Author: schoolioadmin

Lessons We Can Learn From Past Learning Interruptions.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw education systems worldwide close, and billions of children go without consistent learning for months. Society wished the pandemic would only last a few weeks and things would return to normal. During those first few weeks of the pandemic, no one realized how long it would last and how deep the learning loss would run as billions of children were displaced from their education. Now we are asking ourselves how to help our children catch up. Are there lessons we can learn from past learning interruptions? 

This generation of students is at risk.

According to a report published by the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF: “This generation of students now risks losing $17 trillion in lifetime earnings in present value. Or about 14 percent of today’s global GDP (Gross Domestic Product), due to COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures.” More information is here.

“The loss of learning that many children are experiencing is morally unacceptable.” Said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education. Parents across the world echo his sediment. Parents are concerned for their children’s educational well-being and their futures. Jamie Saavedra continued by saying: “… the potential increase of Learning Poverty might have a devastating impact on future productivity, earnings, and well-being for this generation of children and youth, their families, and the world’s economies.”

“The loss of learning that many children are experiencing is morally unacceptable.”

Jaime Saavvedra – World Bank Global Director for Education

Education disruptions aren’t unique to this generation. Are there lessons we can learn from past learning interruptions?

You don’t have to look too far back to find pinnacle moments in our history where learning was interrupted. World Wars and pandemics are just some causes of historical learning interruptions. So, what did parents, students and educators do during these educational interruptions? And are there lessons we can learn from these past learning interruptions to help our children in the future?

Education and the First World War, 1914 – 1918

The history of schools during the First World War has been heavily neglected. Until recently, several detailed written studies (monographs) were published during the last decade. These monographs have started to fill the knowledge gap about education during the First World War.

The studies focused on how schools functioned during the war. Especially in the major countries that were affected by the war. Education was disrupted during the First World War. But just how much? Schools were disrupted in many ways in the combatant nations (in Europe). The armies often reassigned the schools as hospitals, barracks, or military offices.
Additionally, many young teachers were entering the military, which caused a significant teacher shortage in countries with prominently male teachers. For countries in Central Europe, there were significant shortages of food and coal. Which then played an essential role in school closures.

Some European schools attempted to stay open, despite all the setbacks. However, the lack of teachers proved to be a significant issue. School administrators were desperate to find replacements for these teachers. So, they turned to retired teachers or teachers still in training. Schools tried to mix classes, but the crowded rooms caused disease and other issues with the children. Many schools tried half and sometimes even one-third-day sessions with little success.

In Canada and the United States:

Italy, France, Great Britain, Australia, Canada and the United States faired much better than countries in Central Europe during the First World War. One reason was 60-80 percent of teachers were female. The children and teachers in these states also didn’t suffer from severe malnutrition like those of Central Europe. However, many children could not attend school because they had to start working from a young age to support their families as their fathers were away. Comparatively, some children had to watch their younger siblings while their mothers went to find work, so the children would inevitably miss school.

The First World War played a significant role in interrupting the lives of children worldwide. These children faced school closures, educational uncertainties, absent parents, deaths of loved ones, poverty, and malnutrition. Children at this time struggled to understand why? So, the emotional strain also contributed to the loss of learning during The First World War.

The Spanish Flu Pandemic 1918 – 1920

As if children didn’t struggle enough from the terror of The First World War. They now faced a global pandemic. Following the end of The First World War in 1918, countries worldwide were thrown into a worldwide pandemic by soldiers returning from Europe with the virus. The Spanish flu resulted in school and business closures across the globe. In Ontario, Canada, the pandemic primarily affected students from prior years to university. In the fall of 1918, the Ontario School Board forced school closures across Ontario. These closures lasted from one week to over three months.

The prolonged school closures caused significant educational delays for students. In New York, schools claimed that “the school work of half the year will amount to little or nothing.”

The Great Depression

During the 1900’s many generations struggled with proper education. In 1932 The Great Depression played a significant role in halting education for many children. Budget cutbacks, fewer school hours, increased class sizes, teachers being paid less, and school closures all adversely affected children’s education. Teachers struggled to teach the children that would come to school because they were undernourished as their families were unemployed and unable to provide food.

Education during the 1930s became a luxury, one that many children were not able to obtain.

The Second World War 1939 – 1945

Children’s education suffered intensely again during the Second World War. In Britain, bombing and military requisitions caused 1 and 5 schools to close. Families were separated, homes were destroyed, parents passed away, and emotional trauma was high. Many children were evacuated, leaving their homes, families, and schools.

Elementary schools, high schools, and universities were affected in Canada and the United States. There wasn’t enough manpower to keep the economy running. Due to this, teachers and professors had to work or enlist. Causing there to be a mass shortage in teachers, professors, lessons and curriculum. The war wasn’t just academically disruptive; it was also socially disruptive. This is similar to the disruption in education and children’s social lives today.  

Looking back…

The 1900s were riddled with traumatic events that halted education many times. Despite the educational ups and downs and significant uncertainties, we can now look back and see that many of those generations’ children laid the groundwork for our lives today. 

While there were many negative impacts on education and children’s lives during these trying times in history, it’s important to note that many positive opportunities also arose from these intense times.

Some positive results in education: 
  • Women were offered many more opportunities in education and the workforce. 
  • Traditional teaching methods were rapidly changed. 
  • Physical education and health became a priority in education. 
  • Education became much more accessible, regardless of what class you might come from. 
  • History and Social Studies were revamped entirely. 
  • Systems were set up to help to return soldiers catch up on their education. 

Looking forward to the lessons we’ve learned. 

Education isn’t something that can only be obtained in a classroom. And that is one of the best lessons we can learn from history. Many of the children from these generations still excelled, despite the closures and chaos. How? Because education is all around us, it’s everywhere. And the sooner that we see that, the better.  

Children still managed to learn during those times, just like they continue to learn during these times. Yes, children will have a much more difficult time catching up without proper intervention and recovery. So, we must remind ourselves that we have the tools readily available to help our children now. 

And while it’s nice to think, ‘my child will be fine, many kids back then were!‘ it’s essential to remember that not all lessons from the past are positive ones. Looking back at the 1918 pandemic, history tells us that many children from that time lived a much more difficult life. Because, following that pandemic, there was no solid plan to help children recover from the learning losses they had experienced. 

Taking action. 

You must be your child’s advocate because no one else will be. You know your child, and you are aware of the areas in which they struggle. At the same time, we can’t talk to the successful people of the past generations and find out how they overcame these learning losses. We can assume that someone created an action plan for those children to help them get back on track. 

Don’t feel intimated; you have been creating action plans for your child since they were born, whether you realize it or not.  As your child’s parent, you have been there to help them learn and grow. This is no different. Even if your child appears to be doing just fine, they have likely missed areas of their education. This is why you must take action to help them catch up. 

While we would love for the education system to develop some action plan to help students, we know the sad reality is that many schools are simply pushing students onto the next grade even though these children need help. 

You must take action, be your child’s advocate and help them. 

Student Action Plan: 

1. Defining areas of struggle.

First, you need to identify the areas of your child’s education they are struggling with. These are the areas that you need to help them with immediately. Make a list of the academic sites they need the most help with, bearing in mind that it might not be ‘all of the math’; it could be a concept from math that they need help with. 

2. Brush up on all areas of learning. 

Even if you’ve noted that the problem area is reading and writing, they seem to be doing well with math. You should still be helping them with their math skills. Because even if they appear to be doing well with one subject area, there might be (and likely are) key concepts they have missed. This will then appear as a problem later on down the road. 

3. Keep frustrations low. 

If you are addressing an area of struggle, please remember to be patient. Your child may become frustrated with themselves and overwhelmed. You must keep the child calm during these learning times, so they can better process what they need to learn. 

4. Communicate with their teacher/school. 

Talk to their teacher! Voice your concerns, and ask for directions on how to catch them up. If the teacher cannot help, go to the principal for help. This is your child and their future. It’s okay to ‘be annoying’ when advocating for them. 

5. Be consistent. 

It’s so easy to hand your child the iPad and hope they can figure it out. Or somehow miraculously catch up on their own. But the reality is, they likely won’t. You, as the parent, must be consistent. Read with your child, and go over different concepts with them. If you cannot do this, outsource to a tutoring program. That can help your child catch up and excel. 

Parent Action Plan: 

1. Be their advocate.

You are your child’s advocate, so be that for them. I know how intimidating it can be to stand up and voice your concerns. But if you don’t do it for them, who will? 

2. Talk to your child about their concerns. 

Your child needs someone to listen to them, to hear their concerns and frustrations. Be sure to communicate with them openly. Let them talk! Don’t judge. 

3. Address your issues. 

Yes, you read that right. If you feel like this is “all your fault.” That’s a problem, and you have to address it. The pandemic was not, and is not, your fault. Your child’s learning loss is not your fault. We can’t control most circumstances like we can’t fix the past. But we can put in the work to make the future bright. You have that ability, so don’t stop working on yourself. 

