Managing At Home Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
The year 2020 has put a tremendous stress on many parents and children alike, forcing everyone into At-Home learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lock-down. This hands-on, information packed article will help you navigate through some of the tough questions and issues you might have. And, whether or not, this Fall, you chose to send your children back to school (which might close down again in flu season with the COVID-19 second wave), do remote-learning, or home-school entirely, I hope you will find a lot of valuable information and resources here.
In this blog post, Danielle Cummer, one of the most phenomenal and beloved Kindergarten teachers in our community and that I have ever met, is sharing her expertise and wisdom on some of the difficult questions we might have with regards to at-home learning.
Danielle has been involved in education field since the age of 13 (see her impressive BIO after the interview below). Her true love and passion for education shine through her warm personality, and her ability to engage each and every child in learning is simply remarkable. Parents rave about Danielle and still come to her with questions seeking her expertise, long after the school year has ended in June.
NOTE, that, while our discussion is focused on children of pre-school age to roughly Grade 5, many of the questions will be applicable to older children as well. I would also like to point out that while some of the below questions are mine, others I “borrowed” from other moms who are just like me, seeking answers and solutions to improve and manage their children’s at-home education.
DISCUSSION
Question: Danielle, let’s begin with the million-dollar question that causes so much anxiety among working parents. In the difficult times of COVID lock-down, what can parents with full time jobs do to help their children with school work? I hear there was a lot of the screen time while parents were working from home. Is there anything at all working parents could do to minimize the screen time and help their children learn school material?
Danielle: I feel tremendous empathy for parents going through all of the ups and downs that COVID has brought on! I cannot imagine being a full time teacher and having another full time job! I would say that, if you can, your goal should be to give your child one full hour of individual learning time per day minimally. The rest could be spent with more free activities art, playtime, outdoor play, screen time etc. One quality hour per day is better than several disjointed or interrupted ones. I think it is also important for every child to have numerous activities that they can complete independently that don’t involve screen time i.e., drawing, imaginative play, reading, dancing etc.
Q: Can we talk about motivation tips? How do we motivate young children to continue learning school material at home? It’s one thing when they are surrounded by peers and a teacher who they (usually) obey, but it’s another thing when it’s their own mom, with whom they can “cut some slack” as to speak.
D: Involve your child in creating and maintaining their at home schedule! Have them tell you about what their school day looked like and create an outline of your home day modeled on this. Keep it up in your home as a visual aid for them to follow! Each child can have their own outline too. This could also help them self-regulate and set designated times for snack and outdoor play. Consistency is key and children thrive on routine!
I think it’s very important to bring a positive attitude towards the learning process with your child. I have always found that my students mirror my emotions, good or bad, so it is important to not appear as though you are dreading or fearing the process. That being said, it is also very important that your child has actual demands placed upon him or her just like at school. Every human being has to do many things we don’t want to do all of the time and children need to understand that this is a part of life in proportion to their age category.
My students know that certain things are non-negotiable; for example, writing their own name on every piece of work, washing hands before snack and sitting quietly without disturbance during a story.
Q: How do we keep our children engaged in learning throughout the day? A lot of children would rush through their work in half an hour and then demand screen time or play time.
D: There are several strategies to combat this problem that teachers use at school. One is to create assignments that are process driven rather than product driven i.e., a picture with a sentence or story that can continuously be worked on, or added to. I have used the phrase to my students “when you think you’re done, you’ve just begun”, if they keep rushing through things.
Another strategy is to set a timer for a designated subject and have many different worksheets/games/tasks for that subject. If they are doing 20 minutes of math it doesn’t matter how many different math activities that can complete in that 20 minutes, as long as they have practiced those skills for that allotted time. It is really important for kids to learn that designated “work time” is for working, no matter how much or how little you get done.
Q: How do we help my child stop procrastinating and get to work? I find that the moment I tell my 6 year old to sit down for school time, she, all of a sudden, needs to do ten urgent different activities, like finish coloring, have (yet another!) snack, play a few piano notes, change her dress etc., before she actually settles down to do homework 15 minutes later.
D: Giving a child transition times is always good between activities and I often find that sometimes a firm “no” with these requests is necessary. I have often told my students to “use their common sense” about when to request a drink, get a Kleenex etc. and set the tone that group time/learning time is not a time for these activities.
