8
Ways To Focus Your Child On Learning...The Homeschooling
Way!
1.
Dress for Success
As
tempting as it may be in the homeschool setting to
roll out of bed, pour a bowl of cereal, and begin
instruction in your bathrobe, it is important that
you dress for success. Your children need to know
the importance of the education they are receiving.
There is no quicker way to give your at-home classroom
an aura of respect, than by dressing the part. Clothing
does not have to be formal, but it can't be sloppy
either. Similarly, your students should get ready
for school in the morning by grooming and dressing
appropriately to set the tone for the days work. Expectation
is one of the greatest factors in student learning,
and your dress reflects your expectations.
2.
Eliminate Distractions
Learning
time should be focused and efficient. It is important,
therefore, to eliminate as many distractions as possible.
As a homeschool teacher it may seem impossible to
get rid of all the daily interruptions that take place,
from phone calls to door-to-door salesmen. However,
with a little bit of effort and preplanning disruptions
to your class schedule can be minimized. To begin
with make sure that you choose a room in your home
with no TVs or inherent noise problems. To prevent
disruptions in your class, hand a sign on the front
door reading, ¡°No solicitors, homeschooling
in progress.¡± Also make sure to turn off the
phone and put any pets outdoors.
3.
Schedule, Schedule, Schedule
To
create an efficient use of time and space in your
home, it is vital to have a daily and weekly schedule.
School hours should be set and regular so that students
know what to expect and are prepared to learn. While
schedules are important to the educational environment,
don¡¯t let them be your only focus. Unique teaching
opportunities arise all the time that should not be
passed over to keep to the schedule. These are some
of the greatest joys of homeschooling, being about
to adapt learning to your individual students.
4.
The Proper Tools
The
homeschool environment needs to have the proper learning
tools just like any ordinary classroom. A proper homeschool
curriculum is strongly encouraged. Beyond the
obvious paper and pencils, students need tools at
their fingertips to encourage inquiry and problem
solving. Every homeschool environment should have
reference materials such as a dictionary, encyclopedia,
atlas and internet. Hands-on learning tools are also
important. Simple objects like dried pasta or building
blocks can serve as aids to demonstrate math functions.
5.
Text-Rich Environment
The
homeschool classroom can always be improved with posters,
letter cards, word walls, diagrams, and poems displayed
for easy reference. Students are influenced by their
surroundings. Giving students a text rich environment
will encourage them to read and the repeated reference
to these different pieces of language will encourage
understanding and memory.
6.
Multiple Modalities
There
has been a great deal of focus on multiple intelligences
in the area of education. The idea that each individual
has strengths in different areas can be a very important
key in presenting information in a way that individual
can understand. Consider including things in the learning
environment that will promote the different intelligences
in your child. Include photos, graphic organizers,
and illustrations for the visual learner. Have books
on CD, music and chants for the auditory learner.
Provide physical gestures, models, and tracing sand
for those kinesthetic learners. There are ways to
encourage and incorporate all of your learner¡¯s
specific intelligences into the daily lesson.
7.
Rules
While
you certainly have rules that your children follow
in your home, you may want to create a more specific
set of rules for school time. Having a set of rules
that you develop with your children for their learning
time is very effective. When everyone knows the rules
and why they are necessary it is much easier to get
compliance. Once you and your kids have decided on
the rules and the consequences for following or not
following the rules, take the time to write them down
and post them where they can be referenced when appropriate.
8.
Take a Break!
While,
as adults, we may be able to push through an entire
days work with few breaks, this is not ideal for children.
In fact, it may be more beneficial to allow students
regular movement breaks. These breaks can be part
of the learning process or more of a recess. Either
way, physical activity breaks refresh students and
give them energy to refocus on their studies.
About
The Author: Megan Wiles is a successful writer for
Homeschool-Guidance.com.
With 7 years as an educator she hopes to lend her
knowledge and practical experience to others. She
provides a free e-course on "Maximizing Your Child¡¯s
Learning Potential" and other valuable information
on her website.
