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Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help

Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help
Frustrated Kid

Are Your Kids Behind? This Blog Will Help You With What to Do 

By Chelsea McLeod

So you decided to Homeschool, planned your curriculum and made a classroom space in your home. Imagine; it is now January; you are well into the year and feel comfortable with the routine, and have successfully into the swing of things. However, there have been some things recently that have given you pause.

Is the level of work you are doing where it should be? Has your student completed enough for this point in the year, or are they reading at the appropriate grade level? Now, you are panicking. Your greatest fear has been realized, and you don’t know what to do or if you can fix it.  Are your kids behind? This blog will address your journey, Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help.

You’re Not Going to Panic.

Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help
Don’t panic. What does behind “mean?”

Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help

Are your kids behind? What does that mean?

Even if that were true if your homeschooler(s) is/are behind. Here’s what you’re not going to do… You’re not going to panic. First, you must treat yourself with some grace. Yes, there is some concern if your child is behind, but you, the homeschool mom, will take it personally and view it as a personal failing, a poor reflection on her when her child gets behind.

Remember that we are our worst critics, so I promise you this is not your failure, and it will not define your homeschooling journey. With that said, the first thing you’ll need to do to approach this problem is to cut yourself some slack. There is no perfect method of schooling, no method that guarantees 100% success at every benchmark at every level and in every subject. Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help is an important read and can help both you and your kids when they are struggling.

Kids who attend public schools need to catch up, too. Kids who attend private schools have absent days and struggle with reading. In the same way, your homeschooled child is not doomed because of the choices you made for their education. Finally, no child develops and learns at the same rate, so allow yourself to shake it off when some subjects require more focus.

Every child develops and learns at their own rate.

So now that you have taken a breath and stepped back from the ledge you have talked yourself onto, you need to understand that there are many pieces to this “realization,” not all of which are accurate. Remember that old saying: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Well, that’s just it; by what definition or standards do you feel that they are behind? What comparison are you making that brought you to this conclusion? Is your child not yet mastering skills that their peers who are attending traditional school are?

Or are your kids not reading the same chapter books you did when they were your age? Are the criteria you’re grading your child by actually arbitrary standards that society decided upon? While you are reflecting on these considerations, keep in mind that grade levels are an arbitrary marker that was created. That there is not one single age that children read by or master multiplication; or an age by which they write an eloquent essay. So first, decide in what way are they behind and is a marker that you are comfortable with. Then you can go about making changes and correcting it.

Increase your child’s achievement in several ways.

You and your child can make changes and increase their achievement in several ways. For our purposes in this blog, these can be separated into two categories when searching for answers to the question, are your kids behind?

Insourcing (You Tackle the Project) and Outsourcing (You Seek Outside Help). If you want to learn more and tackle the issue head-on, you can try some of the following things to get a start.

Here Are Some of Our Suggestions; Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help

Insourcing (Upskilling Yourself, Keep the Learning at Home)

  • Watch videos

    • We all learn in different ways, which also leads to the fact that we all understand things differently. Therefore videos can be an excellent tool. They can help you learn another approach to a topic or help your child learn a different angle of a problem.

  • Read books

    • Books are a magnificent resource for a variety of topics. They can spark the imagination and teach concepts somewhat effortlessly. You can learn several different approaches to whatever problem you are tackling. If math is the issue, books can give you many different ways to solve the problem. One may be the key for your student to overcome their challenges.
Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help
There are so many benefits to reading. It can help your kids catch up.

  • Change up your approach.

    • You may have been following a particular reading or spelling program, and now, to overcome this struggle, you may need to try another program or go from pencil/paper work to hands-on using manipulatives. So take some time to research and see what’s out there. You do not have to stick with something if there is a chance that something else may be better.

  • Play games

    • Similar to changing your approach, make learning fun. Learning does not have to be strict or boring; it can also be fun! So create a board game to tackle the skills your child may be missing. Play match to learn sight words, or make a rhyme to remember your multiplication tables. The sky’s the limit, and sometimes fun will unlock some hidden potential. 
Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help
Play games!

