Tips for at-home learning

Girl counting beads

Associate Professor, Greg Wetterstrand, shares a few at-home learning tips for parents and guardians.

  1. Check with your child’s school website for learning resources, activities and ideas. Professional educators can provide resources approved by the Ministry to help nurture learning.
  2. Talk to your child to understand what they are interested in. Use these interests as a core around which you can create activities.
  3. Structure learning. We all need structure to help us feel safe and grounded. Have ‘school’ and learning at a regular time each day.
  4. Praise effort – reward achievement.
  5. When possible, try to work on learning activities together.
  6. Pose questions. Asking your child questions about their thoughts encourages thinking.
  7. Find online resources.
  8. Keep activities short – shorter for younger ones – longer for those older.
  9. Take breaks for physical activity – dance to a video, kick a soccer ball.
  10. Help your child to focus with kind encouragement.
  11. Be creative and challenge your child. Make musical instruments from objects in the house; build a rocket; make something out of wood or found objects.
  12. Read to your child and have your child read to you.
  13. Write about what you’re doing by keeping a journal. Or encourage them to do video journals.
  14. Do calculations – find ways to measure, add, subtract, count, divide, and multiply.
  15. Draw, paint or sculpt every day.
  16. Create a puppet show or theatre play.
  17. Devise an experiment, this could include cooking or baking.
  18. Share responsibilities for keeping the house running to help teach life skills.
  19. Hug your child frequently. Talk to them and listen.
  20. Manage your own anxiety. We are all in this together, but this too shall pass.

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