TOP 11 Homeschooling Tips and TRICKS!

Homeschooling is a LIFESTYLE. It’s been our family’s “normal” for five years now, with all the blessings and challenges that it has brought our way. I am a former K-6 ESL(English as a Second Language) and high school Spanish teacher. I worked at a private school abroad and then at various public schools here in New York state for a total of six years, receiving tenure in the West Seneca Central School District. I made the decision to leave the public school classroom and begin homeschooling my little ones even though no one in my family had done so previously. It’s been an adventure ever since!

So, my kids have never been to “school” outside of our home besides homeschooling co-op groups once or twice a month and weekly Sunday school classes at church. Many people used to say to me, “I could never do that, I don’t know how you do it!” Sometimes we were treated like we were “weird.” I never thought the world would experience homeschooling at all, let alone like it has for the past few months! Are you feeling like this is TOO much “togetherness” for you to handle? This post is written with sweat equity and love for YOU!!

Due to the global pandemic of COVID19 many of you may have been FORCED into this new paradigm! Welcome to the homeschooling community, and I commend you for your positive resolve, patience, bravery, and perseverance. From the posts I have seen on social media and in talking with friends and family, I am utterly IMPRESSED with how most people are dealing with such a shocking change in routine!

Learning at home isn’t always easy, that is for sure. Just because I have been homeschooling for a longer time doesn’t mean I “got it down.” I too am still learning each day, each year; I continually ponder how to better structure the day, educate and care for my children, my sweet little students. I couldn’t do just ten, so below are my TOP-ELEVEN tips for homeschooling families! God be with each of you! Take it one day at a time, expect frustrations to surface and remember tomorrow is a NEW day. 😊

My TOP ELEVEN Homeschooling Tips and TRICKS for ANYONE and EVERYONE:

#1: Start the day EARLY when possible. I have found if I am up BEFORE the kids I am able to get much more accomplished WITH them once they are awake. Now, if you have little babies this may just not be do-able if you are scrambling for every wink of sleep you can get (so don’t feel guilty, it’s just the season of life you are in)! However, if it is possible, try your best during the week to make it happen. I have found if I eat breakfast, take a walk/exercise, and have some quiet time BEFORE the kids wake up, I am refreshed and readier to learn with them. You’ll notice, if you haven’t already, that if YOU are or aren’t feeling prepared and excited to learn, your kids will follow suit (for better or for worse)!

#2. Make ROUTINES a part of your Monday-Friday. My kids are currently ages 9, 7, 5 and 4. I noticed a few weeks ago that they needed to start following individual routines, tailored to their ages, in order to jump-start the day without me “nagging them” to get going. My nine-year-old has a routine that includes reading a chapter of a book, practicing piano and recorder, doing a 10-minute exercise video of his choice from YouTube, and getting himself and his room in order. If your child is younger, like my four-year-old, having a visual routine of what to do can help. Nothing fancy needed: on a piece of paper you can draw a bed (representing to make his/her bed in the morning), a book (to read a book or two with mommy or a sibling), and clothes and a mouth (to remind him to get dressed and brush his teeth). A side-note is that many homeschooling families that I know (including myself) change Friday’s routine by making it a day for the kids to help DEEP CLEAN and TIDY UP their own drawers and rooms. It’s also the day I try to grocery shop and make sure nail clippings and haircuts happen when needed (SPA time)!

Lastly, don’t forget one of my favorite routines: Afternoon REST time! Whether it’s an hour of reading, sleeping, “room time” for your kids, or a movie on certain days, make sure “down time” is not skipped on a regular basis! Your mind and body will thank you later!

#3. DON’T rush through BREAKFAST. Now that you are at home, everything is a learning experience! If you didn’t have time to bake, maybe now you do! It can definitely be more stressful to have your kids helping in the kitchen, but that is where you learn patience and they have their first math and language arts lesson of the day! Yes, fractions, measurements, and following the steps of a recipe all count towards their education! Trust me, homeschooling moms count on this type of learning, and we see it as more beneficial than just filling out a workbook. Before you “open the books,” open your mind to the learning possibilities right before you in your own abode!

#4. START YOUR DAY with GOD. Now that both public and private schools alike are closed, you are their primary example and role model (no pressure, right)! Take advantage of the fact that you now have the religious FREEDOM you were longing for! Make breakfast a devotional time, where you read from The Bible directly or a children’s Bible or devotional. I have found that children listen better while they are eating anyways! I love having my kids memorize a key verse for the week based on where we are in the Scriptures. Put your verse to music so it sticks in their minds and hearts, and repeat it/sing it throughout the week together. Before closing your devotional time pray together as a family for others and for each other before the day begins! It’s amazing how much this helps to redirect us and our children to experience God’s vision and love for the world.

#5. Have WRITTEN GOALS for the day! The good teachers at school don’t have “magic,” they have passion,time and intent. I have found that three to five goals maximum for the day is manageable, apart from the normal routines your children have in the morning to get ready that I mentioned in tip #2. Once you finish those goals (for example: art, writing, and math), you can “call it a day!” That’s not to say learning won’t take place the rest of the day, but giving yourself and your kids permission to take a cognitive vacation from academics and relax is VITAL in order to THRIVE in your new homeschooling lifestyle!