Even in education, it takes a village.

While there is no right or wrong way to approach things, it is essential to remember that even education takes a village. We were not meant to live in isolation; you are not an island in and of yourself so getting help from an outside source is okay. Even those that are not experts have knowledge in different fields for subjects; for example, I have a brain and skill set much better served with writing, and my husband is more of a math brain, so when the kids need help, why not play to our strengths? 

Similarly, even in the traditional school setting, when a student is struggling, it is never the teacher’s sole responsibility to catch them up or find the missing piece that will help them. Therefore, the following list suggests places/people seeking outside help.

“I have a brain and skill set much better served with writing, and my husband is more of a math brain, so when the kids need help, why not play to our strengths?”

Outsourcing (Seeking Help from Outside Sources)

  • Subscribe to an online practice site

    • There are plenty of options when it comes to online sources these days. You can subscribe to a math practice website or a game-based site for spelling word practice. Sometimes all that is needed is a change of perspective or “teacher,” and a student will thrive. Do some research, and you might find something you and your child both enjoy.  

  • Sign up for class, local or online

    • Live classes are trendy now, which could be the key to unlocking your child’s potential. Whether an online course or a local group, there are opportunities to make connections and change the teacher/learner dynamic.  Sometimes all it takes is to make learning fun again, and something will click to help the student overcome a challenge.

  • Hire a tutor

    • When a student struggles in school, a teacher may suggest some tutoring help. Well, homeschooling is no different; you, too, can hire a tutor. This can take some of the pressure off of you to get everything right, and your child has the chance to learn from someone else, which can make a huge difference. There is plenty of resources when your child needs something extra or different. Tutoring centers like Sylvan are often easy to find, and online tutors have become a viable option in recent years.
Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help
Hire a tutor

  • See a specialist

    • You can get an assessment done and get to the issue’s root. If you are worried your child is behind because of an identifiable learning concern, consider bringing it up with your pediatrician and ask for testing referrals. Often there is some hesitancy to “label” children, but understanding how and why your child experiences difficulties can only benefit both of you. Do not be intimidated by the possibility of a “label” Whatever your child is working with, at least it won’t be without awareness and resources.

  • Seek advice from more experienced homeschoolers

    • Thankfully countless homeschooling parents had gone before us and shared their hard-earned wisdom. A whole community wants to help and can help if we ask. So check with your local homeschooling groups or other parents at your co-op (if you are part of one). Ask about their preferred strategies and materials for your child’s specific concern. You can also read blogs of homeschoolers who have encountered similar difficulties with their child and come out the other side.
Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help
Help your child catch-up at home

Your Homeschooler May Be Behind, But Not For Long! 

All is not lost! You can homeschool a child with learning disabilities. You can even homeschool when struggling with a particular subject or concept. So the next time you feel that pit in your stomach and panic about your child’s learning, remember to take a breath and approach the issue one step at a time. You know your kiddos and how they learn, and it is okay to seek help; numerous resources are available. So, the next time you wonder, “Are your kids behind?” Remember that your child will succeed sooner or later, and you will be there when they cross the finish line!

We hope you found Homeschooling: What To Do When You Need Academic Help insightful. If you are looking for some resources to help you in your homeschool journey, head on over to our website and take a look at our curriculum shop. 

Make Learning a Priority Despite School Closures.

Many parents are once again struggling with how to make learning a priority despite school closures. Chances are that you live in a location that has either just announced school closures again, or perhaps they are leaning that way due to the steady climb of Covid-19 cases, related to the new variant of concern.

You as a parent may find yourself stuck in the frustration of wanting to keep your child safe while also wanting to be sure they are getting the education that they need at this stage in their life. I don’t think any of us thought that the pandemic would continue for so long, or that school closures and lockdowns would continue to be the method used to combat it. Yet, here we are. So the question is, how can you help your child continue to thrive with their learning, or even catch up, despite the inevitable school closures?

