Parents share home schooling survival tips on Twitter amid coronavirus lockdown
Don't panic. Set a schedule. Allow time for indoor roller skating parties.
Kids across the US are now being schooled at home, and that's a big adjustment for many parents.
The global spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease that the novel coronavirus causes, has pushed many communities into lockdown. In the US, Monday is the day of reckoning for many families dealing with the widespread closure of schools in states including Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Mexico. This means the start of a new adventure in education: home schooling.
Parents are taking to Twitter to share their triumphs and trials as they attempt to transform these stay-at-home days into productive academic time. It's not going smoothly for everyone, as accompanying hashtags like #imexhausted and #coronapocalypse suggest.
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One of the hottest tips floating around Twitter is to set a home schooling schedule to provide structure for each day.
Creative director Scott Duvall shared his kids' schedule, which starts with breakfast and getting dressed and ends in the late afternoon with free time when computers are allowed. Academics, a workout and creative/quiet time are in the middle.
Just told the kids school starts in 10 minutes (new normal). BTW, they’re now referring to me as their PE teacher instead of Dad 💪
— Scott Duvall (@JawaviFilms) March 16, 2020
I’m okay with that.#SocialDistancing #homeschooling pic.twitter.com/znHjxDo3UL
Sports talk radio host Josh Beard made a valiant effort to design an intensive schedule of video game tutorials, including Pokemon tournaments and how not to be bad at flanking in Overwatch. "My wife refuses to teach or let me teach any of this," he reported.
I started building out my kids' homeschooling schedule last night and my wife refuses to teach or let me teach any of this. This is 🐂💩 #homeschooling #esports pic.twitter.com/NYWkC7Jt4O
— Josh Beard (@JoshBeardRadio) March 16, 2020
Despite planning and good intentions, some parents are simply embracing the chaos. "We went from 'home-schooling' to a roller skating party real quick," tweeted Cory Childs, a father of three kids.
We went from “home-schooling” to a roller skating party real quick. #homeschooling pic.twitter.com/W36hZMG65O
— Cory Childs (@corychilds07) March 16, 2020
Some parents are turning scheduling duties over to their children, with some pretty sweet results. Anthropologist Kristin Krueger's kindergartner designed a day full of reading, math, lunch and an unspecified field trip.
My kindergarten kid made her school schedule for today. She is so my kid. #COVID19 #homeschooling pic.twitter.com/qgZIhnodws
— Kristin L. Krueger (@kristinlkrueger) March 15, 2020
A little levity is helping a lot of parents stay sane as they work out lesson plans and try to keep their kids' learning on track. One parent shared the perfect sweaty Jordan Peele meme for anyone trying to remember how to do math so they can teach it to their kids.
Day 1 with a 6th grader and 4th grader and I need google to help them with their Math 😰😬 #homeschooling pic.twitter.com/lWWLWQlGDX
— sjb_xo_eb (@bolanos_lucero) March 16, 2020
A parent of an "angsty teen" is considering assigning book reports on Netflix movies and shows.
#homeschooling day 1:
— Cassimistic (@cassimistic) March 16, 2020
I've taught my daughter to put my shampoo back in MY bathroom.
15 yo daughter said "I don't even know what day it is anymore."
I'm thinking of having her do book reports on Netflix movies & shows.
Wonder what other parents of angsty teens are doing.
A dad turned his youngster's interest in bananas and ducks into the world's cutest TED Talk.
"All things that are yellow are either a banana or a duck, nothing else. Good morning, my name is Alta and welcome to my TED Talk. "#dadlife#homeschooling pic.twitter.com/3Wsr1YziHl
— Robin + The Noodle (@rweinburgh) March 16, 2020
Some clever parents are inventing entirely new courses, like "Honors Laundry," "AP Vacuuming" and "Cat Litter Box Cleaning and Fine Scooping Skills 101."
Our homeschooling curriculum includes: Honors Laundry and AP Vaccumming.
— The Next Martha (@TheNextMartha) March 16, 2020
Cat Litter Box Cleaning and Fine Scooping Skills 101 over here. #Homeschooling #StayHomeSaveLives #StayTheFHome #freelabor https://t.co/4aoEVWt09Y
— fidgety cricket. (@fidgety_cricket) March 16, 2020
Another theme has emerged during this homeschooling surge: Teachers are important. Some parents are taking time to express extra appreciation for school teachers.
"I'm about to hit the streets demanding teachers be paid a million dollars a year," one parent tweeted after making it through just 47 minutes of home schooling while also juggling a work-from-home job.
47 minutes into homeschooling my child while working from home, and I’m about to hit the streets demanding teachers be paid a million dollars a year 😣. #coronavirus #Lockdownaustralia #WorkFromHome #Homeschooling #CoronaOutbreak #COVIDー19 #remoteworking pic.twitter.com/ur4mOy4ACe
— Lauren (@lozf85) March 15, 2020
I'm not cut out for #homeschooling.
— Karen F (@riceboilsover) March 16, 2020
So much respect to all you teachers out there.
There's a lot of ipad time going on here. We did have a dance party to Chaka Khan and Thelonious Monk music though, so there's that. #CoronavirusDiary
Parents aren't all alone when it comes to thinking up educational content for their kids. Scholastic is offering free online resources and activities. NASA's Kids' Club has space games and learning modules for the younger crowd. The European Space Agency started a Twitter thread linking to cartoons and other activities related to space science.
Looking for content to entertain the kids while schools are closed? Here's a series of cartoons & other activities about the research performed with our space science missions, investigating planets & other celestial bodies in our Solar System and beyond #stayinghome #kidsathome pic.twitter.com/kLk9jEZfNU
— ESA Science (@esascience) March 16, 2020
TED Talks tweeted a reminder about its free educational videos.
Students and parents, we thought it might be helpful to share that our FREE website (https://t.co/4RGoWTjtqN) offers video-based lessons organized by subject. We are here to support you and your family during this challenging time.
— TED Talks (@TEDTalks) March 15, 2020
PBS is highlighting its PBS Kids and PBS Learning Media resources.
The move to home schooling won't be easy for many, but a bit of humor should help parents survive the transition. Molly McNearney, co-head writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live and wife of the late-night TV host, distilled the situation down into a brief summary: "Quarantine without kids = staycation. Quarantine with kids = hostage situation."
Quarantine without kids = staycation Quarantine with kids = hostage situation
— Molly McNearney (@mollymcnearney) March 15, 2020
For more information on coronavirus and COVID-19, check out CNET's guide.
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