Often times it is done for attention, so you need to gauge, as a parent, if it is better to quickly concede and move on from a bathroom break, or firmly express that now is not a snack time. Kids need to learn self-regulation above all else. It is important to enforce at home, the same expectations that they face at school. I know it’s easier said than done with your own kids, but keeping this up makes a huge difference!
Q: How can we effectively manage 2 or 3 children in the household of different ages and abilities? I can sit with one child one-on-one but the other child (children) won’t engage, unless I sit down with them, and I can’t split myself in half. This applies to younger children who haven’t learned to work well independently yet.
D: This is a tough one! So many parents have asked me this and I have a few suggestions. Obviously so many factors can come into play including the age difference, relationship between the siblings etc. One thing parents should always do, is give each child uninterrupted attention for a portion of their “home school day”. If the other child isn’t old enough, or cannot work on something simple during this time, I think they should be allowed to freely play, read or get screen time etc. The other child needs to understand that you should not be interrupted and should be gently ignored, if need be. Especially when one child is learning new skills or being presented with a new concept, it’s very important that their time be focused and that they feel 100% supported and connected.
Older children are also a wonderful resource for younger ones. I recently had two of my students take turns making each other word searches using a list of provided vocabulary words. Reading to each other is also a special time between siblings!
Q: Given the time constraints many of us face (especially working parents), should we focus on older children more (and give them more attention) since they are the ones who are learning more complex work that matters more. Younger children can always catch up later. Or are we missing out on valuable developmental time with our young children by not allocating as much attention to them?
D: I think each child needs to be given equal time. This is my personal opinion, but early years learning is so essential to building strong literacy and numeracy skills. This sets the stage for all learning and, even if it’s being practiced through games etc., it needs to be valued and treated with importance. Overall, your older child should have a longer workday but that should be due to their ability to work independently for longer periods of time.
Q: Any tips on how to increase my pre-schooler’s attention span? I can teach him something for 5 minutes and after that he runs off to play.
D: This should be a gradual build up even if it is in thirty-second increments! I would pay close attention to what activities hold your child’s attention for longer i.e., hands-on activities, cars, dolls etc., and then work these toys into learning activities. Making patterns, counting, beginning letter sounds etc. can all be worked into conversation during meaningful play!
Q: Let’s talk about rewards for school work. Should we first of all reward our children with anything and if so, how often and what’s the best way? In our family, I created a sticker “passport” and give out 1 sticker per each homework assignment completed. 10 stickers and my daughter earns a dollar. Eventually, she can buy something for herself on Amazon. While this system is working well for us, I am wondering if this will kill the motivation down the road … [you can see my brief blog post on it here: https://mamaschronicles.com/rewards-system/]
D: This is also a divisive topic! I really like giving children a “checklist”, or sticker passport to mark their progress and give them a visual sense of satisfaction. I like the delayed gratification aspect of the sticker system and that while progress is made it is not a direct transaction.
I do not approve of reward systems involving toys, food or screen time. This naturally makes these activities more desirable, or highly coveted, than outdoor play, healthy eating or schoolwork. I think it’s very important for kids to be reflective of their own learning and sense of accomplishment. Once a week having your child complete a “proud moment” worksheet, or template to let them vocalize something they achieved, would be a good idea.
Q: My 5 year old loves to negotiate. “I will do one page of math, if you give me a piece of chocolate.” If we do 4 subjects a day, that’s four times she will ask for chocolate, or some kind of reward, to do the work. I am ok doing it once or twice but not all the time and not every single time. It’s a bit funny, but she knows how to get her way. What are your thoughts on this?
D: I believe in zero negotiation, especially in the heat of the moment, no matter how cute or funny the child is being! Intermittent reinforcement is the most successful kind so doing this randomly will make it occur even more often. This means that occasionally rewarding, or giving in, makes the child more likely to do it, than even regularly scheduled reward times.
It’s hard, I know! I always say to my students: “I respect you so if I ask you to do something it needs to get done”. Eventually, if you remain consistent, children will see that the task is getting done no matter how long they prolong the process. It’s very important to try and mirror the same expectations, and cause and effect, that your child would receive at school. They would NEVER ask a teacher for a treat for completing a given task, so you should mirror that expectation.