This is a huge topic, yet there’s not a lot of information out there about it. Doing a quick Google search doesn’t really reveal anything substantial, or helpful. Which is ironic, because education truly is key. Yet, education is one thing that has continually been placed on the back burner during the duration of the pandemic thus far.

What can we as parents and caregivers do?

As I previously wrote, none of us thought that school closures and lockdowns would continue to take place, especially not after two years since the beginning of this pandemic. It really puts things into perspective when you think of how a Kindergartener in the spring of 2020 is now in grade 2, and struggling to read. Or how a grade 10 student in March of 2020 is now facing graduation, feeling completely unprepared for university.

The pandemic has caused all of us to suffer, but no one more than our children. So many life experiences and learning opportunities have been missed. Will life ever return to normal? What even is normal anymore? Is it normal for your child to be falling behind? Will they ever catch up? What can you as a parent or caregiver do to make learning a priority despite school closures and lockdowns?

The First Step: Just Be There.

I get it, you’re frustrated and overwhelmed. For many it’s not just education that is affected, but also finances and mental well-being. Your mind is likely wandering a mile a minute, as you try to come to some settlement of peace. So, take a deep breath. Focus on what really matters. Sure, life is a crazy mess. But right now, in this very moment, are you okay? Is your family safe? Are your kids okay? Really focus on being in the moment. Focus on the laughter of your children. Talk to them, help them, because they’re also struggling with big feelings too. Make being there for your children a priority.

The Second Step: Find Ways to Ease Stress.

We don’t often realize just how stressed our children can be. The sad reality is that the pandemic, school closures, chaos and financial uncertainties has also placed stress on our kids. We like to think of them as “just going to be okay” but often times they are silently watching as their world seems to be collapsing around them.

Which brings us to an important point. And that is: Children cannot properly learn when they’re under a large amount of stress. As you probably already know, virtual learning often causes children more stress than anything else. This results in a lack of wholesome learning because of the stress that your child is under when trying to learn. Which is why finding ways to calm that stress is imperative.

Some helpful stress relieving tips include:
  1. Answer their questions honestly, and have conversations about their feelings.
  2. Let them know that you recognize that they are feeling stressed, and that it’s okay to feel this way.
  3. Contact loved ones, grandparents, family and friends. Let your child connect with them.
  4. Demonstrate how to take care of your own feelings in a healthy way.
  5. Help them with a mindfulness activity.
  6. Offer plenty of hugs and cuddles.
  7. Sign up for a Mindfulness Activity or purchase a Mindfulness workbook.
  8. Teach your child about how to manage their thoughts and feelings.

The Third Step: Create a Healthy Routine

Having a healthy routine is extremely important. Especially if you are aiming to make learning a priority despite school closures. It can be so tempting to just let everything go and continue life like you’re on holidays. While somedays that may be okay, it’s important to snap out of it sooner rather than later. Children need routine, it helps them to feel safe, while also helping them to develop important life skills.

Your kids and yourself have absolutely no control over the pandemic, or school closures. So, help your child feel like they’re in a little more control with a routine. Let them add in parts of the routine that they think are important, and be sure to honour that.

Routines aren’t just good for kids, they also have huge benefits for you as the parent or care-giver. Having a healthy routine has been proven to help parents feel more organized while simultaneously reducing stress.

You can add structure to your child’s day by adding smaller routines to your larger daily routine.

Early Morning Routine: Wake up, get dressed, eat a healthy breakfast, brush teeth, and encourage active play for a bit before school work.

Late Morning – Early Afternoon Routine: This is when your child can work on their school work, whether that be virtual learning or workbooks. For many children their school board has scheduled times of the day around virtual learning. So, their routine might revolve around those time slots.

If you have decided to homeschool during the duration of another lockdown, you can use this time to work on two core subjects like Math and Science. Reserving this time for lesson time, work time and a learning activity.