4. Ask for help! 

If trying to tutor your child is just not working, or you don’t know how to help them. Ask for help! Reach out! Do some research, and talk to experts. You aren’t alone! While it’s essential to be your child’s advocate, it’s also important to realize that so many people care about this generation’s future. Find people with the same mindset and who can help where needed. 

5. Take care of yourself. 

You’ll notice that above I wrote that it’s easier to hand your child an iPad. Because, as parents, we are tired and burnt out. Taking care of everything all the time is exhausting and overwhelming. So, you must take time to work on and help yourself. Programs like The Burnout Blueprint by Daddy’s Digest can be beneficial. Take time to work on yourself and do things that you love. 

We must move forward. 

It can be easy to slip into a place of negativity and feelings of ‘they’ll never catch up.’ Don’t do that. You must remain optimistic as you look to the future. I’m sure that if you could go back and pick key successful people from each of the generations that faced intense trauma and learning losses. You would find that successful people chose to look forward, not back. They decided to learn the lessons that they could when they could. And didn’t worry so much about the things they had missed. 

Pairing a positive mindset with a carefully cultivated action plan will impact your child’s future best. So, let’s move forward together! 

Check out the Schoolio Digital Platform. 

We hope you and your student will enjoy The Schoolio Digital Platform with over 4,000+ videos, interactives, and pre-made or custom lessons to suit your student’s learning style. If you are confused about how to get started, we are happy to help.

Resources:

Celebrities Who Homeschool

Homeschooling has often been classified as a ‘weird’ form of education. Because many people don’t understand it. Also, homeschooled children enjoy lengthy discussions about their interests and passion projects. Because homeschooled children have the time, support and growth environment to dive deeper into learning opportunities that interest them. Most people used to traditional education don’t understand the passion and drive that homeschooled children often have. So, it might come as a surprise to you that there are celebrities who opt to homeschool their children.

Homeschooling has become popular among North Americans, including the Hollywood elite. Many famous parents, reality stars and A-listers have chosen to homeschool their children rather than put them in traditional public or private schools.

Why are celebrities opting to homeschool their children?

Any veteran homeschooling parent will tell you that homeschooling has many surprising advantages. Celebrities who homeschool know that! Whether it’s the desire to give your child more one-on-one educational time. Or the need to work their child’s education into their busy schedule. And maybe even the ability to teach them alternative subjects that aren’t commonly taught in traditional schools.

There are many different reasons to choose to homeschool your child. And this also might shock you, but homeschooling doesn’t always mean that the parent is the one teaching their child. On the contrary, many homeschooling families (especially celebrity parents) opt for certified teachers or tutors to educate.

Celebrities who homeschool:

The following is a pretty impressive list of celebrities who homeschool or homeschool their children. Some of the biggest names in show biz might surprise you!

 

 
Farrah Abraham and daughter Sophia.

Farrah Abraham homeschools her daughter Sophia.

Among the list of celebrities who homeschool is Farrah Abraham. You might remember Farrah as an OG Teen Mom Star. Farrah decided to homeschool her daughter Sophia so that she could attend more press events and focus on her modelling career.

Jenelle Evans and Family

Jenelle Evans homeschooled her stepdaughter.

Another MTV Teen Mom star, Jenelle Evans, revealed that she and David Eason’s younger children are enrolled in traditional school. However, she homeschooled her 11-year-old stepdaughter Maryssa for some time.

Mayim Bialik and family.

Big Bang Theories, Mayim Bialik homeschools her kids!

You may know her as Amy from the Big Bang Theory. But her real name is Mayim Bialik. Mayim and her husband chose to homeschool their two sons. She posted a video passionately defending her choice to homeschool her children. And stated that her children are just as socialized and smart as children in traditional school settings. Does defending your right to homeschool sound familiar to you? We are so proud of Mayim for being an incredible advocate for homeschooling.

Kylie and Kendall Jenner were homeschooled!

Kris Jenner and former partner, Caitlyn Jenner.

Kris Jenner and her former partner Caitlyn Jenner were among the Hollywood Elites who chose to homeschool their children. In 2013 they decided to let their youngest daughters, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, finish their education by homeschooling. As their careers were getting very busy, this would prove to be a good option for them.

Katie Holmes and daughter Suri.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

On the list of celebrities who homeschool are Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. At the same time, the couple disagreed on basically everything else. Education and schooling was one thing they did agree on. When the couple was still together, they hired a teacher to homeschool their daughter, Suri. They did so because of their busy shooting schedules and wanted her to get one-on-one attention while learning.

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise homeschooled their children, too!

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman homeschooled their children, too!

Before Tom Cruise chose to homeschool Suri with former partner Katie, he homeschooled his children Conner and Isabella with Nicole Kidman, another former partner. Tom Cruise enjoys homeschooling.

Angelina Jolie and children.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

That’s right, the Brangelina brood homeschools! In 2017, Angelina revealed that she and her then-partner, Brad Pitt, opted to teach their six kids at home. She said, “they are from around the world,” and she didn’t want them to have the “same education she had.”

Gwyneth Paltrow with children, Apple and Moses.

Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow homeschooled their children, Apple and Moses.

In 2011 the (then) couple rocked headlines after they released an ad searching for a tutor. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin reportedly were looking to hire someone who would be able to teach Moses and Apple Greek, Latin and French. Along with other unique subjects, for $100,000!

Jennifer Lopez with twins Max and Emme.

Another celebrity who homeschools is Jennifer Lopez.

In 2016, Jennifer Lopez shared that she sometimes homeschools her twins, Max and Emme. They homeschool when needed. Jennifer Lopez said: “We don’t have a normal life; I don’t have normal kids.” She continued, “… They are super happy, well-adjusted, loving, caring kids, and that’s the most important thing. We’ll get them educated — homeschooling is great for them when we have to do it. The most important thing is that they’re with their mom and don’t feel abandoned by a parent.”

There’re many more celebrities who homeschool or homeschool their children.

Cynthia Bailey, John Travolta and Kelly Preston, Erykah Badu, Michael Jackson, Kimberly and James Van Der Beek, Richard Williams, and Jack Osbourne are some of the household names of celebrities who homeschool or homeschool their children. You will notice that most of these celebrities opted to homeschool because they wanted education to fit their lifestyle. And it paid off!

Homeschooling may not be for everyone, and not everyone will understand it. However, homeschooling suits your lifestyle and can give your family the necessary flexibility. Then go for it! And utilize Schoolio Curriculum for a simple open-and-go, all-in-one, inclusive curriculum.

 

SCHOOLIO PARTNERING WITH DADDY’S DIGEST to Bring One-of-a-kind Burn-Out Course for Parents

Schoolio, a Canadian education startup, is thrilled to announce a unique partnership with Daddy’s Digest. With this new partnership, Schoolio and Daddy’s Digest aim to help parents make parental burnout a thing of the past.

“Schoolio partnering with Daddy’s Digest is a meaningful step towards our goal of partnering with brands already educating in all areas. Daddy’s Digest is serving parents in many different forms, and we think Schoolio families will benefit from what they are offering.” shared Sathish Bala, CEO and Co-founder of Schoolio.

The Burnout Blueprint, a remedy for parental burnout.

Through The Burnout Blueprint course, you can learn unique tips that will help you explore how to get back to enjoying your time again. This course is filled with information and lessons to teach you about the different stages of burnout and why your energy might be so low. In addition to studies about healthy sleeping patterns, stress connections, adrenaline & burnout. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about how hormones affect burnout and how burnout negatively affects your brain. In addition, you’ll also learn how to eat and exercise to recover from burnout or keep burnout from taking hold. While also learning how to set and maintain healthy boundaries while recovering from burnout.

“We are delighted to partner with Schoolio so more parents can begin their road to recovery after a very challenging few years.” Said Zoe Share, CEO of Daddy’s Digest. “My husband Stuart and I developed this course with Dr. Ben and Dr. Ashley after we sought support from our burnout and recovery from Covid, which my husband got while I was 38 weeks pregnant. We knew that other parents must be feeling the same way. This course was developed with dads in mind, but moms, you can watch it too! Working with Schoolio is all about getting families the best resources we can. So that there can be happier, more balanced and healthy families.”

The Burnout Blueprint results from deep research.

Dr. Ben and Dr. Ashley have years of combined experience successfully treating parental burnout. And as a result, they, in collaboration with Daddy’s Digest, have created this unique course. The Burnout Blueprint course is based on intense research and positive results from Dr. Ben and Dr. Ashley. They are utilizing tools that have been successfully used with thousands of patients. The Burnout Blueprint has an incredible blend of years of research, testing, papers and unique practice. This has then been condensed into 11 modules specifically designed to have a substantially positive and successful effect on burnout.

