How To Find Time to Homeschool During the Holidays
During late November and December, it can be difficult to home school your children.Some families decide to follow a traditional schedule and give their kids three or four weeks off school, while others continue to educate their children through the holidays.It can be difficult since the holidays demand a lot of your time and attention.If you relax your schedule and look for new ways to combine school and holiday activities, you can continue to teach during the holidays.
Step 1: It is possible to create a flexible school schedule.
You may need to be more flexible during the holidays depending on how you schedule your children's education.If you interrupt the school day for a holiday activity, such as decorating the Christmas tree or cooking Thanksgiving dinner, then ask the kids to finish their homework later in the day.It is possible to ask your children to complete reading-based homework in the car while you are on the way to visit friends or relatives.If you are going to host a holiday party later in the day, you should let the kids know that they need to finish their school work before the party.
Step 2: Kids should be given a few days off.
It is not realistic to expect your children to finish their schoolwork every day during the holidays.If you give your children a few days off from school, you will be able to relax and give them some fun days to look forward to.The kids will have a few days off over the holidays, so make them aware.
Step 3: Take field trips.
It is acceptable to include field trips in your curriculum during the holidays.Adding elements of fun to education during the holidays will help you and your kids get out of the house.Children can go to local art, history, and natural history museums.When public schools are not in session, locations may be crowded with other children and families.You can also plan educational field trips around your holiday travels.When cutting a Christmas tree, children can learn about tree identification.
Step 4: It's time to let go of your usual schedule.
The holidays are a busy time for many families who find their time consumed with travel, cooking, purchasing gifts, decorating the house, church obligations, and visits to and from family and friends.It is not likely that you will be able to keep up with your usual schedule over the holidays.Pick two or three mandatory subjects that your kids will continue to study, and let the others go until January.If you focus on the necessary subjects and relax your schedule, you and your children will be able to enjoy family time without worrying about meeting school deadlines.
Step 5: It is possible to blend education and fun.
During the holidays, you can introduce more fun, relaxing educational elements to your curriculum.Children can help with holiday decorating.Kids can help with family budgeting and make decorative crafts, which can be counted as an art class in children's school.Children should be encouraged to listen to Christmas recordings and watch Christmas films.Give your children holiday-themed music if they play instruments.
Step 6: There are educational videos that you can take advantage of.
If you don't have time over the holidays to plan detailed lessons for your children, or to grade their assignments, opt for less intensive educational methods, including videos.Your children will probably be able to find a few holiday-themed educational films online as well as tailor their video selection to their own interests.Historical dramas and nature shows are some of the educational videos offered by online providers.Race, Free State of Jones, and Planet Earth are some of the films and shows your children could watch.
Step 7: You can include educational holidays activities in your school.
Most children in public school have this time off from school during the holidays, so it's okay to leave from book-based education and conventional subjects.The educational aspects of the activities you are already doing for the holidays should be viewed as learning opportunities for your children.Younger children will have more to learn from daily activities, so this will work better with them.Children and teens will need to stick to their textbooks.
Step 8: Teaching math with food.
Since you and your children will be cooking a lot of holiday meals and dishes, it's a good time to teach math without a textbook.Baking uses many mathematical elements.If you have young children, double or half the amount of flour, sugar, salt, and other ingredients.If you don't want to make double or half of a recipe, ask your kids to work out the solutions on a sheet of paper.
Step 9: You can change your literature and writing assignments during the season.
Many well-known stories, poems and novels deal with Christmas directly, and we have a wealth of literature set during the holidays.Since you and your family will likely be reading these Christmas classics, assigning them to your children will seem more like holiday fun than an educational chore.Christmas literature includes Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Clement Moore's "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and "The Fir Tree" by Hans Christian Andersen.Ask young children to write poems about what they are thankful for, and have older children write more mature, reflective essays or short stories.