18 Tips for Parents-turned-Teachers

from Wendy Paterson, Buffalo State College

Some helpful advice for parents who are suddenly expected to become teachers, too!

Most of these ideas are aimed at younger children who are a little more challenging to keep engaged and tend to be less self-directed than teens. Older adolescents can manage their own time, but hold them to their plans.

1. Prepare a daily agenda along with your children (give them both structure and some choices). This can be re-written daily, but habits are comforting, so stick to the time intervals as best you can. Teens and Tweens are used to a highly scheduled day. Their class periods usually last 40-50 minutes, but you can count on 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with extensions as needed. Don’t let them go too far without a “walk away” break.
2. Remember that the human adult attention span is only 20 minutes, so schedule different activities in intervals of 20-30 minutes (very like schools).  Teens can last a little longer, but make sure they are actively writing, building, or developing something, and that doesn’t mean Facebook-ing with friends.
3. Include reading and writing as often as you can. Make time to read aloud to and with your children. Read real books, not just textbooks. There are loads of online free children’s book resources. Reading the book is preferable to having them watch in online or on TV. There is something magical about parents reading to children. Older sibs can read to younger ones.
4. Count things, measure things, make things with Legos. Talk numbers. Use items as manipulatives that can be sorted, categorized, added, subtracted, multiplied and divided.  Nothing is more fun that math with Legos! Online resources on that are definitely available. Older students can do some engineering plans for devices they “invent.”
5. Encourage questions, even about COVID-19. Answers don’t have to be clinical, but they should be honest and not intended to make your child fearful. 
6. Keep a journal of your experiences together. Let your child draw or write in his or her journal at the same time you do. You will want a log of these experiences and feelings when this is all over. Some of the best post-war literature began this way (i.e. the Diary of Anne Frank).
7. Make time for art and music!  Color with crayons and sidewalk chalk or paint if you have those resources handy. Sing silly songs and dance to them. Use rhythmic songs. Make up some rap. Use cans and sticks as rhythm instruments. Use scrap paper for origami or compose some colorful notes to mail to seniors. Not a bad time to have older kids paint their rooms (even if they get a little Avant Garde)
8. If you have room or even a little unused space, set up a “play classroom” where your child can have his or her desk and supplies. This is a great place to go every day for the “school” work. Teens should have dedicated space, too. An old table can be a great desk. Make sure there are supplies available (paper, pens, crayons, play doh, etc.).
9. Set aside time to talk to your child or teen.  You can prepare a sort of “trivial pursuit” question base to get you going.  That means time off the cell phone and the laptop for both of you. 
10. Make games out of your reading and studies.  There is nothing more engaging than “Trivial Pursuit.” The game has categories very similar to the subjects most kids study in school. They can make very challenging questions to ask you or to play online with classmates.
11. Try to keep your cool! Tempers run hot when we are frustrated or angry of fearful. Practice mindfulness and try the “count to 10” and walk away practices you might like your children to do as well.
12. Flexibility is ok. Trading off times for work and play is fine as long as the balance stays the same. 
13. For younger children, be sure you build in time to dance and sing and dress up and play store, and play with puppets and stuffed animals. They can even develop and produce their own plays for after dinner entertainment.
14. Don’t be afraid to teach! Just because you don’t know how to teach the Common Core Math doesn’t mean you can’t offer help. Let your children teach you, too.
15. Develop long term projects that let kids explore their curiosities. I call it “Dinosaurs, Dragons and Dreams.”  Real research starts with a question, seeks information and sets up ways to delve into problems or search for answers. Believe it or not, botany, astronomy, zoology, earth science, oceanography, anthropology…ETC! all start with curiosities most freely followed in childhood.
16. Take some time to study a new language together!  There are lots of online resources for that purpose.  Great idea to do WITH your kids.
17. Stay in touch with your children’s school and teachers. They are more than happy to help.
18. Build in time to rest. You need it. They need it.

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