Distance Learning. There is so much talk in the news and in social media right now about home education. Parents are trying to keep up, kids are either loving or hating it, and teachers are doing their best. There are comments about how people are ‘new homeschoolers’ and how families have put on their ‘homeschooling hats’. Many parents are saying “I could never do this homeschool-thing full time’. Even highly effective teachers are struggling to keep their own kids on track with distance learning.
The collective public seems to be in awe at longtime homeschoolers and are wondering how we do this on a regular basis.
Spoiler alert – we don’t!
The homeschooling community is sitting over here on the sidelines at a socially acceptable distance, ready to scream behind our face masks. And we are losing our minds!
We, as homeschoolers, are definitely not used to this ‘new normal’ and this is NOT typical homeschooling as we know it.
Distance learning is so different at its core than homeschooling. There is little choice right now for parents or students.
Most homeschoolers rely on going out. Out of the house. Out to libraries, field trips, museums, classes, clubs, meet-ups, sports practices, playgrounds, zoos, and of course trampoline parks. We are used to being with other kids, other families, and chatting with other parents. We teach classes together, host events, volunteer, and go to the parks. We are a highly social group and this quarantined, forced stay-at-home life has thrown us all for a loop!
Also as homeschoolers, we have lots of choices in what, where, how, and when to educate our children. Homeschooling really is about freedom. We can choose our own curriculum. We can choose how to present topics based on how our kids learn best. We go at their own pace, and we learn together about things they are interested in. We certainly are not required to learn at home or on a laptop.
It is uncertain what the next school year will bring, or where any of us will be learning.
But here’s hoping to open libraries!
Marcia Sirois
ENRICHri PR Director