Are you homeschooling?
The coronavirus aka COVID-19 is spreading quickly, and doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. At this point, every child in the United States is being homeschooled. Well, maybe.
Some parents are opposed to teaching their children during the lockdown. However, many appear to be trying their hardest to keep their children engaged in academics. If you are one of those parents, you have come to the right place.
With schools closed, parents who have been interested in homeschooling can actually give it a shot now. There are free trials and resources to be found all over. Not to mention there is an endless amount of help from teachers and parents out there who are familiar with the homeschooling process.
Fortunately for me, I have always loved the idea of homeschooling. I briefly homeschooled my oldest daughter in the past. Before the coronavirus hit, we were still trying to determine which type of schooling and schedule worked best for us.
Reading Resources
Scholastic is offering a free learn-at-home section for little ones. My daughter loves the stories and learning activities. One thing I love about this website is that while the stories are being read to the child, the words are highlighted. This teaches them to recognize words, which is one of the first steps in learning to read.
Raz-Kids is a great place to turn to when teaching reading skills. This website and app are geared towards children from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is full of interactive e-books. Your child can be read to, read to themselves, or even record themselves reading. Unfortunately, it is not free, but you can sign up for a free trial to see if you love it.
Reading IQ is another great website for learning to read. It appears to be similar to raz-kids. I haven’t used this one yet, but I am considering it. Like raz-kids you can sign up for a free trial to see how you feel about it. When I finish both free trials I will come back and explain the pros and cons of each of them.
Math Resources
Khan Academy appears to be one of the leading math resources for those trying to home school right now. It is perfect for any age, more specifically ages 2-18. It is FREE to use and allows children to work at their own pace.
Khan Academy also includes science, engineering, computer, and art lessons.
Websites that cover most subjects
Right now, I have been using ABC Mouse for my youngest daughter. She seems to enjoy it and it’s simple enough for her to use. This program is for children 2-8 years old, is educational, and fun. I was lucky enough to receive a code from her school allowing us to use it for free during the school closures. However, I do love it enough to purchase it in the future.
Adventure Academy is another resourceful learning program. It can be used for children in 3rd to 8th grade. My oldest daughter tried it out while we had a free trial and she loved it. However, I would not suggest using this as your only learning program. My daughter became easily sidetracked with the games.
Teaching a foreign language
My favorite language learning program is Duolingo. It is free and allows you to choose from over 30 different languages. I am actually considering using this program for myself, as well as my children.
Homeschool curriculum
The learning program that I am most familiar with is Time4Learning. This is the program I used to homeschool my daughter in the past. You do pay a monthly fee, and it is not the cheapest, but it is well worth the price.
For Pre-K to 8th grade, you pay $19.95 a month, and $30 a month for high school students. If you decide you are not happy with this program after two weeks they will issue you a refund.
The thing I like most about Time4Learning is the fact that your child can work at their own pace. It also keeps track of the time they spend on each subject, and creates a schedule and assignments for them. This helps them stay on track and know what is expected of them. You can print out progress reports and record all of the work they do, which is great if you ever need proof of their completed work and grades.
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool is another place you can go to find the curriculum you need to home school your child. This curriculum is free and can be used for children in preschool through high school. I have not had a chance to use this program, but I am considering using it for all three of my children.
While the main difference between these programs is cost, the biggest difference for me was what the programs offered. The reason that I chose Time4Learning over Easy Peasy is because I did not have time to do more work. My life is hectic, and Time4Learning does all of the hard work for you. So, if you can afford it, and you live a busy life, it could be your best option.
Worksheets and Packets
Teachers pay teachers is one of the best sites I could find and have used. You can find worksheets, lesson plans, and basically anything you need to print out to help your child learn. While you can find some things for free, most things you print out will cost a small fee. There is a little bit of something for children of all ages on here.
Have fun teaching is a great place to go to right now. They have posted coronavirus relief packets for children in preschool to 5th grade.
Making the best of it
There is an endless list of resources to be found out there. I could create an exhaustive list but chose to stick with what seems to be working the most for other parents and myself.
Before choosing a program or curriculum think about what it is you want to teach your child. What do they need to learn? How do they learn the best? What do they struggle with the most? What subject comes easily or naturally to them? Asking these questions first will help you determine what resources you need the most.
Most importantly, as long as your child is making progress then they are on the right path. Learning is not a race or a competition, just take it all one day at a time. Oh, and try to have fun.
Photo by BOOM 💥
