson plans, activities and projects.
Young children can significantly benefit from kits and other creative tools for teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). But some of these kits can be expensive, so if you’ve got a limited budget, visit your local library. Typically, it will have access to a variety of STEM kits.
For older children and teens, try Oak Meadow for a flexible and personalized learning experience. For young children needing more structure and guidance, I recommend Creative Curriculum through Teaching Strategies. This all-inclusive curriculum offers content standards, milestones, lesson plans and other activities.
Supplementary Education Is Also Available through Online Videos
Perhaps you have an excellent curriculum through your local school, but you wish you had a supplementary form of education for homeschooling? Your older teens will enjoy online subscription videos like MasterClass or V-Sauce on YouTube Premium. (Trust me, it’s worth the subscription.)
Also, consider browsing the thousands of engaging, free video lessons on Khan Academy. For smaller children, try Scholastic, PBS LearningMedia or National Geographic for hours of safe and educational videos.
Start Homeschooling by Establishing a Routine
Once you know what you’re going to teach and have your homeschooling materials, it’s time to figure out how you’re going to teach it. Begin with a routine; routines are crucial particularly for young children. Establishing a daily routine signals clear expectations.
How you set up your learning area for homeschooling will be tailored to your specific family needs. Do you have young children? Young children typically need more supervision with schoolwork, so move them near your main work environment.
If you have older children, encourage them to do their online schoolwork in a room that gets less foot traffic and is quiet. Even the color of the room can affect the learning environment. Brighter colors are stimulating, so try a space with calming colors such as blue, green, gray or white.
Maintaining a Positive Perspective Is Critical
Remember that organization, set-up, preparation, resources, routines and schedules contribute to just some of the ingredients for a successful homeschooling experience. The most critical component is a positive perspective. Hang in there, parents.
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