This fall is like no other in our recent history. No doubt it’s going to be some combination of in class and at home learning. Chances are you are going to need workspace in your home for 1 or more students. You are also going to have to establish new habits to get it all done.
Each kid should have a dedicated school space that they report to every day they aren’t in class learning. It should be the same space every day. One that promotes learning. Have pencils, pens, and paper ready to go. Don’t let them waste time looking for supplies. Don’t let it become an excuse on why they aren’t getting their work done. Make sure they have a charging cord ready, so their Chromebooks are ready every day. Try to make this a dedicated space that doesn’t need to be changed for any other purpose. This isn’t forever, so make the space. Make sure they are comfortable but not too comfortable. They can’t do real learning on their beds.
Each child is going to need their own space. Some can handle being distracted by another Zoom class at the other end of the dining room table, but some cannot. You may want to try headphones instead of earbuds since it may be hours of use a day. Different rooms may be necessary but that will make it harder to monitor them. It might be time to bring out the 3-fold presentation board. Prop it up on the table between them. Now is the time to get creative.
Some teacher are requesting, {strongly} that the kids dress for school not just roll out of bed and show up in pj’s. There is something to be said for dressing the part every day. There’s even a hashtag challenge called #GetDressedEveryDay challenge that explains that you change your mindset when you get dressed. It get’s you out of the idea that you are at home thus relaxing. It’s possible to work from home productively but you need to think of it as work or school. It tricks your brain into making the switch to prepare them for starting their school day.
There is a famous talk by US Navy Admiral William McRaven Make Your bed that describes that being able to change the world you need to start your day by making your bed.
“ If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.”
In this it’s about building habits. We are going to need habits more than ever to get through this. This is a great opportunity to set habits at home that we normally wouldn’t have time to with all the practices and places to go.
Start small and make changes for your family. Embrace the changes. You never know this could be the start of amazing things for us all.