Q: How can we effectively use online format to help us with teaching and make sure our child is learning what she is supposed to be learning for the year. From our spring COVID experience, there was no outline as to what is expected from each grade (in our case it was SK), no worksheets, nothing. Just a brief daily online meetings and lesson with the teacher, and some general resources to explore. Maybe you can point us to some good resources and outline of expectations for each grade?
D: All of the Ontario curriculum documents are available for free download online, here:
They are super helpful as a starting point. I also like the site Teachers Pay Teachers for resource. There, you can search by grade, price (lots are free) and topic. They have tons of theme-based work too, so if your child is particularly interested in a popular theme, or character, you can find curriculum-based materials on that given theme (i.e, paw patrol math). I love and have always used Reading A-Z and Raz Kids sites and downloads, for all of my literacy needs for pre-k up to grade five!
Q: Let’s talk about mistakes. I learned very quickly that there are times when it’s best not to correct my child’s mistakes right away. For example, when she’s learning a new piano song and plays a wrong note, if I point it out right away (especially on more than one occasion), she gets very discouraged to continue. But if I wait until next lesson and show her the correct note to play before the lesson, it’s all good. On the other hand, I don’t want her to play wrong note(s) through out the whole lesson. It’s a fine balance, isn’t it? Same applies with any subject. Any tips of the appropriate timing of mistakes correction and how to do it without discouraging your child?
D: One of the hardest things for parents to grasp, compared to teachers, is everything surrounding assessment. You need to identify one thing with every task: is the goal of this assignment for it to be completed independently with fluent knowledge? Or, with support and questions, because it is unfamiliar material?
I would focus on correcting main idea skills only at first and then correct smaller areas, once the child has gained familiarity with a concept. You also need to mentally practice only correcting skills that are specific to that subject, while completing work for that topic. For example, you should never be grading, assessing, or correcting fine motor skills, or letter orientation, while your child is completing a science activity; that correction should only be done during writing, or literacy-based activities.
I would always correct errors, if they are related to the specific skill set the activity is supposed to be reinforcing (i.e., if your child is filling in number sequences and some numbers are backwards or wrong correct them! But if their seven is too big to fit in between the lines perfectly let it go!)
It is also important to correct in proportion to the error – a friendly reminder for small errors, and review of a concept for larger ones.
I also like to give the child a chance to recognize their own mistakes by subtly pointing out the portion where the error is; always give them a chance to self-correct! This is an important life skill too!
Q: Do you know any good resources with worksheets that are appropriate for each Grade? I would like to supplement school work with more good and relevant material.
D: Pinterest has a huge catalogue of resources by grade. But, because some are American, I recommend “sizing up” with your search criteria (i.e., if your child is in grade one I would search for grade two worksheets etc.) As I mentioned before, Teachers Pay Teachers is a wonderful site to download, or purchase, worksheets and activities.
I know this isn’t for everyone, but I do make almost all of my own resources. You would be amazed with what you can make on google docs or PowerPoint. You can specifically make simple templates for your child for writing and drawing, and then even customize with their own name, or photos of them! This makes a huge difference in their interest level too!
Q: My child really doesn’t like (insert a subject) and doesn’t want to do it with me at all. What can I do (aside from getting a tutor) to make him at least tolerate it and do the work? You must have had at least one student who hated math or reading, no?
D: This happens constantly! Absolutely. I would not require your child to do their least favourite activity for huge amounts of time. For your own sake and theirs! I would try to zero in on the most tolerable aspect of the subject for them and try to build off of that positivity. For example, if your child hates reading books, but can play letter or word card games, focus on that for literacy. Or, use dramatic play opportunities for reading and writing i.e., making signs for a store, invitations to a ball for princesses etc.
Q: What are the most important things for recreating a learning environment kids had at school at our home? (eg physical space, routine, learning tools/props)
D: Students need to have an area with their own materials that only they have access to. So many children feel frustrated by siblings moving, using, or losing their stuff! If you can, invest in one of everything for each child right down to tape and glue sticks. They could have a litter drawer unit and also keep their work papers in it too. They could have one section for incomplete work, one for complete work and one for supplies. A clipboard is also great for allowing your child to lie on a carpet while they work rather than being in a chair for too long! Flexible learning styles and spaces are being integrated into schools, so they should be in your home too!
