Starting school is never an easy activity to jump back into after a summer break. It is especially daunting to start school for the first time. How do we make sure that our children have the right mindset for school?
MINDSET:
Imagine trying to learn something new with a defeated and pessimistic attitude. It sounds like a recipe for success, right? Children often have an optimistic attitude when they begin school. They are excited about all the possibilities and the newness of it all. But over time, they often begin to feel anxious and dread going to school. Sometimes they are bored, or overwhelmed by the way information is being presented. When teaching your own children, you have a great advantage because you can pre-teach what kind of mindset they should have about certain subjects. Your child will often pick up on your attitude about certain topics. Try to have an enthusiastic attitude when teaching anything. If you dreaded history because you felt that it was boring, try making it interesting by going to museums and studying artifacts and videos. Read stories about the people and focus less on memorizing dates and facts. As a parent, you have the opportunity to seek the good and the importance in each lesson. If you have children in public school, talk with your children about their mindset and encourage discussion to help determine what might not be going as well for them at school. Discussion may be key to figuring out a better solution.
EXPECTATIONS:
We all thrive on unpredictability and ambiguity. Oops, I mean the opposite. Children especially need to have a set schedule where they know what to expect. Interestingly enough, children are much more likely to be more self-motivated when they know what to expect. They realize that we always do school Monday – Friday and there is much less resistance. Children thrive on predictability in the classroom and need good boundaries. It can be a bit more challenging to set up good boundaries and rules for the classroom as a homeschool. At the same time, you are instilling good values into your children and expectations all the time, so it may be easier in the long run. Every classroom teacher knows the importance of maintaining a fixed schedule and clear expectations for her classroom. At the beginning of the school year, each teacher will practice with her students how to line up, how to sit still, how to raise their hand before talking, etc. Even after years of doing it, students need this explicit and guided practice to ensure that they understand what is expected of them, and that chaos does not ensue.
ROUTINE:
As a follow up, even as a homeschool, it is important to practice routines. The more routines you have in your day, the less resistance you will have from your children to complete work. And you will have smoother transitions. If you expect your child to complete two pages of math practice every day no matter what kind of weather is outside or movie is on television, your child will learn to expect and follow through with this. If you are using a multi-purpose room, think about how you instill a cleaning routine with your children. In the homeschool area, schedule a time for each subject with some breaks in between to keep your children’s minds at their best. Ensure that they do get breaks, but think about how long you want them to be up and about, and what kinds of activities. If your child can get some exercise during those breaks, then their brains will be functioning best. Opt not to do as many stationary or sedentary tasks during breaks, so that they have time to move and get some energy out. Also, think about low resistance tasks for breaks. It might not be ideal to have your child watch a TV series or get out video games during a 15 minute break, as it may be hard to pull them back into work after that. Also, utilize visual timers or timers in general. Give your child a five minute warning, and then remind them to come back to their table or desk as soon as the timer is off. Remember to give consequences if rules are not followed to reinforce your expectations, as well. All good teachers need to give a student a minute off from recess from time to time. If something else works better, then do that.
UNIFORM:
This may conjure up images of children in a tie and suit. Rest assured, there is no need for this kind of extreme dress code. Think about doing work in your pajamas, though. Does this foster an image of productivity and discipline? Perhaps for some. Many people are not that way. I know I am very unproductive when I spend an entire day in my pajamas or bathrobe. It makes me lethargic and unmotivated. Perhaps you can get away with this, but assume your children cannot. Help them get into the mindset of going to school (even if it is in the kitchen or dining room) by selecting clothing that is comfortable, but conducive to doing school. What we wear does often matter.
SCHOOL ROOM:
I know we can learn from anywhere. This is the joy and benefit that we receive from having the mindset of a lifelong learner. Our children cannot learn from anywhere, though. They have yet to learn this skill. Set aside a table or room that you can devote to school work. If you select a place with high distractions (i.e. the living room or game room) assume that children will be less motivated and distractible. If a child is surrounded by fun games and toys, they may have less motivation to work on schoolwork. Think about removing distractions to minimize resistance to work, and promote the school routine. Design a space that works for your children. If you have a small house or apartment, try finding a dual room that can be used as both a dining room or kitchen and school room. These places may be less distracting than the child’s bedroom (toy distraction) or the living room (TV distraction), etc.
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