Many of us are suddenly finding ourselves homeschooling our kids without any preparation. This can seem like a daunting task. But I hope this post offers some relief.
As a Montessori parent, I understand the ease and value of letting kids choose their own activities. The philosophy of Montessori learning is “freedom within boundaries”. It takes a bit of prep to set those boundaries up, but once in place, the child is able to decide how to spend their time + energy.
My personal plan for this sudden homeschool situation is to use this philosophy. I have three kids at home, all different ages. 2, 7 and 11. They need and enjoy different things. So I have put together a list of activities they can choose from and a general daily schedule for us all to follow.
Below is a list of links for online learning resources. I have compiled them from a few different places. They also include links to virtual field trips, which the kids seem really excited to try. My plan is to set a time for them to sit at the computer and choose anything from this list.
I have also put together a printable version of the schedule and activities list I created for the kids. You can access that here.
This is an unprecedented time in human history. You are not alone in feeling scared and confused. But we are all coming together to make sense of this thing and everyone is a resource. If there is anything you need help with, please don’t hesitate to reach out. If it’s not something I can help with, I’m sure I can help you find someone who can.
And if you are suddenly working from home for the first time, you can click here to read my post on tips to make working from home easier and more productive. I have links to a lot of resources there.
Links to FREE Online Learning Sites + Resources
If you have anything to add to this list, please let me know. I will be updating it as I get more resources.
WOW! This list of online resources is impressive! I have personally had my students use i-Ready, Scholastic, Nearpod, Newsela, discovery education, and Class Dojo. I would recommend Coolmath.com or Coolmath4kids.com. My students are OBSESSED. Thanks for the virtual field trip link, I will be using this with my 1st graders during this time we are out of the classroom.