5 Ways to Eliminate Homeschool Distractions

September 12, 2017
Written by:
Guest Author
Newsworthy

 

Little black girl learning to read learning the alphabet

5 Ways to Eliminate Homeschool Distractions—For You and Your Child

This is a guest blog post from UniversityTutor.com

 

You’ve already taken the most important step—you’ve decided that you wish to educate your student at home, rather than at a traditional brick-and-mortar school. Once you’ve come to this conclusion, however, there are many smaller decisions that must be made, such as which curriculum to use and where in your home to create a classroom. Another aspect to consider is how to eliminate distractions for you and your child, as they will inevitably arise. Here are five suggestions:

  1. Gather your materials in advance

One of the largest homeschool distractions is when you or your student must leave the room to find another school item. Perhaps you’ve left a textbook in the kitchen, or your child has forgotten his or her calculator in his or her bedroom. This distraction can be eliminated by thoroughly preparing for each school day the evening before. In addition to writing a lesson plan, consider what you will need to carry out that lesson plan, and ensure that all of your materials are in your classroom.

  1. Adhere to a schedule

In addition to a lesson plan, a schedule is essential to staying on task throughout an entire school day. If you have not yet created a daily schedule, do so as soon as possible. Homeschooling may seem like a more casual arrangement, which may prompt you or your student to feel as though you can accomplish tasks on your own time as long as they are completed, but try to avoid this impulse. Children thrive with structure and routine.

  1. Emphasize engagement

If you have multiple students in your home, their greatest distraction may simply be one another. This is why it is so important to ensure that each child is always engaged in a task. This includes students who you are homeschooling, as well as children who may be too young for school just yet.

  1. Eliminate background noise

Homes are full of noises from a variety of sources. Before you begin your lesson, have everyone turn off their mobile phones, including yourself. You may also need to strictly enforce rules that disallow younger children from watching television or playing on the computer. Even if your student is able to do classwork in front of the television, remind him or her that homeschool is still school, and it should be treated as such.

  1. Keep snacks on hand

Hunger can be extremely distracting for you and your child, and a lesson paused for food can quickly become derailed. So, ensure that you have any snacks that you or your student might need in the home classroom in an easily accessible location. Consider designating periodic snack times throughout the day so your child isn’t thinking about a rumbling stomach instead of a math problem.

There may be other distractions in your household that you also need to eliminate. If so, set aside time to brainstorm ways that you can avoid them. If your student is older, he or she may even be able to help you with this task.

 

Catherine Martin is a contributing writer for UniversityTutor.com, a global marketplace for finding independent tutors.

 

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