Virtual Homeschool Assistant
Tips
Free version of a website
Some educational websites such as ABCteach you can use for free instead of as a paid member.
Choose the free site instead of the paid member site and get some free worksheets and documents.
DIY math manipulatives
Use or make your own math manipulatives. Your child will be able to touch and see math concepts come to life by using math manipulatives. For counters, you can use popsicle sticks, small objects like buttons, or food like cheerios. Make stringing beads to also help with counting. Use a small muffin tin for sorting. Use a paper plate to cut up and practice fractions. Use measuring cups and measuring spoons in the kitchen to practice measurements.
Reasons to learn
Kids often want a reason to learn something. Show them how a lesson applies to real life or give a reason to learn it. When kids understand why they should learn a subject or skill, how it relates to the real world, and what they can gain from learning it, they will me more eager and focused on learning it. Make learning purposeful. Explain when and how they may ever use the knowledge or why they need to know this.
Involve kids in homeschool planning
Sometimes let your child have a say in what they want to learn and teach them self-learning. When you plan lessons and activities, talk with your child about things they would like to learn. Think of some interesting topics together. Ask your child's opinion about resources and learning methods. Let your child suggest ways to learn using games, arts and crafts, projects, field trips, and other hands-on activities. Learning is often better when a child has motivation and enthusiasm about what and how they learn.
Scholastic
The children's publisher Scholastic has free lesson plans, discussions, and activities online. www.scholastic.com/teachers/lessons-and-ideas
​
Used homeschool items
To save money, check online, charity stores, and consignment stores for used items like books, games, puzzles, and educational toys to use for homeschool.
Unit study
To make a unit study, choose a topic to study and find ways to tie a variety of subjects to that topic. The idea is to provide learning content in many different subject areas all from one topic. This helps kids enjoy, remember, and apply the topic better. Science, history, geography, writing, art, music, cooking, physical education, and other subjects can be combined in a unit study on a topic. A unit study can can be used to teach more than one child at different ages. They can all be involved in learning about the topic, but can do different level projects on that topic depending on their age. Use the library and the internet to create your own unit study. Or you can do an internet search for "unit study" and you will find many homeschool blogs with unit studies they have created for others to use.
Cooking
Cooking is a great way to learn. It can help kids with math, reading, health, and life skills.
Shopping
Shopping can be an educational activity by having a child help with planning, choosing which products to buy, budgeting, calculating how much to pay, and interacting with people at the store.
Time management
Time management is an important skill for life. Time is limited. The best way to teach kids time management is by example. Kids watch and follow what parents do. Use your time wisely and prioritize what has be done and make sure to allow time for being together as a family. Talk to kids about why using time effectively is important and the benefits.
Teach outside of homeschool time
Look for opportunities to teach and discuss things when you play, travel, run errands, watch tv, use the internet, or do chores together.
Maps
Use a US coloring sheet map. Pick a state each week to color in and learn a few facts about the state likes its capital, major cities, landmark, what it is known for, and its abbreviation. Use a world coloring sheet map. Pick a continent to color each month and learn a few facts about its major countries and what they are known for.
Weather/Sun/Moon Calendar
Use a calendar to record the daily weather conditions like sunny, cloudy, rain, or snow. Record the current temperature or the temperature average or range. Record what time the sun rises and sets. Draw the phase of the moon or record if it is full, half, or crescent.
Is homeschooling right for you?
Think about these important questions to know if homeschooling is right for you as a parent. Am I able and willing to give the time needed to homeschool? Do I have enthusiasm to teach my kids? Am I dedicated to seek out strategies, resources, and opportunties to homeschool?
Problem solving
Problem solving is the ability to identify and find the answer to problems by using skills. One of the major goals of math instruction is to help kids develop problem-solving skills. Kids can learn to apply those skills to a variety of problems and come up with solutions. Click on this problem solving plan as a guide to help kids learn what steps to take to solve math problems.
