Kids get bored. It doesn’t matter their age, how much they love (or don’t love) school, or whether they are a single student or are learning with their siblings. Traditional schools understand this and employ recess, class transitions and creative classes to break up the routine schedule. No one wants to sit in front of a tablet or textbook for several hours on end, completing assignments without having any type of fun or enjoyable activity while doing their studies in traditional or online home schools. Indeed, homeschool parents have a great opportunity to make their student’s education experience fun and exciting because they have the flexibility to include a variety of exciting activities in the schedule.
One of the benefits in homeschooling, whether you create your own curriculum or utilize online home schools, is a higher information intake and a greater willingness to learn. Kids who get bored become cranky and difficult to work with — even if it’s mom or dad teaching, because they simply do not want to do one more math problem or read another word on the screen/page. It is a good idea to build in break times during the day so the kids know there is an end to the subject period and there are consequences if they try to stall and do not complete their work. Breaks are healthy for the mind and body because they allow the student to walk away from the stress of school and do something personal, whether it is playing outside, reading a favorite book, or engaging in some other non-school activity.
Because school is one of those things that not all kids get excited about, homeschool parents need to think outside the box. Younger kids will typically use a print curriculum, while older students will engage in the online home school classroom for assignments and exams. Either way, parents can be directly involved in following the lesson plans to see what is being learned and then plan learning events and field trips that reinforce the concepts learned. It is a great way to get the family out of the house, involved with other socially-distanced homeschool groups, and interested in the application of what they are reading, rather than just leaving it on the page. Retention is increased when fun is involved because the student is more engaged; this form of learning helps with subjects where the current year builds on what was learned in the previous year. Lastly, when homeschooling families have fun with their education, it creates deeper bonds and enhanced communication because it isn’t always about the textbook and online portal. The fun in learning can take place during a family vacation, a visit to a local park, or during a weekly trip to the grocery store where kids get to decide how to spend money – but, they must use math as part of the shopping and purchasing experience.
The goal of education is to develop intelligent and well-rounded young adults who can succeed in college or go directly into the workforce if that is their goal. However, it is a long process from K-12th grade so the best approach is to stay organized, have a quality online homeschool curriculum and bring in the fun to keep them ‘happy, healthy and wise’.