Resources for Families During the Coronavirus Pandemic. (n.d.). Accountability involves all levels, including our children consistently being held responsible for their work. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://hellobestow.com/blog/gratitude-games/, Headspace. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/age-appropriate-chores/, Grown and Flown. (2019). If you are unsure, Common Sense Media is a great place to start. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/, The new challenge to keep the kids occupied during conference calls is: FORT MAKING!!! What if schools open in a blended format, where schedules are alternating day to day or am/pm? At those times, my kids were at the ages where they needed more hands-on help and their school workload was higher, so it worked well for us. With everyone rushing around trying to figure out what they are going to do for the fall, it is important to also pause, step back, and consider how the plans you make for the fall fit into your future educational plans. Grownandflown.com. I will gather and post a list of the supplies I always kept on hand soon. Schedules created and posted in a common location provide clarity to everyone involved and help the parents avoid questions like what are we doing today? and what subjects are we working on today? There are many free printable planners and schedules available online. In these times, I found educational videos that could fill the spaces, where my children could still be learning, but I was able to focus on the meetings and my work. Welltrainedmind.com. Examples of delivery modes include DVDs, online learning games, online video lessons, printable lessons, workbooks and textbooks, fully online classes, and instructions posted online that allow you to create your own. The most effective approach I found was to create a basket of schoolwork for the toddler and let her choose her schoolwork from the basket. Marc Zao-Sanders (2018) wrote an informative article on TimeBoxing, accessible here: Organizing your space is another aspect of your current situation that you have total control over. They are asking because they truly care about your children and your input.
Literally blocking it off on your calendar and communicating your schedule with your bosses and colleagues will make sure you are all on the same page and that everyone will respect that time. One way to focus and be able to sift through all of the options is to decide what modes you wish to use to teach each of the subjects you selected, and limit your searches to the selected mode for each subject. 4) Ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and identify how each will be held accountable and how opportunities for improvements will be identified, evaluated, and implemented. For those who are not experienced or knowledgeable about publishers used for K-12 education, the National University Library System has a list on their website, accessible here: https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. On a sports team, each team member (player, coach, manager) has to understand their role in the teams success to be committed to being the best in that role that they possibly can, thus maximizing their contribution to the team and the teams progress toward that goal.
Common Sense Media. One combined list of these is accessible on EarthCam.com, here: https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, Common Sense Media. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.headspace.com/covid-19, Khan Academy (2020). Before you start, identify an award they will earn if you get a bingo and/or if they black out the entire card by meeting the criteria of each bingo square on the entire bingo card. You will need to determine what is best for you and your children. As of now, you at least have an idea of how much time you want to allocate to work and to homeschooling and have identified an area where you can store and organize schoolwork and related supplies. (2018). One option is for grades 3-5, called Digital Passport, and is accessible here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport. Homeschool Laws By State. (This is in no way intended to imply that they wont help you, since we have always experienced the exact opposite, especially when in direct contact with teachers, administrators, etc. The pause for them is a huge change and requires adjustment, but provides an opportunity for us, as parents, to teach them how to slow down and be ok with being bored or finding their own activities. Some subjects that lend themselves to video lessons are art, music, history, and even physical education, for example. It is important to remember this. SheKnows.com.
How We Rate and Review. It is important to understand the risks and the comfort level you have with those risks, and, depending on the approach taken, the health risks for your children and for you (and for everyone in your household). (2020).
Looking at these from a more positive lens, as opposed to negatively identifying them as dysfunctions, the list of what teams need to thrive include: The foundation of working together as a group, especially in a stressful, unclear, unpredictable situation like remote learning during a global pandemic, is trust. Many of our kids had packed schedules of school, sports, and other activities, with barely enough time to grab a sandwich in the car for supper.
(Note that we do still have the requirement that they add us on all social media accounts so that we can monitor their activities there if we choose to do so.) Retrieved March 19, 2020 from https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, Bestow. Some organizations group activities in the following age groups, for example, Kindergarten to grade 2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. https://medium.com/taskworld-blog/lencionis-5-dysfunctions-of-a-team-330d58b2cd81. (2020). schoolwork has to follow the school day/week schedule, the schoolwork has to only include academic subjects, the kids have to be working on academic work the entire time, socialization is an afterthought when homeschooling, the kids are responsible for schoolwork and parents need to continue all of the housework. Game Reviews. For example, if you choose to homeschool or opt for distance learning to start with in the fall, will you want to send your children back to school (this year or in the future)? You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. Remember that you have options and that considering the short term and the long term will help smooth any future transitions for you and your children. When trying to decide what is best, there are always multiple considerations. Digital Compass. Yours will too. 1) Draw out a rough daily schedule (or weekly, if your daily work schedules vary), allocating specific times for work and for schoolwork. Find a fort posted by someone else and draw a picture of their fort and estimate how many people you think could fit in their fort. 
