How to Tackle Distance Learning Like a Pro

Photo Credit: Katie Koentje, NEAT Method San Diego

Everyone is headed "back to school" but for most kids, that means walking down the hall to the dining table, to report to Mrs. Mom. If you're feeling a little bit overwhelmed about becoming a distance learning teacher overnight, you're not alone! We've compiled tips and tricks from a few experts on the topic to help you tackle distance learning like a pro this school year!

Photo Credit: Andrea Thorpe

Andrea Thorpe was formerly a public school teacher before she began homeschooling her three girls for the past 11 years. She is the founder of African American Homeschooling Moms and makes us believe that this distance learning thing is completely doable! Here are her top three tips to make this year a success:

Clean up at the end of each school day.

Putting away school supplies and learning materials helps mark the official end of the school day and allows children to smoothly transition into the next part of their day. When parents and children work together to clean up at the end of the day, it ensures that the next school day will feature a fresh, well organized, and neat start.

Prep meals in advance.

Pack lunches and snacks the night before. In the morning, get a head start on dinner by adding ingredients to your slow cooker or pressure cooker. These advance preps will save time and allow you to enjoy stress free meals with your family. 

Designate check-in times for each child.

Working with multiple children can be a challenge. You want to assist your children, but you do not want to become overwhelmed by multiple school questions throughout the day. Set up a few check-in times during the school day. Encourage your children to hold their questions until their designated check-in time with you.

Our very own, Molly Graves, is not only the co-founder of NEAT Method, but she was previously a kindergarten teacher! She shared some of her distance learning must haves, to keep your materials and supplies organized, whether you have a lot of space or very little. 

Magazine Holder :: Corral items like paper, books you're reading or materials you're still working on in a magazine holder. Use multiple to separate different categories if you have room. 

Shoe Bins :: Lidded shoe bins are perfect for separating individual activities. You can see what is inside and it's easy to tuck them away.

Binder :: A binder is a great solution for organizing distance learning curriculum. 

Timer :: A timer like the one linked here gives kids perspective on how much time is left until school is over. It also keeps everyone on track, which is a total game changer. 

Photo Credit: Cleaner Soul

Parents have a lot on their plates this year, but teaching a little self reliance to your children will go a long way. One study actually showed that household chores given to kids as early as 3 years old helped "to build a lasting sense of mastery, responsibility and self-reliance". 

Take some time to teach younger children to put away toys, school supplies and even wipe down surfaces. With 100% non-toxic and vegan cleaners like Cleaner Soul, you can breathe easy if they accidentally spray themselves in the face! And in case you were wondering, their multi-purpose cleaners also smell amazing. Try eucalyptus scented "Breathe" in your children's workspace to help them focus. 

We hope these tips inspire you to tackle distance learning like a total pro this year. You got this!

xx,

the NEAT team

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