Mind the (Education) Gap

Whether our children are remote learning from home or homeschooling in some form, 72% of parents nationwide now find themselves becoming something they never imagined: teachers.  

Teaching is about much more than content—it is largely about successful classroom management.  And, that is where a lot of parents are struggling.

I am a former professional educator.   Speaking from experience, if I taught at the best school using the best curriculum but didn’t know how to effectively manage my classroom, the education I offered would be mediocre at best.  The same holds true in learning from home.  Six out of ten parents don’t feel confident managing the school day from home, and the proof of that is beginning to show as the education gap widens.  

Painfully, this gap widens even further--from education to economics--as 42% of parents have stopped or limited work hours to teach their kids from home during the pandemic.

Now for some good news: this is an easy solve.  

No, it does not require you get your teaching degree.  In fact, many parents with professional teaching degrees will tell you their training does not transfer to homeschooling.  So, scratch that off your list. After decades of trial and error, these are the principles many families have discovered make homeschooling work.  

Step 1: Set clear goals

·      How do you want your student to behave while working?  Is it printed and clear for all reading levels?  If not, use ours for free. Even if your students are in Zoomschool, it’s important they still focus on what it means to be a great student.

·      When do you expect homework to be done, given school and work schedules?  Consider setting incentives—like Special Time— so your children have an extra reason to get work done early. Post these fun Special Time ideas where your family can be inspired.

·      What are your expectations around chores?  It is appropriate—and healthy—for children of all ages to help maintain the household; it gives them a sense of ownership, confidence, and independence that translates into other areas of life and prepares them for adulthood.  Here are some chore ideas organized by age.

Step 2: Build a time ladder 

·      Do your kids struggle to balance between a bell schedule and an aimless afternoon?  If so, consider building a time ladder.

·      A time ladder can be structured to include multiple kids or age groups, build in pockets of time for parents to engage their own work, and identify more intense Zoomschool subjects that require parent participation.  It organizes the day into a manageable framework that makes life doable.

·      Most importantly, a time ladder is a flexible structure.  When real life happens and the day goes sideways, it bends rather than breaks.  It is calming, not constraining.

·      For help building your time ladder, check out the Quick Start Guide in our book and video series.

Step 3: Form a morning routine

·      Routines are especially valuable in seasons of stress because they creates a calm space for our brains to learn.

·      Routines can be simple.  For example, every weekday at 8 our family has Morning Meeting.  Everyone comes dressed, fed, and ready.  First, we go over the schedule for the day using a counter-top whiteboard that stays visible all day.

·      Next, with logistics out of the way, we build the heart of our day into the start of our day.  Morning Meeting helps us create a space to reflect on something we consider meaningful—a meditation, an article, a poem, or a prayer.  With practice, it begins to synchronize our attentions onto what really matters.

·      Last is “Ready, Break” where I give the kids their last minute reminders before the school day starts.  For families using Zoomschool, this is a great place to build a 15 minute buffer to grab crates of school supplies, get a water bottle, log in early, and all the other little tasks that add stress when done in a rush.  Starting school with a calm mindset is immensely more productive than in an adrenaline rush (which has been scientifically proven to undermine learning.)

Step 4: Bridge gaps

·      Depending on your school district, Zoomschool may be a shorter school day.  If that is the case, build extra time for creative learning and play into your Time Ladder that helps bridge whatever gaps your student may be experiencing.

·      Does your student struggle with math?  Now is a great time to drill the fundamentals with good old flashcards, which can go beyond multiplication to include square roots or prime numbers.

·      Reading covers a multitude of needs.  One of the best things you can do is foster a love of reading in your home.  For students who struggle to read, consider getting a book you can read aloud together or an audiobook you can listen to together.  Libraries are a great resource for both.  And, of course, reading extends beyond fiction to every subject—so, use this time to round out topics that are either areas of need or interest.

·      Do less.  That’s right, sometimes less is more—we can’t do everything all the time.  So, pick a couple key need areas and focus on just those.

Step 5: Skip the screens

·      Students are spending far more time on screens than the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends.  Once school is done, go on a screen diet and encourage body movement, time outside, and boredom-inspired-creativity.

·      Use weekends to explore your city, go on a hike, feed the ducks, or whatever gets your family outside and moving.

For some families, Zoomschooling is working well—especially with these tools in place. For other families, Zoomschooling is not a good fit.  If you find yourself in the latter category, ask yourself this question: What is the worst case scenario of Zoomschooling?  

Many will answer that Zoomschool feels like a mediocre education, increases stress at home, results in eye strain and neck pain, consumes schedules, or leads to too much screen time.  It’s a pandemic—we are all doing our best to flex in this season.  

But, what if there is a different way to flex?  Let’s get crazy for a moment—what is the worst case scenario of experimenting with homeschooling for the rest of the year?   Many parents are worried it may lead to a mediocre education, but even if that is the case (and I don’t believe it is) can homeschooled students really be worse off than struggling zoomschoolers?  Let’s be honest: this whole year is an educational experiment and everyone will be playing academic catch-up in some way once normalcy returns. There has never been a better time to try homeschooling.

For parents worried about the cost of homeschooling, it is a lot cheaper than you might imagine (and is doable for single parent as well as dual-income households).  What kids need most during this stressful school this year is a great math book, a journal, a library card, and a thoughtful reading list.  

Perhaps the biggest reason not to homeschool is this: the learning curve for parents who know nothing about teaching.  Welcome to Homeschool Expert.  In less time than it takes to watch a superhero movie you could learn everything you need to rescue your child’s education this year.  (There is even a Quick Start Guide that takes 23 minutes to watch and will have you ready to start immediately.)

Each education option has a best case scenario.  For zoomschooling, it could be that your kids get through the school year just fine, they are engaged while you work, and screens turn out to be not so bad after all.  On the other hand, the best case scenario for homeschooling is it could take a major stressor off your plate by learning at your own pace and on your own terms, helping your kids rediscover their love for learning while recovering from a crazy season. Remember, neither homeschool nor zoomschool have to be forever. Someday real life will return; if we have done our job as parents, our kids will be holistically healthy and ready to reengage with the world.