 

About Daddy’s Digest:

Daddy’s Digest aims to help parents experience parenting from a different perspective. They provide an online magazine, website, and video and audio channel focusing on fatherhood and family. While also exploring current affairs, popular culture, and human dynamics.

They also offer in-depth features, personal stories and expert advice to help both parents on their parenting journeys, with the overall goal of being better partners and parents.

Learn more about Daddy’s Digest.

About Schoolio Learning:

Schoolio is a Canadian education startup company that provides parents in Canada and the United States with a range of customizable Kindergarten to Grade 8 curricula, worksheets and digital content.

One of our primary goals is to empower parents to be teachers for their students. As a result, we have been engaging millions of students with the best home learning materials available for the most affordable price. We hope to continue doing so while empowering children to be fully prepared for their fantastic futures.

 Learn more about our exclusive products.

Will Homeschooling Ruin Your Child?

Do you remember the day you brought your baby home? In those precious moments, you likely had a significant mix of emotions: joy and a hint of fear. This nagging worry that you were going to do something wrong, which would inevitably ruin your child. Despite all the baby books and pre-natal classes you took, you still felt unprepared. As your child got older, you felt comfortable, like you were getting the hang of this parenting gig. Only for the pandemic to hit, those worries and fears you first thought about in the beginning days have come to light again. All the things you thought you knew about parenting are now being questioned. You’re now asking yourself: ‘Should I homeschool?‘ ‘Should I keep sending my kid to school with all the educational uncertainties?‘ Will homeschooling ruin your child?

This wasn’t in the plan.

You likely never even considered homeschooling. But now, with the pandemic, health concerns, education cut-backs, and school closures, you aren’t sure where you stand. There’s this nagging worry that if you homeschool your child, they won’t ever be able to get back into ‘real’ school. Or that you’ll somehow ruin your relationship with your child. Additionally, you might fear that you will mess up their education and social skills.

Will homeschooling ruin your child?

You already know the answer to this question. And the answer is no. Homeschooling your child won’t ruin them. Of course, you want to do the right thing for them and their education. And I can’t tell you whether or not homeschooling is the right option for your family; only you know that, however, if you can homeschool and have the desire to help your child thrive on their educational journey. Then homeschooling might be a good choice for you and your family. Homeschooling doesn’t ruin children, in-fact many homeschooled children lead successful lives, both socially and academically, with most going on to University and leading successful lives.

8 things to consider about homeschooling:

1. Your schedule.

Unfortunately, in our current economy, both parents usually have to work. Gone are the days of one parent staying home and minding the house and kids while the other went out and earned money. Breadwinner is a term that often applies to both parents now. If you’re a stay-at-home parent, you work from home or have the opportunity to work evenings while your partner is home. Then you have a much more accommodating schedule for homeschooling.

If you work during the day, you’ll have to walk through the obstacles of finding childcare during the day and doing school in the evenings. Which many parents know is not ideal as kids are usually wound up or exhausted.

2. Your motivations.

There are many different reasons to homeschool your child. Some factors that can sway your decision are Your child’s health, the quality of their education, religious views, special needs, having a flexible schedule, and stability for your child’s education. Every homeschooling parent and family have reasons and motivations for homeschooling their child. Figuring out your motivations is essential.

3. Your child’s learning style and learning needs.

Even before the pandemic, children were falling behind in traditional learning venues. It is basic math, with one or two teachers responsible for a class of 20-25 children. Someone will fall behind. Perhaps your child needs more individual attention to thrive. Some children might succeed in the traditional learning setting because they enjoy collaborating with other children and want a competitive learning environment.

Additionally, some children with unique learning needs may need to be in school because they require specialized instruction from teachers and staff trained to work with them. However, some children with special learning needs may need more one-on-one time in a quiet setting with a curriculum customized to help them thrive.

4. Your ability to be a parent-teacher.

Believe it or not, you don’t need a teaching degree to teach your child. Teaching degrees do help people become great teachers. However, being a good teacher boils down to the characteristics that you already have. Excellent teaching characteristics include Patience, the ability to learn a concept to teach quickly, and your ability to go with the flow. Another fantastic characteristic is the ability to inspire your child. Do you have that ability (only answer if you’ve put your self-doubt away)?

5. The cost.

Homeschooling does come with a cost, as homeschooling parents have to spend hundreds of dollars on curriculum and supplies. However, there are many affordable options available. It’s essential to set a budget and then do adequate research to find the best curriculum for your price range.

Schoolio’s curriculum is loved by thousands of parents and students and comes at a very affordable price. Check it out for yourself.

6. Socialization.

One of the main concerns of parents that are contemplating homeschooling is socialization. Will homeschooling ruin your child because of the lack of socialization? Are homeschooled children behind on the socialization ladder? Let me clear this one up for you quickly. This idea that homeschooled children aren’t socialized is a complete myth. Despite this myth being extremely popular, it’s highly untrue. Most homeschooled children have a great social life. Curious how this could be true? Read Socialization and Homeschooling.

7. Your support system.

Homeschooling parents need a village. Because when you’re home with the kids all the time, you will need help with things like appointments. If you need to visit a doctor’s appointment during the day, do you have someone to watch your kids? Are you connected with other homeschooling parents that can help answer your questions and guide you down the best homeschooling path? Having a healthy homeschooling support system will make all the difference.

8. Local homeschooling rules.

What are the rules around homeschooling in your province/state? You will need to do some thorough research into this. If you have local friends already homeschooling, you can reach out to them with your questions and concerns.

Only you know what’s best for your family.

You and only you know if homeschooling is the best option for your family. If you see that it would cause more stress on your family than good, then obviously it’s not the best option. Alternatively, if you think you can do it and benefit your family, go for it.

Will there be tough days? Absolutely! And there will be days that you question your decision and wonder if you should give up. Everyone does. And as parents, it’s almost second nature to guess ourselves second. Don’t let your self-doubt determine your decision.

Boost your confidence.

If self-doubt is standing in your way of homeschooling. Then remind yourself just how awesome you are, and give yourself some credit. You have been teaching your child since day 1. You taught them how to walk, talk, eat, and make healthy choices. You inspire them daily to be the best version of themselves. So, you can do this; you need to believe in yourself.

 

Keep Your House Tidy with 15 Tips for Homeschoolers.

Oh, the clutter! Even if you started the school year with organized folders, ideally put-together bedrooms, and a tidy toy room. You may find that your table has a pile of books, papers, art supplies and other odds and ends. Your kitchen counters have become a dumping ground for the entire household. And let’s not even discuss the basement. How do you keep your house tidy when you’re a busy, overworked, exhausted homeschooling parent?

Keep Your House Tidy with these 15 tips!

1. Declutter

I know this is tough! Especially when you throw random toys no one cares about into the donation/trash pile. Suddenly, that doll with no hair has become your child’s best friend. This happens every time I try to declutter my kid’s rooms. They come into their rooms and see the bag. I am instantly rummaging through it to know what I’m tossing. Suddenly, the keep pile has grown astronomically, and the donation pile is essentially nothing.

How do you declutter with kids? Is that even possible? Yes! You can get them involved. That way, they see what you’re doing – and hey – they might even begin to enjoy decluttering. My kids, they aren’t those kids. So, I declutter their rooms when they’re not home. Suppose they’re with their grandparents or at a movie with their dad. I will try to make an effort to go through the room and throw out odds and ends. Being ever so careful not to mess with the critical toys and things.

Decluttering will make you feel so much better. Teaching, working, and living with clutter around you are just miserable. So, do your best to declutter your spaces.

2. Utilize storage bins and baskets.

Storage bins and baskets are a life-saver for the homeschooling/stay-at-home/virtual learning parent. Those books that are sitting on the table? They can have a bin. The barbies all over the house? They can also have a bin. Everything gets a bin! You can label the bins ‘toys’, ‘books,’ ‘misc’ and so on. Be strict with yourself and your family about what goes in the bin. Making sure that the label and the contents of the bins/baskets always match.

3. Everything has a place.

Have a bookshelf, cupboard, or bin specifically for homeschooling materials. Be sure to have a bucket for all those markers, so they don’t end up all over the tabletop. This goes beyond the homeschooling area. Everything in your home should have a place when you have random stuff with no home, even if it’s just a few items. They quickly turn into piles of clutter that you don’t want around.

4. Create a Cleaning Schedule.

Breaking down house cleaning tasks into small, not-so-intimidating tasks is so beneficial. Many people think they need to have a specific day set aside for cleaning. The problem with that is that by the time cleaning day rolls around; your house is so messy that cleaning it overwhelms you. That’s why you should break cleaning down into smaller, daily tasks. I understand the desire to clean it all, but who are we kidding? The kids will destroy it in less time than it took you to clean it. So instead, keep your house tidy by replacing the intense cleaning day with daily 30-minute cleaning routines.

What a daily cleaning routine could look like:

Sunday:

  • Clean the upstairs bathroom.
  • Vacuum Bedrooms.
  • Wash the bedding.