#6. DO LESS and do it WELL. You may have a list of things that your child’s teacher or school district is telling you to accomplish. A typical day at school with all the class changes and breaks is long. At home, keep in mind that you have the luxury of waking up with your students in the next room! Whatever you have on your list of things to accomplish for that particular day, try to teach your kids what it means to do each one WELL. This may mean accomplishing LESS, but pouring your heart and soul into it! This is a life lesson that will stay with them beyond your classroom at home.

Furthermore, I have found that on Fridays when my kids are responsible for organizing their drawers and closets in particular, teaching them NOW how to fold their clothes WELL and keep things tidy is instilling in them fundamental good habits for a lifetime!

#7. Get into your child’s mind and have FUN! Kids are so imaginative and creative and we as adults seem to have lost part of that God-given zeal and inspiration. Kids get a kick out of seeing adults being silly and fun! Before you plan for your day or week, try to think of at least one “out-of-the-box” game or activity that you know would catch their attention and interest!

For example, you can teach your kids about COVID19 by explaining antigens (bacteria and viruses that are foreign) and antibodies (your body’s protective immune response: white blood cells out to defend)! A very short YouTube video or short text can be used to reiterate the basic concept and to further reinforce the material. Then, turn it into a “battle ground;” if you have multiple kids, half can be the antigens and the other half can be the antibodies! This can include nerf guns, balls, or whatever else you have available at home! Set up a few rules for play as far as how many hits are needed to knock someone “out”/how many “lives” you have before you are eliminated from the game completely. You’re teaching them a science lesson on the phenomenal immune system of the human body while they are having a blast!

#8. DRESS for SUCCESS. This one could easily go unmentioned, but it is very applicable to life in general! Interestingly, I always notice a difference in my motivation level if I have taken the time to put on a little make-up, do my hair, and wear something I like before I start the teaching/learning day with my kids. Pajamas are cozy but wearing them all day can make you and your kids feel like zombies after awhile (trust me, I’ve been there)! Go the extra mile and don’t forget to teach yourself and your kids to “dress for success” together, at least on most days!

#9. EVERYTHING COUNTS! Gym class can consist of walks around the block, playtime outside in the backyard, or an impromptu basketball practice session. Art class can be chalk drawings, free time for sketching in their art journals, a YouTube follow-along step-by-step guide (there are so many good ones out there), or a seasonal craft or cooking/baking time. The possibilities are endless, your kids are learning, and it ALL COUNTS!

We have been painting our house, room by room, over the course of this quarantine time. Including the kids in the sanding, cleaning, and painting process was and is part of their academic/learning day! Don’t feel bad if they aren’t always sitting down at a desk like in a traditional school setting; once again, practicing life skills can be amusing and are crucial to their overall development!

#10. LEARN along with THEM! A main reason why previously homeschooling moms or dads have home-schooled has to do with enjoying the learning process all over again as adults! I have to admit that is a huge reason why I have continued homeschooling myself, despite days of exhaustion and normal frustrations; I realize that I love LEARNING in general and particularly WITH my own children! God made this exotic and marvelous world and my curiosity has only GROWN with the more I learn! The more I “know” makes me realize the more I DON’T know! The best teachers are the best LEARNERS, so get excited to learn with your children; it truly is the BENEFIT and BEAUTY of this lifestyle!

#11. LEARNING at HOME is UNIQUE! I think you may have realized this on your own! At home your children are in “their natural environment,” with all the pros and cons that can bring. If your kids were used to traditional schooling, both you and they will need to ADAPT to this new-normal. Take advantage of reading a story aloud while they play with Legos (it’s nice for kids to have this option instead of just “sitting still”), let them sleep in(such a perk), and have a mid-morning snack “picnic” to reinvigorate their energy levels while they finish their math lesson! At home it’s about MAKING MEMORIES together so what they learn along the way is much more MEMORABLE!

Another fun activity during this quarantine time has been allowing my kids to write friendly letters every day to family, friends, and neighbors that they miss! This one can be done with the whole family because your expectations are varied for each learner. Your Kindergarten student can do a letter consisting of a sentence or two with a picture, your first or second grader can do a paragraph or two, and your older students can learn the complete formal “friendly letter” format with multiple paragraphs including the salutation, body, and closing.

Lastly, because you are at home your kids can TALK more about what they are learning with YOU! Instead of completing paperwork all day, practice oral language skills by listening to them and encouraging them to explain things back to you (for example, re-telling a story)! As a former public school teacher, I KNOW that this type of individualized attention is EXTREMELY VALUABLE and yet HARD TO COME BY in larger classrooms; ENJOY benefiting your own precious children in this way!

Homeschooling can stretch us beyond what we are humanly capable of at times…okay, on MANY days!! Be encouraged, as Paul reminded us as God spoke to him, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ‘Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) I definitely have had hard, emotional days. I have learned to cry and release, and then cry out to God anew for more of HIS strength.

Give yourself a TON of GRACE in this new season of life for you and your children where you are supervising SCHOOL and parenting side by side! “Better days may be ahead”, as the saying goes, but embrace the BEST in each day now; you won’t get this time back.

Please leave a comment to let me know you were here! If you have any questions regarding this post or topic please let me know! I would love to respond to any further inquiries on the subject!

Take it day by day, moment by moment, dear homeschooling families! I’m right there with you. We may be physically isolated, but we are in this TOGETHER!