Be sure to add in lunch, and snack times! And if your child is participating in virtual learning, then make lunch and break times a big deal! Have fun with lunch time, play some word games while you both eat sandwiches. Try your best to make it as positive as possible.

Afternoon/Evening Routine: Once education time is completed for the day, encourage them to play outside, or in their room while you get a tiny break. If they just want to be with you, then try to make a new recipe together for dinner. Having fun together is one of the best remedies for stress. At the dinner table, ask your child(ren) what their favourite part of the day was, then aim to include more of that in the next day.

Bedtime Routine: Now it’s time for brushing teeth and bath time. Once that’s complete, be sure to have some snuggles and reading time with your kids. It’s so important to continue to carve out time for reading with each other as it continues to strengthen your bond.

The Fourth Step: Evaluate the Learning Solutions.

Many parents hear the words “Virtual Learning” or “Online Learning” and instantly cringe. Because this form of education is anything but wonderful for both students and teachers. If you’ve recently learned that your child has to do online learning, and you know from experience that it will be a disaster. Then take some time to evaluate this form of learning by asking yourself these questions:

  1. Is this helping my child or hurting them?
  2. Are they still learning?
  3. Is the stress from this even worth it?
  4. Are there other options available for learning?

Once you’ve answered these questions you will have a more clear indication about whether or not this form of education is actually working for you and your child. If you’re still unsure, write out a list of pros and cons. What are the pros to virtual learning, and what are the cons? If you have no other learning choices, then find out what are some ways that you can work together with your child’s school to make it more bearable.

The Fifth Step: Research Alternative Learning Solutions.

If you’ve evaluated your child’s education method, and are finding that it’s causing more stress than learning. But you are determined to make learning a priority despite school closures, then you should look for alternative methods of education for your child. You could consider a home-learning option. Remember this doesn’t have to be permanent, this can be a temporary solution until circumstances level out.

Determining what type of in-home learning curriculum will best suit your family is really important. You can learn about how to choose in-home learning curriculum here.

Staying on track with their learning is essential, which is why finding a curriculum that follows their grade level standards, and is easy to follow/teach is really important. Be sure to look for a learning solution that reflects that.

The Sixth Step: Start Learning.

It’s imperative that you remind yourself that learning is always happening. There are so many life lessons to be learned during any given day. So, please don’t stress yourself thinking that learning must look a certain way, because it often doesn’t. That is one of the reasons why virtual learning can can cause so much stress for some students. Education can’t be crammed into a box. For many, learning is hands-on. Learning through a screen with twenty other children going on and off of mute, isn’t always going to give your child the whole learning experience that they need.

Read stories with your kids, dive into a Novel Study. Bake cookies, clean the house, do art work, watch an educational show together, and play learning games! Don’t stress about how learning should look, just let it happen naturally.

Figure out what areas your child needs the most help with and make that a priority. Being sure to add in the extra areas of their education here and there. Just be sure to never overwhelm your child with information, aim to keep lessons short, simple and to the point. Dragging out a lesson just because you feel like it needs to be longer, won’t help you or your student. If your child is struggling with a particular concept, then take a break and revisit it again later.

The Seventh Step: Let Go.

Life continues to not go according to plan. Holding onto your ideas of what it should look like, will only bring you more disappointment. Embrace the way life is, even if it’s messy. Because if you continue to hold onto this idea of what you wish life looked like, it will only make it worse for you and your child. Letting go of the original plan, and working together to come up with a new, brilliant plan will be extremely beneficial for your entire family.

Whether you choose to give virtual learning another go, or you feel like you need to dive head first into homeschooling. Just know that whatever choice you make, it will be a good one for your family. Yes, sometimes you will have bad days, sometimes things won’t go as planned. And yes, you will absolutely make some mistakes. But you’re trying your very best to make learning a priority despite school closures and that is truly what matters.

Take a deep breath, focus on what really matters, and move forward.