Homeschooling. It’s a word that has been used with much higher frequency in the past month, but the practice of homeschooling has proven to be a difficult adjustment for the unprepared. While homeschooling has its challenges, it can also be a very rewarding experience. Here are a few tips when homeschooling that should help to bring about some good results.

#1 Create a Clear Direction
It’s important to remember that most children are not familiar with being self-disciplined. They’re in the habit of being told what to do, and when to do it. Homeschooling doesn’t always quite offer those finite lines of boundary.

Having the materials ready for the child and giving them a clear explanation of what work to do and what you expect should come from it is a good way to help them understand what they are being asked to do. There is a significant amount of information available online through the schools right now, and asking a child to sift through it all can be overwhelming and frustrating. Taking the time to sift through the material ahead of time and outlining specifics will go a long way in assisting them in a tangible way.

#2 Consistency
School begins promptly at a specific time, and concludes at the same time each day. Rewards and punishments are doled out in line with the student’s ability to comply with these time constraints. It is a good idea to expect a child to set aside the same amount of time each day for studies, and it helps to reinforce this expectation with a reward or punishment based on their adherence to these constraints.

Keeping a regular schedule sets an expectation that the child can learn to rely on, and helps establish a pattern that is easily adjusted to with time and repetition. Try and avoid being too harsh, or too relaxed, with these constraints, though. The rule of thumb is to reward responsibility and place restrictions on fun activities (such as video games or screen time) for non-compliance.

It’s important to give the child plenty of breathing room to begin with, and little by little, to expect to see improvement. Celebrating small steps can go a long way towards establishing consistent habits if the child feels the goals are realistic and reasonable.

#3 Take Advantage of the Liberty
Taking advantage of this time when teachers are not actually grading the materials that they are providing the children can be crucial, and an integral part of their academic achievement. Since there are no “official” penalties for getting an answer incorrect, making mistakes should be something they aren’t afraid of. Teach them that part of learning is making mistakes and that making a mistake is not a reflection of our capabilities, but rather simply a compass for our current understanding.

While achieving good grades is an honorable goal, having this time to make mistakes without penalty should encourage children to not worry about making more of them, to ask more questions without fear and to learn more without the stigma of a ticking clock in the background.

Encouraging children to embrace learning in a loving home environment can help them to understand that it’s not always so scary, and can actually be fun.

Ultimately, getting them working, not just with a quantity of time, but with a quality that exceeds the levels a typical school routine’s structure can offer, can help some students overcome obstacles that they otherwise would struggle against. Additionally, providing a relaxed structure can reinforce this idea. For example, one day a week replace their English lesson with a different assignment. Challenge them to write an essay for a free writing contest (you’ve discovered ahead of time for them) online. It will help fine-tune their creative writing skills, offer some insight as to their level of writing (which you can help them polish up, as well as use the opportunity to correct their mistakes while teaching them why these corrections make the paper better) and will build their self-confidence.

I encourage every single person (not just parents) out there to check out Khan Academy. It is the single most helpful tool I’ve found, and can teach not only children, but also adults, just about anything they need to learn. There are helpful videos, practice tests and chapter and unit tests available, and Khan Academy offers learning for all levels, from kindergarten to advanced college courses.

The Smithsonian offers an array of distance learning courses and materials, and National Geographic offers classroom resources and information on nature, geography, social studies and adventure in a fresh and interesting way.

I also encourage parents to undertake fun activities of exploration together. Go on Google Earth together and take turns investigating different areas of the world. See the sights, browse the streets, witness the oddities and discover the wonders that the Earth has to offer.

Additionally, there are heaps of free writing contests online every month. Some contests award small gift cards and free publication, while others offer scholarships. Either way, many are free! And creative writing is a fun way to help your child explore their imagination, while simultaneously (and inadvertently) getting them involved in grammar, spelling, sentence structure and usage.

Now is the perfect time to experiment with educating children and attempting to direct them. The responsibility falls to parents, but they are not without help and support. An entire community of parents are in the same boat. Additionally, teachers are still available to help out.

Children don’t need to get their way until they’ve earned it. But they need your time. They need your example. They need to know that you are doing this because you care. It’s not a punishment, it’s a discipline. They need to know the difference.

Homeschooling may have taken some families in the community by surprise, but perhaps, some may find a few positive surprises along the way.