How to Create a Stress-Free Homeschool Experience During COVID-19

By James Leonard

If you’re like many parents in the US right now, you’re trying to figure out how to create a stress-free homeschool experience during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Thankfully, there are plenty of tools and resources available to help you during this transition!

First of all - you’re allowed to feel overwhelmed right now. This is a major life adjustment, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re feeling lost or uptight about your child’s education. It’s completely normal!

Next, just a little encouragement:

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Homeschooling, while seemingly daunting at first, can actually provide you with some amazing rewards you wouldn’t have expected.

Granted, you weren’t expecting this - at all! But you’ll feel like a pro once you have a few tricks under your belt.

Actually - if you view this as an opportunity, you can gain some key insights into how your child learns best, and how to help them take some significant steps forward in their education during this time.

Let’s talk about a few ways to make that happen.

How to get started with homeschooling during COVID-19:

There are two main things you need for a bare-bones “homeschool” setup: 1) the right environment, and 2) essential resources for your child.

Setting up the right environment:

We’ve actually written a post about creating the right homeschool environment, so be sure to check out that article.

Essential distance-learning resources:

You likely have a few options here, each with their own pros and cons:

1. Use materials provided by your school. Teachers have had to scramble to either put together take-home or online materials for your child (and the rest of their students), so your kids can keep learning (assuming you can keep them focused).
   1. Pros to Using School-Provided Materials:
      1. You have something to run with out of the gate. Even if the material is somewhat confusing for you, at least it’s a start and your teachers are doing the best they can!
         
         
      2. Your teachers will likely offer some form of support. If you have access to email (or maybe even Zoom), your teachers are likely to respond.
         
         
   2. Cons to Using School-Provided Materials:
      1. Potential “holes” in material. Your teachers had to quickly provide you with packets, which is extremely difficult to pull off well. Note: This is not a knock against teachers! This type of approach is entirely new to them, so there will just be some natural blind-spots in the materials.
         
         
      2. The technology gap. Many schools are doing their best to get resources up online, which can be helpful in some cases because there are some great educational programs available today.
         
         In other cases, technology can actually cause some issues. Even if your child is used to *some* technology in the classroom, a majority of their work is likely done via tactile paper and books. The dramatic shift to an all-online approach will be difficult for many children, and the increased screen time could do more harm than good.
         
         Also - some schools are using this dilemma to push out new technology, even if they aren’t fully prepared to do so, resulting in systems (and school staff) becoming overloaded.
         
         
      3. You have to figure most of this out on your own, and could continue to feel the burden on your shoulders.
         
         

2. Switch to a homeschool program that’s designed to help YOU and your child succeed. This is also a perfect time to try a homeschool curriculum. If you’ve been on the fence for a while, or you realized there’s something missing in your current situation, you can get started without missing a beat.

   1. Pros to Switching to a Homeschool Program:
      1. You take back control of your child’s education. If you’ve already had some red-flags go off in your mind in regards to the education system, you now have the perfect opportunity to take matters into your own hands and teach your child materials that have your stamp of approval.
         
         
      2. Your child has the opportunity to accelerate their learning or get back on track. You are probably picking up some weak spots now that you are involved in your child’s learning. On the flip side, you might discover that your child excels at certain subjects now that they have the opportunity to really dig in.
         
         Or maybe you don’t know these things, or what to look for.
         
         Either way, we have you covered. With our quick diagnostic process, we can easily help you discover where to focus your child’s attention and help boost their learning experience.
         
         
      3. You eliminate the technology gap. Technology isn’t the best thing for everybody. In fact, technology can often do more to inhibit learning than it does to help!
         
         Use simple, paper-and-pencil materials and resources that don’t require a fast internet connection or hours of screen time. Let your child learn in a quiet, simple environment that keeps their focus on their studies.
         
         
      4. You have a support system that’s used to doing distance learning well. Over the years, we’ve learned that parents need as much support as their children. In fact, we’ve had several situations where the students really take off once the parents feel confident.
         
         We’re here to support you, the parent, and set you up for success. We have a system in place to keep you sane and confident, no matter what challenges present themselves.
         
         We’re also experts at motivating children to stay on track! Parents really appreciate how in-tune we are with their child’s education, and are often surprised by how well a distance-learning set-up works.
         
         
      5. You have more time with your child. Overall, you will find enjoyment in being around your kids. They’ll feel good about their learning, and will be more pleasant to be around when they’re all wrapped up for the day.
         
         
   2. Cons to Switching to a Homeschool Program:
      1. It’s another transition for your family. We get it - this is a season of transitions, and no matter what, you’re faced with an educational transition of some sort.
         
         Our goal would be to alleviate the challenges that come along with the transition and guide you through the process rather than leaving you on your own.
         
         
      2. There would be costs associated with switching to homeschool. Admittedly, there will be a financial investment if you decide to switch to a full-out homeschool program. However, we do our best to make sure any investment you do make is well worth your while.
         
         We’re especially committed to getting creative with you during this time. Even if you just want to try out a quarter to finish out the year as a test-run, we can work something out if it means you feel better about your options - however we can be of best help to you!
         
         
      3. You may not feel confident in yourself. Again, that’s a normal response, and it’s the main hurdle we get to help parents through. You can do this - and once you’re into it, you’ll find that it’s not really as difficult as it seemed!  Our article “How to Homeschool without Going Crazy” might be of some encouragement to you.
         
         With a dedicated team by your side, we’ll help you make the transition as smooth as possible, and provide stellar, ongoing support.

Next steps to a stress-free at-home learning experience

We want to make this an easy transition for you, and fast-track your success.

The best way to accomplish this is to call Kirsten today at: 937.548.1155. She will spend time with you to answer any questions you have about our program, and will be personally involved in ensuring your success during this time and beyond. 

You can also read this article for some more tips on providing the best homeschool environment.