A PARENT'S GUIDE TO LESSON PLANNING

For many parents the switch to homeschooling has been an unexpected twist mired in confusion as teachers have sent home packages of worksheets and links to online activities that their children are expected to complete, without providing explanations for how parents should teach their children and guide their learning. While the past three months may have been survivable, there is a very real chance that the next school year may start out the same way (and perhaps continue online indefinitely) and then the question becomes: how can you as a parent transform yourself into a teacher capable of delivering well-thought-out and meaningful lessons so that you aren’t simply handing your child busy work? Though it may sound daunting, by following the simple steps below, it can be done!

Step 1: Prepare for the Week

Before planning for the week it’s always helpful to review the materials and links that have been sent home first; in this way you can ensure that you are familiar with what your child is expected to learn and can allot time accordingly. For instance, your child may be expected to hand in a research project by the end of the week and in seeing as this will be a fairly large task, one could break it down in smaller sections to be completed each day. Additionally, in going over the assignments beforehand you can also ensure that each day has a balance of different subject areas – for instance, one math activity per day, one reading task per day, etc. While it may be difficult for younger children to assist with planning for the week, you may wish to consider involving older children with the scheduling of their assignments.

Step 2: Ask the Teacher for Clarifications

While going through the assignments for the week, you may wish to take the time to note any questions you might have so that you can ask the teacher for guidance before being faced with the challenge of helping your child through an activity you are uncertain of because there is nothing more frustrating than your child having difficulties and you not knowing how to help them.

Step 3: Introduce Assignments

Often times a teacher will simply provide you with a list of assignments for your child to complete, and as a parent you assume your child will be able to dive right in and finish them without assistance. The issue is that at school whenever an assignment is given, the teacher usually warms the students up first with some lead-in questions, a brainstorming session or a quick review of skills needed to complete the task so that when they set down to work they understand the expectations and are clear on what to do. To help your child at home, you can plan to do the same and include a 5-minute warm-up before they begin each task, which can include any of the following:

• Asking questions to see what your child already knows about the topic and/or what they are interested in learning.
  
• Brainstorming a list of ideas of what to write before your child sets down to work on a writing activity.
• Reading through the questions with your child before they begin working to make sure they understand what is being asked.
• Reviewing skills needed to complete the task, for example, if it is a math activity on multiplication, make up a few questions for your child to solve with you beforehand as practice.
  

Step 4: Go Over Objectives

If your teacher hasn’t provided you with a set of expectations for the assignment, it’s a good idea to ask them for a copy of the rubric they will be using to evaluate your child. While this isn’t necessary for a worksheet where answers are either right or wrong, it’s helpful for you to know how your child will be marked on a writing assignment or project so that you can remind them of expectations before they begin to work. For example, when assigning a written task, a teacher may be looking for correct punctuation, that a certain number of sentences to be included in the story, for the accompanying pictures to be coloured, and so on.

Step 5: Conclude Assignments

For every assignment your child completes, it’s always nice to offer a conclusion of sorts as it gives them a chance to reflect on their work and their new learnings. Concluding a lesson doesn’t have to be a lengthy affair, 5 minutes will suffice and can be as simple as any of the following ideas:

• Asking your child what they think they did well on and areas for improvement.
  
• Asking your child what their favorite part of the assignment was.
• Asking your child what they learned.
• Providing a follow-up question or questions for your child to apply their new-found knowledge.
  

And there you have it! By applying these simple steps to your homeschooling routines, busy work can be turned into meaningful lessons as you and your child go forth on a learning journey together!

Are there any other tips you would like to share? We’d love to hear them!

Further Reading

Teaching Your Child to Read Without a Struggle
Improving Your Child's Writing Skills
Improving Your Child's Speaking & Listening Skills
Improving Your Child's Reading Skills
Helping Your Child Learn a Foreign Language