Monday:

  • Clean the downstairs bathroom.
  • Dust the living room/dining room.
  • Wash the towels.

Tuesday:

  • Clean sliding glass door.
  • Organize desk.
  • Wash the kid’s clothes.

Wednesday:

  • Clean surfaces of kitchen cupboards.
  • Organize homeschool materials.
  • Wash the blankets on the couch.

Thursday:

  • Dust hallway photos, stairway photos, and light fixtures.
  • Clean microwave.
  • Wash your clothes.

Friday:

  • Clean the fridge.
  • Sweep/vacuum main floors.
  • Mop main floors.
  • Wash the outdoor coats and jackets.

Saturday:

  • Sort and manage all the random papers/art projects/mail accumulated.
  • Focus on areas that have become cluttered during the week, and aim to declutter.
  • Organize homeschool materials for the next week.

Each of these tasks can have a designated duration of 10 minutes, bringing your total time cleaning to 30-40 minutes a day. It’s important to remember that you will have daily tasks, like dishes, sweeping, cat litter boxes if you have pets, spills etc. But those extra ‘big projects’ that maybe stress you out – don’t have to! When you simplify your cleaning to simple routines, keeping your house tidy will be much easier.

5. Daily laundry is a must.

This is especially true if you have multiple kids. Laundry is one area of life that so many parents feel they fall behind on. It’s so easy to throw it in a basket and then wait 5-10 business days to wash or fold it. So, throw in a load every day. Towels? Bedding? Clothes? Do one load a day. Having a laundry day is overrated. If you have access to a washing machine, throw a load in daily.

6. Designate chores.

You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Especially if your kids are older, you can give out a different task to each of your kids and get twice as much completed in half the time. It’s so good for our kids to do chores and learn the primary responsibilities of life. You will want to keep the chores age appropriate. Getting your child involved in that 30 minutes of cleaning each day will benefit them and your family home.

7. Do a quick nightly clean.

It’s evening, are the kids in bed? Do a quick 5-10 minute sweep of the floors. This doesn’t have to be extravagant. Just enough to pick up some legos, so you don’t step on them when you walk to the bathroom at night.

8. Don’t just cook; clean up!

Some people cook and leave it out all over the countertops for later. That in itself drives me crazy. While I’m cooking, I’m cleaning. I’ll wash it quickly if I just finished using a mixing bowl. If the pasta bag is empty, I’ll toss it in the trash. Cleaning up while you cook is one way to make the clean-up job more manageable. This is important, especially for the homeschooling parents making breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’re the real MVPs!

9. Give your kitchen some extra love.

When you’re finished cooking and everyone has devoured the meal, spend an extra 10 minutes making sure the counters are clean and organized. I don’t know about you, but my kitchen counters need to be clean, or I feel gross. Although right now, my daughter has her dolls on them because it’s a secret world. Keeping your kitchen clean is one way to keep your house tidy. A pro tip: Never, ever leave dishes in the sink overnight. I always make it a point to load the dishwasher or wash the dishes while I cook and after eating. Because waking up to a sink full of dishes is never fun.

10. Do it now.

When you walk through the house, you see a random toy lying on the floor. Pick it up and find its home. Don’t just leave it there. If you walk into the bathroom and find the towels on the floor, pick them up. Do it now. Don’t leave it for later. If you find that the shoes by the front door have turned into a pile of chaos, do a quick organization of the shoes. Don’t wait; just do it now.

11. Make cleaning seem less like a chore.

Whether it’s during your 30-minute daily cleaning routine or you choose to do a deep clean of the house. Just remember, it doesn’t have to be a chore! Turn on your favourite tunes, and make it fun. Dance around with your kids. Teach them that cleaning a house is a gift, not a punishment.

12. Clean the air while you’re cleaning surfaces!

This is such a nifty hack that I learned about in Readers Digest! When you’re vacuuming, dusting or sweeping, the dust and dirt sometimes end up in the air. Soon it will settle back down on your floors and surfaces. So, turn your home’s thermostat to “fan on.” While you clean, keep it on so it can catch all that dirt and dust floating around. Keep it running for 15 minutes after you’ve finished cleaning. Then be sure to switch it back to auto. You can learn more neat cleaning hacks here: 40 Handy Hints for Cleaning.

13. Sort through school supplies and papers regularly.

Don’t leave this task for the beginning and end of a homeschool year. Set aside weekly time to go through homeschooling content, supplies, and random papers. This way, they don’t pile up all over the place. Keep reminding yourself that everything has a place. Doing this ensures your learning environment is clean and organized. This will help you as the parent-teacher and your child during learning time.

14. Get help.

If you are financially able, hire a cleaning company to pop by once every two weeks for a few hours to tidy those areas that you can’t get to, like the oven or baseboards. There are many excellent-priced options out there when it comes to cleaning companies. Some are as cheap as $18/hour. Sometimes getting that extra help will be such a relief for you. You can then use that energy on something more significant.

15. Know that your ‘good’ is good enough.

It can be tough to think that your home is clean enough, especially when you pop on social media and see a social media influencer’s stunningly clean home. That will make you quickly and painfully fall into the comparison trap. So avoid that. Your house is clean enough. And you’re doing an excellent job! Not everyone can manage all the tasks that you’ve taken on, but you do it! Is it that bad if your house reflects the fun you all have?

Find your favourite on The Schoolio Marketplace.

 

Schoolio™️ Learning Doubling Down to Support Students Struggling with Covid-related School Disruptions

Schoolio™️ Learning Corp. — a Canadian Edtech startup that has been blazing trails in homeschool learning solutions. Since the beginning of the pandemic. Is launching 2022 with fresh tools and support for families facing continuing education disruptions due to Covid. This is in keeping with Schoolio™️’s mission to modernize education delivery. While also Creating a space for students, parents, and educators to co-create personalized learning. “Our goal is simple,” says founder and CEO, Sathish Bala. “Empower the next generation of kids to be more ambitious, more creative, and think for themselves.”

Filling the educational gap.

Now available in both Canada and the US, Schoolio™️ is doubling down on the strengths that brought them early success. Providing a solid, affordable academic curriculum for homeschoolers and teachers in grades K-8. But they have also felt the frustration. And seen the unmet needs of families who are, once again, left in limbo and uncertainty. By school districts unprepared to grapple with the evolving nature of Covid. To fill the educational gap that is growing due to school closures, staff shortages, and safety concerns. Schoolio™️ is expanding its already substantial set of curriculum for families seeking help with home education.

More than just a curriculum company.

 “Schoolio™️ is not only providing support in the form of academic content. We don’t make a sale and say goodbye. As we also have a huge resource library of articles to help parents with everything from getting started to managing schedules to dealing with struggles.” says Lindsey Casselman, Co-Founder. “We have an active community where staff are there daily helping, supporting, and answering questions. We’ve got your back as you figure out home learning.”

Schoolio After-School

Additionally, Schoolio™️ parents have been asking for tutoring support to help ease the stress of  at-home learning. To meet the need, Schoolio™️ After School is launching February 2022. This unique program combines 1-on-1 lessons, Schoolio™️ subject books, and additional quizzes and worksheets to help students catch up in 2022. For more information, parents can visit https://Schoolio.io/news/Schoolio-now-offers-after-school-tutoring/ to learn more about the program.

“While our primary focus is to support homeschoolers, with our new Schoolio™️ After School program, we aim to help more families minimize the impact of school shutdowns. Unfortunately, teachers have a schedule to keep, and lost days mean loss of education for the student,” explains Bala.

Currently, Schoolio™️ offers curricula to Canadian families for grades K-8 and U.S. families for grades K-3. Schoolio™️’s mission is to build a one-of-a-kind online learning platform that will bring their essential curriculum to any child, anywhere in the world, for free. Schoolio™️ will offer parents and educators a premium version that allows for complete customization of each child’s learning experience, supplementation with premium Schoolio™️ curated content, user-based marketplace content, and more.

To learn more, visit: https://Schoolio.com 

Press Inquiries: Sathish Bala, CEO, Founder – sathish@Schoolio.io

Schoolio Now Offers After School Tutoring.

We remain committed to bringing the best education resources to all families. While our main focus has been on homeschooling curriculum. It has become evidently clear that families involved in all sectors of education need help right now! Schoolio now offers after school tutoring, as a response to the many cries for help from families across Canada. Our tutoring program can help get your child’s education back on track.

Benefits of Schoolio After-School include:

  • Tutors who follow Canadian Curriculum Standards.
  • A Schoolio Subject Bundle of your choice included.
  • Qualified teacher, as your tutor.
  • Tutoring lessons that mirror what your child is learning in class.
  • Our tutors are trained to catch your child up on previously lessons that they may have missed.
  • We work to help your child understand concepts that they may be struggling with.
  • Our digital platform gives your child access to quizzes, certificates, and special points for engaging. These points can then be used on The Schoolio Marketplace.
  • Access to your child’s progress through the Parent Portal.
  • Students can reference Schoolio Subject Book every day. Even when their tutoring has been completed, as the book is theirs to keep.

