Home Is Where the . . . School Is?
The COVID pandemic has forced parents in many areas of the country to shift gears and accept a new role: substitute teacher
The problem with distance, or remote, learning is twofold. For parents who are working from home due to stay-at-home measures in their region or province, juggling an already jam-packed workday with their children’s schoolwork is frustrating at best. On the other hand, parents employed in essential sectors may find themselves with the difficult task of having to find childcare during their work hours.
Whatever your situation, there are ways to ease the stress of being a part-time educator while working your full-time gig.
5 School-at-Home Solutions
- Take an honesty-is-the-best-policy approach. Be upfront with your manager about your children’s schooling situation, as you may need to take phone calls during the day or adjust your work hours to accommodate the new learning environment. It’s likely they won’t be surprised, since many of your coworkers are facing similar challenges.
- Apply for government support. Many provincial governments are offering funding to help offset the cost of remote learning. While some application deadlines have passed, other funding may be announced in the future. Follow your provincial government on social media to learn about the latest.
- Find other ways to incorporate lessons. Your child may not learn at the same pace at home as they would in class. Outside of the school day, try to inject learning into everyday events. For instance, ask division questions at breakfast based on the number of servings and people around the table.
- Form a support system. There are likely other parents in your circle, whether they be coworkers, family, or friends, who would be willing to help. If the rules in your area allow, partner with another family and take turns hosting school days. This will help ease both of your schedules.
- Remember that this won’t be forever. Though partial remote learning may eventually become a permanent fixture in some provinces’ curriculums, classroom learning will return at some point, once the virus is under control. Consider these months a learning exercise for both students and parents.
Source: cbc.ca