How can I create an effective home-school learning environment and teaching schedule during an extended Covid-19 lockdown?
During the recent primary school closures during the Government mandated national Covid-19 lockdowns, I was forced to adopt the role of full-time teacher for my two primary-school-aged children: a ten-year old boy and an eight-year-old girl.
Being very aware of the potential for a significant interruption in learning and progress that this situation presented, it was immediately apparent to me I needed to establish a home learning environment that would provide my children with as much learning continuity, stability and structure as possible.
As well as the inherent difficulties, I realised that the situation also presented me with positive opportunities to tailor my children’s education in ways that are, perhaps, impossible in their normal school environment. The lockdowns presented me with a unique and valuable opportunity to not only sustain and progress my children’s education but also to develop and analyse my effectiveness.
To help structure my efforts, I have identified the following goals:
1) I need to create a suitable learning environment for my children.
2) I need to implement an effective teaching schedule.