CommonSenseMedia.org. The standard subjects tend to include math, language arts, science, history or social studies, art, technology, health, physical education, and music. The state regulations say that families MAY submit a Notice of Intent to homeschool and participate in portfolio reviews. For example, one was created by E. Gilliam, and is accessible here: https://www.conferencecallbingo.net/blog with the printable version accessible directly here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0. (n.d.). A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages. (2020). Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, Digital Learning Collaborative. This is a great time to have the conversation with your manager about the priorities of the work currently assigned to you, the hours they expect, or require, you to be available, and where flexibility does (and does not) exist in your schedule, workload and work-related responsibilities. One is that everyone (or nearly everyone) you work with is in the same boat right now, so they understand the need to balance, and you shouldnt be shy about sharing what you are trying to accomplish. Smoothing the transition in our new reality. A great list of them compiled by STEAMsational is accessible here: https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, Focus on the Family. Our toddler also participated, at an age-appropriate level, in virtual field trips, science experiments, and other educational activities with her sister. 4) *BONUS* You can also take an inventory of what you have for school supplies (paper, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, glue, scizzors, stapler, tape, whole punch, etc.). (These are usually set at the state-level and enforced at the district or school-level. Common Sense Media, for example, provides a list of Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sides, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites.
The options are so abundant that it can often be overwhelming, especially for those new to educating their children at home. 5) Understand and be honest and open about what you (and your student) can and cannot reasonably take on and complete given everything you have going on outside of school responsibilities, and be open to working with your student and their teachers and school administrators. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, Wiess, S. R. (2020b). (This is the option rated as highest risk by the CDC) (CDC, 2020). They also expect to have to make up for missed learning in the fall for this last spring, especially for the younger students in lower grades. The answer to this question can provide further guidance for what choice might be best for you and your family, on top of the obvious comfort level with sending them to a physical school building in August or September. To commit to common goals, everyone on the team has to be aware of the goals, understand why those goals are important, and be aware and accepting of their role in helping the team attain those goals. Note that this option and how it is implemented differs greatly per state. Khan Academy has provided help and getting started pages for their content here: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, and the lessons themselves are accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Scholastic has provided schedules and lessons here: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html. Educators need to be able to express concerns to parents and administrators when things arent working for them, their class, or even particular students. So, how do we, as a team of parents, educators, and administrators, work together as a high performing team and not fall into the 5 dysfunctions of a team identified by Lencioni? However, we can control our reaction to it by staying safe, keeping our family safe, and following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (2020) guidelines posted here: In my experience homeschooling and working full time (from various locations and time zones), the biggest lesson I learned was that I needed to be organized, but also flexible. If you decide you are not comfortable sending your child to their current school in the fall, what options do you have? These options are completed at a time and location of your convenience and have assigned teachers for all classes, as well as providing official transcripts and grades, just like on-ground/in-person school options. 30 Gratitude Games and Activities for Kids to Practice Thankfulness. What Are the Non-Core Subjects?.
at the schools themselves, but something to be aware of when asking them for assistance of any kind. Here are a few suggestions of where we might start: 1) Develop (and ensure everyone knows and understands) clearly defined goals.
Literally blocking it off on your calendar and communicating your schedule with your bosses and colleagues will make sure you are all on the same page and that everyone will respect that time. One way to focus and be able to sift through all of the options is to decide what modes you wish to use to teach each of the subjects you selected, and limit your searches to the selected mode for each subject. 4) Ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and identify how each will be held accountable and how opportunities for improvements will be identified, evaluated, and implemented. For those who are not experienced or knowledgeable about publishers used for K-12 education, the National University Library System has a list on their website, accessible here: https://nu.libguides.com/CommonCore/ccss_publishers. But, there is also so much that is fully within our control. On a sports team, each team member (player, coach, manager) has to understand their role in the teams success to be committed to being the best in that role that they possibly can, thus maximizing their contribution to the team and the teams progress toward that goal.
Common Sense Media. One combined list of these is accessible on EarthCam.com, here: https://www.earthcam.com/events/animalcams/. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings, Common Sense Media. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.headspace.com/covid-19, Khan Academy (2020). Before you start, identify an award they will earn if you get a bingo and/or if they black out the entire card by meeting the criteria of each bingo square on the entire bingo card. You will need to determine what is best for you and your children. As of now, you at least have an idea of how much time you want to allocate to work and to homeschooling and have identified an area where you can store and organize schoolwork and related supplies. (2018). One option is for grades 3-5, called Digital Passport, and is accessible here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport. Homeschool Laws By State. (This is in no way intended to imply that they wont help you, since we have always experienced the exact opposite, especially when in direct contact with teachers, administrators, etc. The pause for them is a huge change and requires adjustment, but provides an opportunity for us, as parents, to teach them how to slow down and be ok with being bored or finding their own activities. Some subjects that lend themselves to video lessons are art, music, history, and even physical education, for example. It is important to remember this. SheKnows.com.
How We Rate and Review. It is important to understand the risks and the comfort level you have with those risks, and, depending on the approach taken, the health risks for your children and for you (and for everyone in your household). (2020).