Q: Danielle – what are some of the common questions/concerns that parents are still asking you about today?
D: One of the questions so many parents have asked me is “How can I ensure that my child won’t fall behind?” Unfortunately, my answer is that you cannot. It is not realistic to expect parents to cover every aspect of the curriculum in full detail in an at-home learning environment.
If I were homeschooling my child, I would have three goals:
1. For my child to be able to follow rules, routines and exhibit self-regulation.
2. For my child to practice literacy and numeracy skills on a daily basis, at the level which they can.
3. For my child to exhibit happiness, or joy, during one structured activity per day.
Parents need to remember that most of the material that we cover in grade school isn’t necessarily pertinent to later life. It’s actually a mechanism to assess if a child is developing the abilities necessary to succeed in real life scenarios. Try to think about your child’s current strengths and weaknesses, but manifested in teenage years! Then work backwards on what goals you should be setting.
If your child cannot wait for two minutes before saying your name, or seeking clarification, work on independence and self-sufficiency. This is a unique time for everyone and I would work on very specific individual goals for your child. Everyone has found this [pandemic] period of time difficult, but hopefully there are silver linings as well! Try to make meaningful positive memories with your children every day in addition to supporting their learning!
Danielle, thank you so much for taking the time to respond to all of our questions and to provide such a valuable insight. I consider myself lucky to have come to know you over the last few years and to witness the miracles you create in your classrooms and beyond!
Danielle: Thank you Olya. I’m really happy to help and hope that it helps others too!
Danielle’s Bio
At the age of 13, Danielle got involved in education by volunteering at an elementary school, in the kindergarten classroom. That’s where, at such a young age, she developed her love of teaching younger children and early learning.
Danielle had Irene Furze as her mentor, an amazing kindergarten teacher, who taught kindergarten for over 30 years and was pioneering methods of differentiated instruction and individualized learning way before they became common! She was the best in her field and Danielle learned so much from her.
While in high-school, Danielle ran two educational programs for younger children. One was an after school enrichment program and one was a day-camp. Her parents let her run both in their house and backyard!
In 2012, Danielle graduated from the first cohort of the Concurrent Education Program at the University of Toronto and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, with a Bachelor of Education (Primary/Junior) and an Honours Bachelor of Arts (Major in Sociology, Minors in Urban Education and Child Development).
She also completed teacher candidate placements and worked through the Tutors in the Classroom Program, at Rolph Road Public School, Benninington Heights Public School and Mrs. Park’s Nursery School. She has always held a strong passion and interest in teaching kindergarten and setting the stage for lifelong learning. Danielle also completed additional qualifications for Kindergarten Part One and continuously works to ensure that her students are engaged in a program filled with meaningful and memorable learning.
In the Fall of 2012, Danielle joined one of the best Private Early Learning schools in Ontario where she helped to create and implement the first full day kindergarten program. The program has become so successful that young students who complete it, fall in love with learning, math, reading and school in general. They move onto Grade 1 being way ahead of their game.
RESOURCES
All of the Ontario curriculum documents are available for free download online here: https://www.publications.gov.on.ca/asearch.html?vid=20170501121&cname=%5B*+TO+*%5D&key=curriculum&keyword=curriculum
Raz-Kids: https://www.raz-kids.com/ “The award-winning website where K-5 students go to read — anytime, anywhere!”
Learning A-Z: https://www.learninga-z.com/ “Reading A-Z delivers a leveled Reading Library for every classroom”
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ Worksheets, Games, Reading material, Activities, Foreign Language resources and much more!
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For more Education-related blog posts on MamasChronicles.com and resources, see:
https://mamaschronicles.com/teaching-essentials/ , and https://mamaschronicles.com/how-to-teach-your-child-a-foreign-language-at-home/
And stay tuned, as I am currently working on more exciting and interesting educational interviews and material with various artists and beyond “ordinary” people. For the notifications of such posts, see my Instagram or FB page.