Schoolio After-School tutors are:

  • OCT certified.
  • Experienced teachers.
  • Have a clean CPIC and Vulnerable Sector Check.
  • Are accountable. 

Schoolio After-School Pricing:

  • $49/hour with a minimum of three hours per week for four weeks.
  • Includes Schoolio Curriculum Subject Bundle of your choice.
  • Additional curriculum bundles available for a discounted price.
  • Custom pricing available for multiple months.

 

 Register for Schoolio After-School Below

Schoolio After-School is more than just tutoring:

One hour, three times a week, for four weeks. During that time we can cover anything being taught in school. All Schoolio After-School tutoring packages include a free printed and shipped subject bundle, for your child to use. The subject bundle will be printed and shipped right to your door. You as the parent, can select what subject your child needs help with. Along with what times work best for your student to learn with the tutor.

Tutors will be available Monday-Friday from 4:00pm – 8:00pm EST. As well as on Saturday afternoons. Classes are interactive, on Zoom. Tutors can walk the child through the curriculum or help them with homework. While also helping your child catch up, using The Schoolio Subject Bundle. Sessions can be recorded, if requested by the parent. This way parents have the opportunity to view how their child is doing. Along with how they are interacting with their tutor.

One-on-one tutoring can help!

Large class sizes, educational uncertainties, and school closures. These three aspects all play a part in your child’s learning experience. We know that one-on-one tutoring can help kids flourish on their learning journey. Which is why Schoolio now offers after school tutoring as an option to help your child get back on track.


REGISTER NOW

Kids are Slipping Through the Cracks of a Broken Education System.

After nearly two years of the pandemic, many children are struggling with their education. Teachers are tired, burnt out and overwhelmed. Constantly shifting from in-person learning, to online, then back to in-person, has caused a huge lack of stability in education. As a result, many kids are slipping through the cracks!

Linda’s Story:

Every parent wants what’s best for their child, knowing that their child is falling behind is causing anxiety amongst many parents. We chatted with Linda, a mom of two, about how her kids are doing in school. “Not good.” She said, with worry written all over her face. “I’m worried that they will continue to fall behind and just never catch up. I don’t know what to do!”

Linda, like many parents has been trying to help her kids from home. But, it’s just not working. “I’m not a homeschooling parent. I don’t have that kind of focus.” Linda said with tears in her eyes. “I want to be able to help my kids. But the more I try, the more frustrated we all become. I’m not a math whiz, I can’t help what I don’t understand.”

Michael’s Story:

Michael reflects Linda’s feelings. “My son is in fourth grade, and he can’t read. Just a couple sight words is all he can manage. The school doesn’t seem to see a problem with that, and they just keep pushing him ahead. This whole situation is making me feel like a failure as a parent. I’ve tried so hard to help him read. We went and bought all these sight word cards, and word games.” Michael said. “None of that was working so we signed up for tutoring with a well-known tutoring company. We spent over $500 and it didn’t work. The sessions failed. And he still can’t read.”

How are parents supposed to keep their kids from slipping through the cracks?

Let’s make something clear: None of this is the parent’s fault. Children have not been receiving proper educational instruction. It’s difficult for a teacher to evaluate how a child is doing in an online learning system that isn’t properly set up to be online learning. Online/virtual education can be great tool, when it is set up specifically to be online. But when you take a class of 20+ kids, that are used to being in-person and you put them all online. Learning won’t happen the way it should.

Sure, you will have children that will do just fine and adapt to the abrupt changes without issue or complaint. But, there are many kids who aren’t able to keep up. It’s unfair that the parents should feel guilty and pressured. Additionally, it’s unfair that teacher’s should feel the pressure to constantly switch from one venue of learning to another. There needs to be stability in order for children to have the opportunity to thrive.

The future of education is unknown.

We really don’t know when the pandemic will end, and if education will ever go back to normal. What we do know is that we have to help the kids that are struggling right now. While we love the idea of everyone being able to access the in-home curriculum at home. It’s not realistic!

Parents like Linda and Michael are concerned because the longer the pandemic continues, the older their children become. They continue to miss important lessons and learning opportunities. However, Linda and Michael aren’t the only parents struggling with this fear. Many parents are worried about how to get their kids caught up.

We remain committed to helping children from all educational sectors excel.

While our primary focus has been on the homeschooling curriculum, we see the need to help families from all education sectors. Kids are struggling, and that’s not okay. We at TEAM Schoolio have a window of opportunity to help children catch up and excel in their learning journey. Children’s education has been hugely impacted; the time to change now! We must work fast, as kids are slipping through the cracks of a broken education system way too quickly.

Schoolio After-School

Your child isn’t too far behind, and with the right help and tools, they will catch up in no time. We must stop letting children slip through the cracks of a broken education system. To help, Schoolio Learning has launched an incredible one-on-one tutoring platform for students in grades 1 – 8.

“Schoolio After-School started because customers who are not homeschooling full time, but are using Schoolio as supplemental content for their kids, need help teaching the curriculum.” Sathish Bala, CEO of Schoolio, said. “Not everyone can afford curriculum and tutoring. This is why we set up this amazing platform to bridge the gap. Our tutors are teachers; our books are Canadian curricula. And it’s set up for after-school. Giving parents the freedom they need, from having to worry about homework and catch-up work.”

We are an education company that remains committed to helping all children excel. This is why we have launched Schoolio After-School. Kids are slipping through the cracks of a broken education system. Since we’re already selling Canadian curriculum to thousands of parents, this is another way to help parents across the country.

Schoolio After-School is more than just tutoring:

One hour, three times a week, for four weeks, we can cover anything taught in school. All Schoolio After-School tutoring packages include a free printed and shipped subject bundle. You, as the parent, can select what subject your child needs help with and what times work best for your student to learn with the tutor, and we will send the subject bundle directly to your door.

Tutors will be available Monday-Friday from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST. As well as on Saturday afternoons. Classes are interactive on Zoom. Tutors can walk the child through the curriculum or help them with homework. While also helping the child to catch up using The Schoolio Subject Bundle. Sessions can be recorded, so parents can view how their child is doing and interact with the tutor.

Benefits of Schoolio After-School include:

  • Tutors who follow Canadian Curriculum Standards
  • The Schoolio Subject Bundle of your choice is included.
  • Qualified teacher as your tutor.
  • Tutoring lessons that mirror what your student is learning in class.
  • Tutors are trained to catch your child up from previous lessons they may have missed or been unable to understand.
  • Digital platform: Kids can take quizzes, get certificates, and unique points for engaging, which can be used in The Schoolio Marketplace!
  • Access to your child’s progress through the Parent Portal.
  • Students can reference Schoolio Subject book every day, even when tutoring has been completed. The book is theirs to keep!

Book a Concierge Call.

If you aren’t sure how to get started or what programs would best suit your child’s learning needs, then you can chat with one of our experts on a one-on-one Concierge Call, completely free!
Click here to book a Concierge Call. 

 

15 Budget-Friendly Snow Day Activities

Most kids don’t get overly excited about remote learning, or school closures due to the pandemic. But there’s something about a snow day that brings a healthy dose of joy! Whenschoolss are officially closed for the day, teachers aren’t necessarily taking attendance for online classes. Kids have the opportunity to be kid, on a good, old fashion snow day! Let’s talk 15 budget-friendly snow day activities you should try!

The snow, wind and cold may not be joy-inducing for you as an adult. But as a child, there’s something so exciting about jumping into a fresh pile of snow. The creativity options are endless when there’s fresh snow involved. So, what 15 budget-friendly snow day activities should you try this winter?

#1 Make a snow fort!

A snow fort can be built using minimal supplies. It doesn’t need to be extravagant. You can pick some snow brick/block maker molds from your local store. Then it’s as simple as filling the block maker with snow and simply stacking the blocks of snow on top of each otheruntill you’ve built a neat wall.Supposef you don’t have a brick/block maker mold handy or can’t head to the store. Use Tupperware containers or small storage containers. They will have essentially the same result.

#2 Go sledding!

It’s a classic, so obviousl,y I couldn’t leave it out. Sledding is such a fun experience for both children and parents alike. It’s not just about the fu,n though, sledding providesa fantasticg amount of exercise for your child and yourself. Don’t be afraid to join in the fun! Because sledding can provide you with incredible,wholel bod,workoutt!Three3 health benefits of sledding:

  1. Aerobic exercise – Walking up the hill to sled down again, or pulling the sled up for your child, will provide you withan excellente aerobic exercise. It’s recommended that adults get 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (according to the American Heart Association). It’s good for you and your kids, so don’t be afraid to join in the fun!
  2. Good for your mental health – Some studies have shown that exposing yourself to nature can benefit your mental health by alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression! That’s a great reason to head to the sledding hill.
  3. Strengthens your lower body – Forget leg day at the gym! Walking up the sledding hill strengthens your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.