Dad and homeschool
Even if Dad has to work and leaves most of homeschool teaching to mom, he can still play an important part in homeschool education. Dad can teach the children something he enjoys or is good at. It could be as easy as reading a book out loud in the evenings with the children or going on a field trip. The children enjoy time with Dad and learn something too. Even though Dad may work and not have much time, the involvement he can give in homeschool creates memories and lessons. Dad can find his strengths and use it to the advantage of your homeschool family. It will bring you closer together as a family.
Highlights website
Highlights magazine for kids has been around for more than 60 years. It also has online ways to play, read, and make crafts with your child. It has matching games, art activities, stories, jokes, hidden pictures, and science experiments.
Lessons the easy way
A lesson plan is not hard to make. You include information about a subject and make connections. An interactive lesson helps a child have more interest in the subject. A lesson could involve writing, talking, reading, calculating, and/or doing a hands-on activity. When teaching a lesson, break it up into parts, point out important facts, ask questions, and have discussions.
The world is your classroom.
With the internet, a world of information is available to use for homeschool. You have access to information on websites around the world.
Homeschool photos
Sometimes take photos of your child working on a lesson, activity, or project. They will be nice memories that you and your child can look back at and remember what you did in homeschool. They can also be used as a record of some of your child's work.
Homeschool records
To keep a record of your child's work, write down the books read, assignments done, projects worked on, research done, and experiments conducted. Click on this Assignment Log (Word document) to use.
Attendance
Use a calendar, your state's homeschool attendance form, or click on this Attendance Form (PowerPoint) to keep track of attendance.
Back-to-school sales
Stock up on school supplies and find great deals during back-to-school sales in August to get notebooks, paper, folders, pencils, and more.
Certificates
Recognize work done well. Give an award or certificate to your child for their good work and effort. Use free online certificate templates.
Childhood
Don't try to take on or include too much in homeschooling. Even though we prepare our children for adulthood, our main focus should be to let children enjoy childhood. Sometimes kids need simplicity and time for them to be kids. Do not overload or overschedule, instead reduce stress and give kids time for fun and rest. Slow down sometimes and have a quiet day for you and your kids with little activity. Kids are young for a short time. As a parent you should also enjoy this time and the memories made while your child is young. Homeschool lets kids to not have to grow up too fast or too soon.
Social studies and cooking
Search for global recipes online. At the library find an international cookbook, a cookbook with recipes from a particular country, or historical cookbook that focuses on a specific time period. Learn about different cultures and food they eat.
Exercise
Exercise each day in your homeschool. Choose something fun and do the exercise activity as a break between sitting time. A family walk or bike ride counts for physical education, health, and science.
Online self-guided learning
Teach your kids how to search online to find answers to their many questions. Show them how to use online encyclopedias and reputable websites and videos to find information.
Presentations
Have your child give a presentation to you, a family member, or friend on what they learned. Presentations are a great way to help kids summarize their studies. They can just talk about it or also show pictures and other visuals for their presentation. Click on this presentation checklist.
Current Events
Read news online for kids such as Scholastic News Online, Time for Kids, Youngzine, or DOGO News or watch CNN 10 on the internet which is a 10 min news broadcast for kids.
Build Confidence
Help your child have confidence in their learning. Tell your child regularly "you are a learner" and "you are making progress."
Important skills
Teach children skills like research skills, communication skills, and technical skills to prepare them for the future.
Writing skills
Writing, like any other skill, is something that has to be worked on over time with plenty of opportunities for practice. Click here for homeschool tips to build writing skills. There are four main types of writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative. Each type is used for a specific purpose. Click here to learn and practice different types of writing.
Read
Take time to read. Pick a book, magazine, or online publication to read something fun, interesting, or educational. Reading has the power to entertain, teach, inspire, and comfort.
Word Search
You can create a word search online using a Discovery Education's puzzlemaker. This can be used for vocabulary words, spelling words, science terms, words for social studies, or foreign language words.
Cursive Writing
You can learn to write in cursive. Practice cursive writing.