Looking at these from a more positive lens, as opposed to negatively identifying them as dysfunctions, the list of what teams need to thrive include: The foundation of working together as a group, especially in a stressful, unclear, unpredictable situation like remote learning during a global pandemic, is trust. Many of our kids had packed schedules of school, sports, and other activities, with barely enough time to grab a sandwich in the car for supper.
(Note that we do still have the requirement that they add us on all social media accounts so that we can monitor their activities there if we choose to do so.) Retrieved March 19, 2020 from https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube/, Bestow. Some organizations group activities in the following age groups, for example, Kindergarten to grade 2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. https://medium.com/taskworld-blog/lencionis-5-dysfunctions-of-a-team-330d58b2cd81. (2020). schoolwork has to follow the school day/week schedule, the schoolwork has to only include academic subjects, the kids have to be working on academic work the entire time, socialization is an afterthought when homeschooling, the kids are responsible for schoolwork and parents need to continue all of the housework. Game Reviews. For example, if you choose to homeschool or opt for distance learning to start with in the fall, will you want to send your children back to school (this year or in the future)? You dont need to go crazy buying organizing supplies. Remember that you have options and that considering the short term and the long term will help smooth any future transitions for you and your children. When trying to decide what is best, there are always multiple considerations. Digital Compass. Yours will too. 1) Draw out a rough daily schedule (or weekly, if your daily work schedules vary), allocating specific times for work and for schoolwork. Find a fort posted by someone else and draw a picture of their fort and estimate how many people you think could fit in their fort. CommonSenseMedia.org. The standard subjects tend to include math, language arts, science, history or social studies, art, technology, health, physical education, and music. The state regulations say that families MAY submit a Notice of Intent to homeschool and participate in portfolio reviews. For example, one was created by E. Gilliam, and is accessible here: https://www.conferencecallbingo.net/blog with the printable version accessible directly here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xbwyrg21rbg79fj/conferencecallbingo.pdf?dl=0. (n.d.). A template for this can be found on many of the CT homeschooling group websites or Facebook pages. (2020). Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/, Digital Learning Collaborative. This is a great time to have the conversation with your manager about the priorities of the work currently assigned to you, the hours they expect, or require, you to be available, and where flexibility does (and does not) exist in your schedule, workload and work-related responsibilities. One is that everyone (or nearly everyone) you work with is in the same boat right now, so they understand the need to balance, and you shouldnt be shy about sharing what you are trying to accomplish. Smoothing the transition in our new reality. A great list of them compiled by STEAMsational is accessible here: https://www.steamsational.com/free-printable-homeschool-planners/. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews, Focus on the Family. Our toddler also participated, at an age-appropriate level, in virtual field trips, science experiments, and other educational activities with her sister. 4) *BONUS* You can also take an inventory of what you have for school supplies (paper, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, glue, scizzors, stapler, tape, whole punch, etc.). (These are usually set at the state-level and enforced at the district or school-level. Common Sense Media, for example, provides a list of Kid-Safe Browsers and Search Sides, accessible here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/kid-safe-browsers-and-search-sites.
The options are so abundant that it can often be overwhelming, especially for those new to educating their children at home. 5) Understand and be honest and open about what you (and your student) can and cannot reasonably take on and complete given everything you have going on outside of school responsibilities, and be open to working with your student and their teachers and school administrators. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/slideshow/2173553/coronavirus-school-closings-keep-kids-busy/1/, Wiess, S. R. (2020b). (This is the option rated as highest risk by the CDC) (CDC, 2020). They also expect to have to make up for missed learning in the fall for this last spring, especially for the younger students in lower grades. The answer to this question can provide further guidance for what choice might be best for you and your family, on top of the obvious comfort level with sending them to a physical school building in August or September. To commit to common goals, everyone on the team has to be aware of the goals, understand why those goals are important, and be aware and accepting of their role in helping the team attain those goals. Note that this option and how it is implemented differs greatly per state. Khan Academy has provided help and getting started pages for their content here: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school, and the lessons themselves are accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZhOdEPAWjUQpqDkVAlJrFwxxZ9Sa6zGOq0CNRms6Z7DZNq-tQWS3OhuVCUbh_-P-WmksHAzbsrk9d/pub, Scholastic has provided schedules and lessons here: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html. Educators need to be able to express concerns to parents and administrators when things arent working for them, their class, or even particular students. So, how do we, as a team of parents, educators, and administrators, work together as a high performing team and not fall into the 5 dysfunctions of a team identified by Lencioni? However, we can control our reaction to it by staying safe, keeping our family safe, and following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (2020) guidelines posted here: In my experience homeschooling and working full time (from various locations and time zones), the biggest lesson I learned was that I needed to be organized, but also flexible. If you decide you are not comfortable sending your child to their current school in the fall, what options do you have? These options are completed at a time and location of your convenience and have assigned teachers for all classes, as well as providing official transcripts and grades, just like on-ground/in-person school options. 30 Gratitude Games and Activities for Kids to Practice Thankfulness. What Are the Non-Core Subjects?.
at the schools themselves, but something to be aware of when asking them for assistance of any kind. Here are a few suggestions of where we might start: 1) Develop (and ensure everyone knows and understands) clearly defined goals.