As ‘school’ returns tomorrow, parents are wondering how to best support their kids’ education in these strange times. With most parents having to simultaneously work from home as well, it seems an impossible ask. But here’s the thing… you parents have two huge advantages over us teachers. Yes, we’re experienced…. yes, we’re trained. But most teachers will spend their entire career trying to nail two vital aspects of their craft that make a huge difference to educational outcomes: relationship and 1:1 time.
The first is knowing the child really, really well. We spend about half the year building relationships, finding out the quirks and intricacies of each individual, working out if they respond better to praise or firm boundaries. We test them and question them and analyse data to work out what they know and what they don’t know. We spend ages trying to work out whether the behaviour they are displaying is normal for them or unusual. By the time we have a firm grip on them and how they learn best, it’s time for them to move onto another teacher who will have to start the whole process again.
You don’t have to do any of this! You already know what rubs your little one up the wrong way. You already know what they excel at and and what makes them shudder in fear. This means that your can tailor their learning to them! In the classroom, we can’t make 28 modifications. But you can make one at home. Do they work better with music? – no problem! Are they more engaged when they are outside? Great! Do they spend hours wanting to getting their work perfect? Let them! As parents, you have the unique opportunity to allow your child to learn how they learn best and develop at their own pace. Relish it!
The second advantage you have is being able to work with your child 1:1. As teachers, we are desperate to have this luxury. We know that when we do get the odd 5 minutes to work with a child by themselves, huge leaps can be made. At home, you can do this. And the best bit? This means that you can spend much less time ‘teaching’ because the time you do spend together will be of such high quality. Realistically, we know as teachers, that if we had the children 1:1, we’d probably only need to teach them for an hour a day – and that would be much for beneficial than 6 hours in a busy classroom. It’s why private tutors are so popular and effective.
So use this time to help your child using the two things that they can’t easily get at school: relations and and 1:1 time. Not only will they soar in their learning, but you can stop stressing… knowing that an hour of quality learning together a day is plenty!
If you have a child who is starting school in September or currently in reception, these games are the perfect way to help your child progress in a fun, purposeful way. Based on the school curriculum and written by educational experts, they are perfect for effective home-schooling.