#3 Have a winter scavenger hunt!

If you got lots of snow, then take some simple, waterproof toys outside for a scavenger hunt. Toys like plastic animals and rubber ducks work perfectly. Write down each item that you are hiding outside. If you are burying the items in the snow, then mark them on top of the snow with a little bit of food dye so you don’t lose the items till spring. Give your kids a printout of what items are hidden outside, so they know exactly what they’re looking for.

#4 Paint snow!

Mix water with food dye, and place different colours in a few squeeze bottles or spray bottles. Let your kids go outside and paint the beautiful snow colours! Maybe they’ll even paint a beach for you to enjoy.

#5 Make a snow kitchen!

Let your kids use mixing bowls, spoons, and baking sheets to create amazing delicacies in their snow kitchen! They can decorate their creations with outdoor finds, like twigs, leaves, and rocks!

#6 Get baking in the actual kitchen!

If your kids are a little too cold to keep playing outside, consider trying out #6 of the 15 budget-friendly snow day activities: baking! Locate some straightforward, kid-friendly baking recipes! Help your kids bake some warm cookies, muffins, or banana bread! Make sure they join in on the clean-up while their treats are baking.

#7 Indoor fort building!

If the outside is just too cold, or you have a snow day that is freezing rain instead of snow. Then you could build some fun indoor forts! Using pillows, blankets, chairs and flashlights, your kids can make a super cozy fort. Utilize their fun new forts for quiet/reading time.

#8 Have an epic dance party!

Crank up the tunes, and put on your dance shoes! It’s time for an indoor snow-day, dance party! My guess is that Encanto might be a part of the soundtrack for your dance party. If you’re getting tired of the Disney soundtracks for your dance party then be sure to add in some of your favourite (kid-appropriate) songs. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to dance, just move your body and have fun!

Health benefits of dancing:
  1. Excellent source of aerobic exercise
  2. Increased muscular strength and endurance
  3. Better coordination and flexibility
  4. Good for your heart and lungs

Just remember, there’s no ‘right way’ to dance. There are thousands of different dance styles, if you can’t find one that works for you, then make up your own!

#9 Snuggle storytime.

Snuggle up with your favourite cozy blanket, maybe even inside the neat fort that you built. Add in some hot chocolate and enjoy a story together. You could even jump into a Schoolio Novel Study to add more structure and adventure to your storytime.

Benefits of reading together:
  1. Reading exercises the brain – If you have more than one child, then have them take turns reading different sections of the story/novel. Alternatively, if it’s just you and your child, then you and your child can take turns reading.
  2. Reading is a great source of entertainment – If your child is bored, encourage them to read!
  3. Improves literacy – Reading new words, and practicing the words they already know is an excellent way to improve your child’s literacy.
  4. Reading is stress-reducing – Believe it or not, reading has the ability to reduce stress. Some benefits can include: Lower heart rate reduced blood pressure, and lower stress levels.

#10 Create crystal ice balls!

This one is super fun, and a fan favourite with my kids. They take a balloon and fill it with water and a couple of drops of food dye. Then tie it up and place it outside! Before you know it, you will have a super cool crystal ball. Another neat thing you could try: Blowing bubbles outside! See if they freeze!

#11 Make snow treats!

If you have access to clean snow or are able to put a bowl outside to catch snow right from the sky. You could always make some good ol’ Canadian syrup treats! Heat up some maple syrup in a pot. Then pour the maple syrup over the safe, clean snow, that you have set aside with a popsicle stick!

#12 Have an indoor picnic!

Put down a nice-sized blanket, and make some sandwiches! It’s time to have an indoor picnic! This will make mealtime a little more fun on a snowy day. Play some tropical music and pretend you’re somewhere warm!

#13 Have an indoor fashion show!

Lay out blankets or towels like a runway, and tell your kids that they have to choose the outfits for their fashion show. Play some upbeat music and let them show off their cool, outfit creations! This is an excellent time consumer and gives your child a chance to use their creativity muscles.

#14 Make some crafts!

This one is pretty cliche, but I figured I’d mention it anyway. Crafting is always fun! Sure it can be messy, but creativity usually is. Let your child make some fun art, like using modelling clay to create a snowman!

#15 Acts of Kindness!

The last of our 15 budget-friendly snow day activities is Acts of Kindness! Help your child learn the joy of doing an act of kindness for others. Maybe you have an elderly neighbour who can’t get out to shovel the snow? You and your child can head to their driveway with your shovels and get to work. Clearing walkways and shovelling driveways is an excellent energy burner, time consumer and joy giver.

Whatever activities you choose to do on your snow day, I’m certain they’ll be fun. So, get out there! Make some memories and utilize the snow day!

Did you enjoy 15 Budget-Friendly Snow Day Activities? Let us know in the comments.

Customizable Curriculum

Homeschooling can be a very overwhelming task to take on. Especially if you’re trying to search for the right curriculum to suit your families learning needs. There are so many different options out there, which can make finding the best one even more of a challenge. Having a customizable curriculum can benefit your homeschool greatly, let’s find out how.

The negatives of purchasing a non customizable curriculum.

Your curriculum should be your tool, not your master. Purchasing a curriculum that isn’t customizable (or doesn’t have room to move, built into it) will only cause issues for you and your child. One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started homeschooling, was to choose a curriculum without doing any sort of research on it. Or taking the time to review samples before I spent hundreds of dollars on it. I purchased this super expensive curriculum, that wasn’t at all customizable and left no room for anything. This left my oldest, and myself, feeling overwhelmed at the end of each day. Causing our homeschool journey to start out really messy.

I felt like we had to accomplish all the things, on each page, every day. There was this huge pressure to get it all done before the end of the homeschool year, because that’s what the book said! As a result, at the end of the homeschool year we both felt completely derailed. I wish that I could go back in time and give my old self some words of advice. Some of which being: You don’t have to follow the curriculum exactly, in order for your child to succeed with their learning. And also, go purchase a customizable curriculum!

Your curriculum should be your tool, not your master.

If you feel like you are constantly dredging through your curriculum. And the assignments and activities are actually just overwhelming you and your child. That’s a pretty good indicator that your curriculum needs to be customized to fit your child’s learning needs, and your own unique teaching style. All too often people give up on homeschooling, because they think there’s something wrong with them. When it’s actually their curriculum that needs to be reevaluated. Assignments and activities aren’t there to be your boss, they’re there to help you teach your child.

You as the parent teacher, can pick and choose the assignments and activities that you know your child needs help with. If you’re finding that a certain assignment is just not working, skip it! If an assignment 3 lessons ahead seems to be a better fit for your child, then jump ahead to it. You get to decide how the curriculum is presented to your child.

Why is customizable curriculum a good thing?

Having a customizable curriculum is a great thing because it helps you let go of those unrealistic curriculum expectations. This then gives you an amazing sense of educational freedom. When your curriculum is customizable, you can choose what your child actually needs to learn. Based on where they are at. Unfortunately, the educational system is famous for pushing kids along to the next grade. Even when they know a child is lacking in certain areas. And clearly need help with aspects of their education, like reading.

When your curriculum is customizable, you can dig deeper into the areas you know your child needs help with. Without this pressure of ‘I better finish this book so they can move onto the next grade.’ Wouldn’t it be so much better for your child to actually know what they need to?

Work with your child’s strengths.

If you focus on an area of your child’s education, that you know they’re struggling with, have your child use their strengths to accomplish it. This will help to boost their confidence. If you know that your child is really good at art, then incorporate that as much as possible into your day and curriculum. Have them paint numbers, do play dough math problems, or trace letters in sand. If your child is really good at creating or building, have them build their own math problems, sentences words, and paragraphs.

Many children need a lot of movement in order for the information to stick. You could put sight words on the stairs, and have them read each word before they can go to the next step. This causes a lot of anticipation and excitement, which can help get the wiggles out. Also, be sure not to sit at the table or desk for too long. I totally get that sometimes you feel like you need to push your kids to finish a lesson. But you don’t. Take breaks, run around, go outside, put a pause on an assignment until some energy has been released.

Schoolio’s customizable curriculum fits!

The amazing Schoolio writing team came up with the phenomenal idea to create unit studies for you to choose from. Most curriculum companies only sell their curriculum by the book. Schoolio offers individual units. That means, that if you’d like to start mid year, and know that your child needs help with Grade 3 Numbers, then you can purchase the Grade 3 Numbers unit. Or if your child has been homeschooling all year but needs help with a certain aspect of Language Arts, you can pick up the unit of Language Arts that your child needs.

We also offer bundled curriculum options, which have all the core subjects, and units included. It’s important to remember that even if you purchase the bundle, you can still customize it to fit your child’s learning needs. You can choose what unit of which subject your child should work on, and when.

