Are you a frustrated parent whose child isn’t getting the education they need during the pandemic? You’re not alone. With global cases out of control, children are impacted more due to the inability to attend school in person or, if they are, there is limited contact. This raises a concern that our kids are not being taught to the standards from years past. Small children need to lay the foundation for reading and writing to ensure a successful path to literacy. This article will provide kindergarten home tips during COVID-19 and review a popular reading tool that helps with literacy at this critical age.
Kindergarten Home School Tips- Homeschool Planner
Creating a homeschool planner will be essential. Kids, especially in kindergarten, work best with a routine. Below are a few helpful tips to help you work into your homeschool planner.
- Consider your child’s age. Kindergarten homeschooling will be different for them than in-person learning. Discuss your expectations for learning at home and go over any concerns, so you are on the same page.
- Set and follow a weekday schedule for starting and ending the school day and going to bed. All children benefit from structure, even if they try to resist it. Below is a sample of a routine that you can draw inspiration from.
- Build-in flexibility to accommodate your own work and other responsibilities. See if you and your spouse, partner, or another adult in your household can share some of the teachings. It might also help set aside time in the evenings to check over assignments or work together on reading and other skills.
- Take breaks. Schedule time during the school day for lunch, snacks as often as needed. Children at this age won’t have the capability to sit in one place all the time.
- Build-in time for creativity. Make time for music, art, and other creative subjects. This may include time for your child to practice an instrument, draw, paint, try their hand at drama, or develop other skills.
- Help your child safely connect with friends and relatives. Connecting with friends and family members outside your household is important. Work with your child’s school, friends’ parents and others to help them stay in touch. Consider taking turns leading virtual lessons or hosting virtual playdates. Have your child write letters to people they care about while practicing handwriting and grammar.
- Create a designated learning space. Set up a designated learning space that is comfortable and in an area with minimal distractions. Allow children to personalize their space and ensure it contains the equipment and materials they need and can access independently.
Kindergarten Homeschool Tips – Reading Literacy
A popular tool Parents are flock to is an online early reading course design specifically to help young children read. The course, Reading Head Start, was created by Sarah Sheppard. She has been an English teacher for several years and decided to create this program when she encountered difficulties teaching her own child. At its core, Reading Head Start is a program that helps children develop the right reading habits, capabilities, and techniques by using a set of scientifically tested methods.
Kindergarten Homeschool Tips – Reading Head Start Review
Reading Head Start is an online reading system divided into 4 individual levels that allow you to work through a progressive state. Once you sign up (they offer a special $1 for the first month and cancel anytime), you will get immediate and exclusive online access to the system. Our first impression was that it was easy enough for children to use.
Over the course of 40 weeks, your child will learn various techniques to improve their reading skills. This includes how to read using logical methods, and they will start with learning the accurate way a letter sounds and should be pronounced. They will also learn how certain letters change how a word is pronounced when added or left out.
The system consists of wonderful videos, exciting workbooks, interactive word games, comprehensive learning materials, and more, which teach your kid the basics and materials to progress their reading ability.
Although the program is designed for children, parents are highly encouraged to be actively engaged in the program. This will provide additional guidance on the progress your child makes. Each curriculum is about 15 minutes, which is easy to digest for your child (and you!) After completion of a lesson, a certificate is awarded, which helps boost your child’s confidence.
Overall, we felt the program is a perfect fit for homeschooling your kindergartener. The low-risk $1 trial period is ideal for you to check out the curriculum to ensure this program works best for you and your child. Some parents have found it to be too long of a course, while others have expressed concern about not having a baseline assessment test to work off of. That said, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. And for only a $1 trial, the risk is low, but the potential for your child is high.
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