Things I’m learning from COVID-19: Homeschool vs. School at Home
Work/life balance isn’t a new concept. Many people struggle with it. I live the WFH (Work from Home) life as a professional shooter. Normally I can find a good blend between work projects, training and family life. I won’t lie. Our first week of “distance learning” and school assignments as we shelter-in-place was quite a challenge.
Last week, on our scheduled spring break, my 6 and 12-year-olds had fun exploring, crafting, growing, organizing and enjoying living and learning at a rather relaxed pace. This week was a much different experience. I’m guessing it has been the same for many parents.
Excessive Screen Time
I realize many families don’t have access to books. Libraries are closed and reading resources have become limited to what teachers and parents can find online. Some apps can make all the difference when it comes to kids and learning, but I believe there’s real value in turning pages and writing on paper too.
Normally I don’t think highly of New York Times “reporting” but this story, “With Kids Learning From Home, Children’s Publishers See a Spike,” tells me I am not alone as a parent. Personally, I do not want my children glued to a device for 5+ hours a day. Our first days of “school at home” were exactly that though. Download this, app that, and watch this, zoom that — it felt like a full-time, online job! After just two days, I realized it simply wasn’t sustainable.
Fortunately for us, my children’s teachers are understanding. They genuinely miss their students and are doing their best to tailor distance learning to families. Sitting in front of the computer or on a tablet for hours on end is just not acceptable for us and I am grateful they are willing to work with me to help my little ones stay on track.
The experience makes me wonder about children who struggle with school. I think about those who need to be challenged too. I consider those in the middle of the traditional grading spectrum as well. Are apps and websites the answer?
Homeschool vs. School at Home
I know several people who homeschool and after this week I understand there is a huge difference between the concept of homeschooling and distance learning online through formal schooling at home. As of now, my children are scheduled to go back to school at the end of April. With a child on immunosuppressants, our delay will likely be longer. Like most parents in America, I’m filling in the role of teacher too. It’s leaving me with a lot of questions.
My friend Becky Yackley is not only a world champion shooter, but she’s also raised national champions too. She’s the feminine representative of the Yackley 5. Becky and her husband Mark have 3 boys, Tim, Sean and Andrew, all accomplished shooters and homeschooled. Her advice to other parents:
As an adult that has exclusively homeschooled my 3 sons, who was homeschooled myself as a child and teenager but also returned to ‘regular’ school and college, I have a LOT of thoughts on the topic.
Parents or teachers can share the fact that we’re going to have to work in order to learn. We need to work a bit to grasp the concepts of letters and sounds in reading, numbers in math. We learn to plan for tomorrow by learning from the history of yesterday. So much of what we eventually learn in life is the result of what we do with what is given to us, what we find out for ourselves, and what others might compel us to do (a.k.a., compulsory schooling).
My most ardent thought regarding homeschooling? If you are able to do nothing else in life for your child, do this: instill in them a desire to learn; fuel every spark of interest you possibly can that leads to creativity, exploration, and the realization that we are never ‘done’, that we can always learn, and that who and what we are can’t truly be measured by a paper test or someone else’s subjective opinion.”
Learn more about Becky at beckyyackley.com.
As I navigate the next few weeks trying to find a balance between work, motherhood and my new role as a full-time teacher, I’ll be thinking of what Becky has to say. In all of this, encouraging my kiddos to continue to truly learn and thus grow is my important and ultimate goal.