What if your curriculum isn’t working for you?

If you’re finding that your curriculum is causing a lot of stress for you and your child. Or it just isn’t cutting it at all. Consider making some necessary adjustments to it. This doesn’t mean that you have to completely abandon the curriculum. You could add in some units here and there to help your child. Additionally, you could skip certain lessons that aren’t relevant to your child. The point is, you know what your child needs to learn, and you have the power to adjust the curriculum.

There’s help for you.

Fortunately for you, homeschooling has become so much more mainstream in the last 5 years. And homeschool curriculum companies, like Schoolio, exist to help you. Schoolio Learning was created by a team of extremely passionate individuals. All of whom care deeply about making education simple, affordable, customizable, and enjoyable. If you’re in the process of weighing your options and figuring out what curriculum works best for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to TEAM Schoolio for guidance.

If you’re feeling stuck in your curriculum, just remember it’s not the master of your homeschool. You are.

Browse Schoolio U.S. curriculum

Browse Schoolio Canadian curriculum

School Closures are Causing Parents to Consider Homeschooling, as COVID Cases are Breaking Record Highs

After two years of a global pandemic, I think we all had high hopes that this would be over by now. Yet, the number of active COVID cases are the highest they’ve ever been. Many parents are completely frustrated with the educational uncertainties that come with school closures and remote learning. Because COVID cases are breaking record highs, school closures are causing parents to consider homeschooling as an option in order to give their child some form of stability with their education.

COVID Cases are Breaking Record Highs, School Closures are causing Parents to Consider Homeschooling.

COVID cases have drastically increased in both Canada and the United States in the last two months. Currently in the United States there are 19,885,128 active COVID cases. (Statistics found on https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/). Canada has a current COVID case count of 402,237 active cases. (Statistics found on https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/canada/). Due to the drastic increase in COVID cases, many schools in North America have had no choice but to close their doors.

As a result, many parents are now feeling pressured to make momentous decisions about their children’s education. Continue with the instability of school closures and remote learning? Or remove their child from the education system and homeschool them? It’s not an easy decision to make, many parents are struggling with anxiety around how to homeschool and where to begin.

Should you homeschool or continue with education roulette?

If reading the question “Should you homeschool?” gives you instant dread, and you think, ‘nope that’s not for me!’ then homeschooling might not be your first or best choice. However, if you’re basing your ideas of homeschooling off of a bad venture with online learning, then you truly do not know what homeschooling is actually like. Homeschooling and online/remote learning are vastly different forms of home education. If you still think that homeschooling is a terrible option, and aren’t interested, then let’s review some other forms of learning aids to help you with remote learning temporarily (we will have more on that below, in issue 10).

Reasons to homeschool.

There are many amazing benefits of homeschooling. Some of which include:

  1. Educational freedom
  2. Schedule flexibility
  3. Learning Stability
  4. A safe learning space for your child
  5. More one-on-one time
  6. Relief from the ever changing educational system
  7. High quality education opportunities
  8. Interest-led learning opportunities
  9. Unique education options for unique learners
  10. The chance to learn with your child

These are just ten of many, many benefits of homeschooling. As school closures are causing parents to consider homeschooling, it’s important to gain all the facts before you dive into it.

Disadvantages of homeschooling.

While I’d love to just paint all rainbows and unicorns around homeschooling, it’s important to give you the facts on both sides. Homeschooling can be so amazing, giving your child flexibility and freedom with their education, along with stability and a safe space to learn. But, there are some disadvantages to note:

  1. Homeschooling requires more organization
  2. Not as many ‘educational’ events to look forward to
  3. Homeschooling curriculum can be expensive
  4. It will require you to be much more disciplined with your time
  5. Fewer breaks for you, as the parent-teacher
  6. Struggling with criticism from family, friends and even strangers.
  7. Keeping the house clean becomes challenging
  8. Parents can be placed under a large amount of stress
  9. The need to keep track of their grades can overwhelm you
  10. Maybe you just really don’t want to

This list isn’t meant to deter you from homeschooling, but rather to help you understand that while there are many amazing aspects to homeschooling, there are also some drawbacks. Let’s walk through the issues together, and see if there are any solutions to the problems that most new homeschooling parents face.

Issue 1: Organization

Homeschoolers have to be more organized than the average parent. Because you are responsible of keeping track of your child’s education. The idea of keeping track of more than just their report cards might overwhelm you. Additionally you might become overwhelmed when you are trying to figure out if you’d need a special learning space. Especially if you know you don’t have the room to do it. What can you do?

Remember that you aren’t the first person in the world to homeschool. There are many, many families that have gone before you. Ranging from veteran homeschoolers who have been homeschooling for years, to COVID homeschoolers, who started in the spring of 2020 as a response to the first wave. Each person, and each family, have their own unique way to homeschool and how to keep organized.

If the idea of how to get organized for homeschooling is completely derailing you. Then consider reaching out to a veteran homeschooler, or doing some quick Pinterest searches on homeschool organization options. You will find a bounty of amazing tips and tricks on how to keep your homeschool organized and your home flowing in a healthy rhythm.

Issue 2: Less educational events to look forward to.

The school play, the epic basketball games, the fun track and field days. These are all things that you might be concerned that your child will miss, should you decide to homeschool. Let’s look at some facts before we let this issue actually become an issue. While your child will be missing the opportunity to be a part of these school related activities, if you connect with a local homeschooling group – many amazing opportunities will appear.

Our local homeschool group has so many opportunities for our children to choose from. There’s homeschool gymnastics classes at a local gymnastics club. Weekly track and field days with friends. Swimming and horse back riding lessons. Soccer games and pottery classes. And the list continues. When you connect with an amazing homeschooling group your child will have countless opportunities to have fun, and even do things that traditional schooled children can’t because of their schedule.

If you don’t have a homeschool group in your area, consider creating one! Find a city near you that has an established homeschooling group, and tell them that you’d like help to create one where you are. One amazing thing about homeschooling parents, is that they are usually gracious, kind and so excited to help.

Issue 3: Homeschooling can be expensive.

Yes, that’s completely accurate. In fact, when I first started homeschooling I had a very difficult time trying to afford the curriculum. There aren’t many affordable, and wholesome curriculum options available. However, Schoolio Learning does offer the most affordable and easily accessible curriculum option on the market. With bundles including all 4 core subjects, Math, Science, Language Arts and Social Studies for affordable prices.

Do your research before you purchase a curriculum to compare what you’re getting and for what price, and be sure to read the reviews.

Issue 4: More disciplined with your time.

Time management is key when it comes to homeschooling. That doesn’t mean that you need to have a rigorous daily schedule that keeps everyone on their toes at all times. It just means that instead of letting the kids watch TV for hours, you are careful about turning it off and jumping into healthy learning time with them. It means, not allowing yourself to aimlessly scroll social media for hours, or watching your favourite TV series during school hours. You need to be disciplined with your time.

And, it’s totally possible! It doesn’t mean you can’t watch your favourite show, or scroll social media here and there. Because those things can be your reward for when you’ve completed what needs to be done for the day.

Issue 5: Fewer breaks for you.

It’s true, there are less breaks for you as the homeschooling parent. However, if you are doing remote learning with your child, you’ll know that there are barely any breaks for you either. The difference when it comes to breaks, and remote learning vs. homeschooling is that when you’re homeschooling you have the freedom to create the schedule. When you’re doing remote learning, you are stuck with the schedule that the school provides. Therefore, your life must run around the schedule. Alternatively, when you are homeschooling, the schedule must run around your life.

And, if you are scheduling the homeschool. You will have the ability to schedule in breaks in your daily routine that are just for you. It may not run smoothly at first, but once your family adjusts to this new routine, things will come together quickly and perfectly.

Issue 6: Struggling with criticism.

Homeschooling parents are highly criticized by, almost everyone! While that fact is steadily changing as homeschooling is quickly becoming a fan favourite among parents, (especially because school closures are causing parents to consider homeschooling more and more). You may still face some forms of criticism from people in your social circle.

If you find that you are being criticized for choosing to homeschool your children, just remind yourself that their opinions are theirs, not yours. And, it’s not up to you to change their opinions. It’s up to you to take care of your mental health and well-being, and your family. If homeschooling is something you think will benefit your family, then you don’t need to prove that to anyone.

Issue 7: Keeping the house clean.

Yes, keeping the house clean will be slightly more difficult. Because your children will be spending much more time in the home. They’ll be playing, experimenting, doing art projects, and workbooks. There will be snacks, and lessons in Independent cooking. You will likely be a little more exhausted than normal from caring for the kids and teaching, so you won’t be bouncing with exuberance when it comes to vacuuming and folding the laundry.

