A lot of people don’t fully appreciate the transition that has to be made from mom to homeschool teacher. Commanding the respect of your kids as not only a mother but a teacher requires more than a little bit of patience. Those of us who weren’t born teachers face a lot of hurdles to overcome, aside from spending every waking second of the day with our kids who, despite how much we love them, can be trying from time to time. Finding a way to get organized is one of the many hurdles that a lot of parents new to homeschooling struggle with because you’re effectively turning your home into a school and then back into a home again every day. However with a little organization it can all come together in a flash:
1. Invest in a white board
Every morning, before school starts, spend some time planning out what it is you want to accomplish in class for the day and then write everything out on the white board so that it’s a constant reference point. This way everyone is on the same page and you have a clear idea of the goals that need to be accomplished so everyone can stay on track, instead of just winging it each day. Besides, who doesn’t love putting a big fat line through something once it’s accomplished?
2. Get baskets or cubbies for school materials
Label each one according to the different subjects you are teaching so that everything has its own place. Being able to find things quickly and easily is crucial to running school efficiently. Hunting for different items takes up time each day, so when everything has its own personal place you won’t have to waste any time and risk the kids getting distracted by all the disturbances being at home offers.
3. Designate a school space
Instead of holding school wherever you feel like it for the day carve out a certain space that school will take place. This creates a more formal classroom setting and will help keep everyone more focused and on task. Plus then you can keep everything in one spot and not have to move things around based on where school is for the day.
4. Get a planner
There’s a reason teachers have planners… they work! Planning out lesson plans ahead of time – even if it’s just a rough sketch of what you want to teach the kids for the day – will make the whole experience a little less overwhelming. You don’t have to plan the whole year in advance, but each week set aside time to plan out the next week.
5. Eliminate distractions
Don’t allow toys to make their way into the classroom because it just fosters getting off task. Keeping the space as geared toward school as possible will help kids maintain their level of focus and not try to sneak in play time.
Implementing these techniques will help your school time run a little more smoothly each day so you aren’t scrambling around during lessons or fighting as much for the kid’s attention. Having school run like a well-oiled machine means you can get back to doing what you do best sooner: being a parent.
Heather Smith is an ex-nanny. Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to nanny service by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail [dot] come.
