Kiddipedia
As parents across the nation juggle work and home life, re-framing education expectations is an important step in the current time of uncertainty
With parents across the nation keeping their children at home due to the COVID-19 crisis – supporting their child’s education and learning has been a big topic of discussion recently.
With this change in the daily school routine, many parents have said they are feeling the pressure of having to be the ‘teacher’ with learning moving from the classroom to the living room – and it’s left them feeling overwhelmed.
But in support of parents not having to feel overwhelmed, Early Childhood teacher and dad, Brent Hughes at Matific, says “It’s important for parents to not put a lot of pressure on themselves but instead, keep focused on their children at home being inspired and engaged, particularly with maths, through gamification.”
Matific, a fun and interactive curriculum-based learning solution used by thousands of teachers worldwide, provides parents an engaging experience during a time of uncertainty and anxiety.
“At this time, many parents choosing to keep their children home may be worried about how to navigate their child’s educational needs. But we are encouraging parents to embrace learning, not fear it,” said Brent.
As a dad going through the same situation at home, Brent has shared top tips for parents as they navigate the new school world:
Tip 1: Help your children maintain routine
In times of change, keep a familiar routine. Children respond well to routine and it will support you navigate distance learning together. Create a schedule that your child can look to for guidance on how their day will be structured.
Tip 2: Incorporate individual play into your day
Keep in mind it’s important to have some fun, everyday. Perhaps the time to incorporate indoor or backyard play, would be to follow the school structure of recess and lunch.
Tip 3: Turn screen time into learning time
If your children have an allocated amount of time that they are allowed to be on screens, why not encourage them to play some of the Matific games?
Tip 4: Project based learning
Instead of looking at lesson-based learning, perhaps encourage children at home to take on projects. Projects will give you more time to fulfill tasks on your own agenda and help to keep children engaged and occupied. Long projects that might take a full day or a few days to complete and are a great way to help them plan their thinking and stay focused on tasks for long periods of time. For younger children, you might have to break the big project into smaller pieces to help keep their concentration.
Tip 5: Stay active
Kids Health recommends that kids get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity a day. As we are self-isolating and children aren’t participating in extracurricular activities, why not have some fun through dance and music and keep a similar routine to their school sports schedule.
Tip 6: Ease Anxiety
Parents can help their children’s anxiety through regular conversation about school work and doing the best they can at home. By offering support and reminding them that teachers are still available to answer questions, parents can ensure their children aren’t overwhelmed by the changes.
Matific, accessible both online and offline, is a math solution for students in cities or regional areas. With children more equipped with technology than ever before, with 91% of connected households having a desktop or laptop and 66% with tablets1, maths can be a fun, shared experience between parent and child.
For more information, visit www.matificgalaxy.com
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