This doesn’t mean that you have to let your cleaning standards go. Teach your kids to do chores, to fold their laundry, to help with dishes, and take the trash out. There are many simple chores that your child can partake in, that will help them gain independence and learn important life lessons along the way. Some families even have a house cleaner come to their home every other week, just to do the basics. Like bathrooms, and cleaning the fridge. They’re relatively affordable, some at only $20 an hour. There are so many options available. So don’t worry too much about the way your house will look.

Pro-Tip: Teach your kids to clean up after themselves!

Issue 8: An increase in parental stress.

Unfortunately, homeschooling can cause parents to hold more stress than they did before. Because, with fewer breaks for you as the parent, you might feel burnt out. There’s also the added pressure of making sure that you’re helping your kids learn in the same way that they would if they were at school. Because you likely are afraid that they’ll somehow fall behind or not be accepted back to school once you stop homeschooling.

Just know this: You aren’t screwing your kids up because you are choosing to homeschool them. In fact, many homeschooled children have gone onto university and have led successful careers. Homeschooled children have the opportunity to learn independent learning which will serve them greatly in life. There will be the added pressure of making sure your child is learning, but that can be easily remedied when you add a curriculum that is open-and-go. It takes the lesson planning off your plate. Helping you feel confident that your child is learning exactly what they need to.

Issue 9: Keeping track of their grades.

This is one thing that many, many new homeschoolers worry about. Because they are so accustomed to traditional education, they don’t understand that when you’re homeschooling you will have a very, very good view of how your child is doing educationally. You will know what your child needs more help in, and what they’re excelling at. The same goes with their grades. When they’ve completed an assignment, you can look it over for mistakes. If they’ve made a mistake or two, you can simply guide them through it the next day. Helping them to correct, learn and move forward.

Keeping track of grades isn’t actually a big deal when you’re homeschooling. If you’re temporarily homeschooling to avoid school closures and remote learning, then most schools won’t even ask for grade reports when your child returns. They will simply put your child in the grade that they are supposed to be in. This should take a huge weight off your shoulders.

Issue 10: Maybe you just really don’t want to homeschool.

That’s okay! Homeschooling isn’t for everyone. Perhaps you’re okay with jumping from remote learning to in-person. Maybe your job just won’t allow you to work from home so you can be with your child. Or, you just genuinely don’t have any desire to homeschool, but you do want to help your child get more out of their education when it comes to remote learning.

If that’s the case, you can find some pretty amazing learning tools available for students from Kindergarten – Grade 8. If they need some extra help with math, you can pick up a Schoolio Math unit. Perhaps they’re struggling with Language, then you can grab a Schoolio Language Unit that corresponds with the area of Language that they are struggling. Maybe your child is doing just fine but they’re bored with remote learning? Then consider purchasing a Schoolio Novel Study, or Special Interest Unit to keep their minds active and engaged.

Wherever you find yourself, just know this:

You’re doing a great job. Parenting was already a tough gig long before the pandemic happened. Switching from remote learning, to in-person learning, to homeschooling and back again. That’s frustrating and overwhelming for both you and your children. Often times, when things aren’t going well for our child we tend to blame ourselves. Avoid doing that, because this situation is out of our hands! You’re doing the very best that you can despite the challenges that continue to arise. Give yourself some credit, and know that whatever you decide for your child’s education, it will be the right choice!

Did you find this article about school closures causing parents to consider homeschooling, helpful? Let us know in the comments!

Ontario Families Scramble as Omicron Forces 2-Week School Closures

It isn’t the New Year that Ontario families were hoping for. Many parents had hoped that the COVID-19 Pandemic would be under control by now. And that their children would be able to have an uninterrupted education once again. However, now Ontario Families scramble as Omicron forces 2-week school closures.

Many parents remained cautiously optimistic when the holiday break began. Their genuine hope was that history wouldn’t repeat itself, and that their children would be able to attend in-person learning after the holiday break, unlike last year. There fears became reality when the province announced mandatory school closures once again.

Ontario schools return to remote learning.

Beginning Wednesday, January 7, 2022, all private and publicly funded schools had to move to remote learning until Monday, January 17, 2022 at the earliest. The Ontario government announced on Monday, January 3, 2022 that the school closures were due to public health trends and operational considerations.

Because of very little notice given before the sudden announcement of the closures. Ontario families scramble once again, to find care for their children. While school buildings are able to remain open for child-care, including emergency child care. And in-person learning for students with special educational needs, or staff that can’t provide quality educational instruction from home. The free emergency childcare is only available for children of parents who are eligible frontline workers.

How Ontario Families are Responding.

Most Ontario parents are absolutely devastated by this last minute decision to close schools. Many parents need to go to work. But if they are not eligible frontline workers, they have no access to emergency childcare. Therefore the mandatory school closures cause horrendous amounts of stress for the parents who now have to scramble to make arrangements.

Optimism is at an all-time low as Ontario parents scramble.

Despite the attempts of parents to remain optimistic when the holiday break began. Optimism is at an all-time low. While the Ontario government announced that schools could potentially return to in-person learning on January 17. Many parents find that hard to believe. Ontario parents are demanding answers, like “How will these two weeks make anything better?” Most of these questions appear to be going unanswered. When the Ontario government does choose to provide answers, they are usually extremely unclear.

Ontario parents deserve more than this.

Is the pandemic unpredictable? Yes! However, the Ontario government was well aware of the Omicron variant long before their sudden announcement about school closures. In fact, Wednesday, December 29, 2021 the Ford government announced that schools would only be delayed until Wednesday, January 5, 2022. Then just a few days later they announced a two-week school closure. Causing Ontario parents to scramble, once again.

The Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, was asked at a press conference if he could guarantee that schools will be back to in-person learning in two weeks. He did not provide an answer to these questions, causing parents to speculate even more.

Parents in Ontario deserve more.

Ontario families scramble as they prepare for the worst.

Many parents in Ontario are now preparing for the worst case scenario: School closures to last longer than two weeks. With no definite end in sight, parents continue to scramble to find care for their children so that they can continue working. Rather than provide solutions for Ontario parents, Premier Doug Ford showed great support for his Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce. As he has recently come under fire from parents, for not acting quick enough during the long-lasting pandemic.

“I want to give a shout out to Minister Lecce. I always say he’s the best Minister of Education in the country,” Ford said. “He’s done everything in his power to make sure that schools can move forward throughout this whole pandemic.”

Premier Doug Ford

Instead of helping parents during his ominous announcement of school closures, Ford chose to use precious time to praise Lecce. This caused Ontario parents to feel even more infuriated, and rightfully so.

Many parents are in an impossible situation.

As a parent, you naturally want the best for your children. Remote learning places an enormous amount of stress on the parent. Now they must either figure out childcare, or have them sit on a screen while they attempt to work from home at the same time. Many parents feel like they’re failing their children, or their work in some way. Because most are finding it difficult to be there to support their children while they also try to maintain work.

Obviously parents understand that there is a pandemic. And they know that keeping their children safe is priority. However, the mental strain that is placed upon parents because of remote learning is nearly unbearable for some.

Solutions for parents.

As much as we’d love to, we cannot just make the pandemic disappear. But there are some small things that you can do to get through the latest round of School closures.

1. Silence the parental guilt.

We as parents seem to always revert back to a place of parental guilt when things aren’t going smoothly. Remote learning is a struggle for most, and if your child is struggling, just remember that this is not your fault. You should never blame yourself for things that are beyond your control.

2. Offer alternative learning methods.

We totally sympathize with your desire to keep your child on track with their education. If you are finding that remote learning is actually having the opposite affect on their education. Then consider adding in alternative forms of education.

3. Reach out to healthy family and friends for help.

You can’t do this on your own. And while we often like to make ourselves believe that parenting is an independent gig, it’s not. You need help, especially right now. Reach out to people that you can trust, and explain that you need help.

4. Know that you are good enough.

You are capable, and you can do this. It sounds cliche, but it’s the truth. You’re doing the very best with what you have. Remind yourself of that.

5. Take a break from remote learning.

If you are finding that remote learning is actually causing more stress for your child than good. Talk with your child’s teacher/school about alternatives that you can do in the meantime. Perhaps you can work on some unit studies at home. Or partake in interest-based learning with your child while they get omicron under control.

6. Take it one day at a time.

We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, next week or next month. Try to avoid overwhelming yourself with the ‘what ifs’, as this isn’t of any good for you or your child. Focus on what is happening today. That doesn’t mean you should just stop planning for the days ahead, and childcare if need be. It means that you will plan, but not worry about the outcome.

7. Remember this isn’t forever.

While the pandemic does seem to be going on forever, it’s really important to remind yourself that this won’t last forever. One day this will all be behind us.

We are here to help.

While Ontario families scramble as Omicron forces 2-week school closures, we want to remind you that we are here to help. If you need help finding alternative learning solutions for your child, or just need someone to talk to about your child’s education. We are here to help you.

Do you need help with how to make learning a priority despite school closures? We can help! Check out this blog for some excellent ideas!