What about the tips for academics??

Up until now it may seem that most of my tips do not have any academic tips.  Where are the lessons in mathematics, language arts, history, and science? So, a couple of things here: 1) if we are not in a place of feeling secure and safe with minimal anxiety, learning cannot take place. Our brains and bodies are in survival mode. The tips that I have set forth up until now are to create some structure and minimize anxiety so that learning can take place.  These skills are also important not just during these uncertain times but also for all the uncertain times that life will bring us and our children. 2) I am a big advocate of interdisciplinary education. That is to say that a lesson or activity we do with our children can cover a variety of skills whether academic, social, organizational, etc. As we move into the coming days, I will be offering ideas on how to do this and try to still keep things fun.

Tip #8 Interdisciplinary Education 

It is no surprise that if we learn a skill through something that we enjoy then that learning will take place faster and we will be able to integrate it into our brains better.  Why? Because we are accessing various parts of the brain at one time. For example, if you are reading a book to your child, then after that you have them draw a picture, create a collage, or make a model of their favorite part then talk about what they have made, then you have engaged language, organization, problem solving, fine motor, presentation skills and several others I’m sure I can’t even think of.  You are also using auditory, kinesthetic, visual and verbal learning styles. While you may have been frustrated at some point with that project assigned by one of your child’s teachers, you now know why they have assigned it. It also has the child engage in learning at home as well as at school. It is the home-school connection that many educators talk about. For now, it seems that the tables are reversed. Much of education will be happening at home and then the communication will need to happen with the teachers.  Be careful, at the end of all of this, your child’s teacher just may ask YOU for a progress report.