The Stay-at-Homeschooling Mom Podcast
Education
Teaching our children to set priorities, complete assignments on time, and achieve their goals are essential life skills we must teach them. After all, no child is born knowing how to manage their time effectively.
Ginny and Mary Ellen discuss why mastering these skills can be challenging for homeschoolers. But, as expected, our hosts have a plentitude of practical solutions, literally dozens of methods, to teach homeschoolers time management skills for success in school and later, as adults.
Teaching Homeschoolers the Secrets of Time Management
Parental Guidance Required
Completing assignments on schedule, submitting applications and other paperwork on time and in a professional manner, and setting priorities and goals are all life skills that need to be taught. No child is born knowing how to manage their time effectively, so the only way they are going to learn these essential skills is for you, their parent, to teach them.
The Parent is the Model
That means, to a certain degree, you must model this behavior. If you are always running around with your hair on fire, trying at the last minute to get the "thing" done on time, then it is unlikely that your students will learn to plan well.
Getting Our Students Organized and Focused
1. You must set clear goals with reasonable deadlines.
a. What is your child expected to accomplish this week, month, or year?
b. What are the consequences of missing the goal?
2. Prioritize – You have to teach the importance of prioritizing tasks based on deadlines and importance.
a. Work with your student to create a plan that includes school, work, extracurriculars, study, rest, and relaxation time.
b. Work should come before play, and the schedule should be flexible enough to rearrange according to different needs and seasons.
Digital - myHomework app, Microsoft's To Do or OneNote apps, MyTask app, Evernote.
Paper - (linked below). Make some system available to your student and show them how to use it. It will be invaluable in college.
a. No screens, music playing, or texting when working.
b. It's a good idea to have a cell phone basket.
c. Background music with NO LYRICS.
d. Debussy piano etudes can be calming.
a. Where did the schedule work?
b. Where didn't the schedule work?
Some Practical Advice
· Mom needs to keep an eye on younger kids and know if they are falling behind.
· When students start reading longer books and writing essays, they often benefit from fewer sibling distractions.
· They can, however, be easily distracted from the task at hand.
· Mom needs to have a daily appointment with each high school student.
More Practical Advice
· When they finish today's assignment, do not exit it. Minimize so mom can ensure that progress is being made. She can add notes/suggestions in red or blue.
· Make sure math and foreign language have been corrected.
· Set clear expectations for tomorrow's work.
A Final Note - Accountability
· There have to be consequences for missed deadlines and unfinished assignments.
· Important - Mom must not swoop in and save the day.
· Students must learn to be accountable and face the consequences of not finishing tasks.
· It is better to suffer little problems now than BIG ones later.
Physical Planners
Inexpensive Student Planner
Seton High School Planner
Seton Teacher Planner
Catholic Daily Planner
Donna Young - requires a subscription
Blue Sky Academic Planner
Blue Sky Teacher Planner
Erin Condren Planners
Digital Planners
My Homework App (the free version is plenty)
Evernote (better for organizing)
Microsoft To Do
My Task
How to Build Up Your Child’s Self-Confidence (without creating an egomaniac)
To Learn Online or Not – That's the Question
Answering the Nursing Call to Duty with Dr. Maura Wenzel
The Remarkable and Increasing Value of a Liberal Arts Education - Interview w/ Michael Yost
Let's All Keep Chickens! - Interview w/ Dalia Monterroso
How to Homeschool and Not Lose Your Mind (PART II)
How to Homeschool and Not Lose Your Mind (PART I)
Five Things You Should Know About Homeschooling a Child with Special Needs (And a Big Announcement About the Podcast)
Super J and the Power of Love
Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, STD - Spiritual Direction for the Homeschooling Mom
Teaching music in the home (for the non-musical mom)
Exploring the Lives of the Saints in Our Homeschools
Emily Malloy, Theology of Home IV: Arranging the Seasons
Expand Your Studies with the Fun Stuff
Homeschool Roadblocks: What to Do When You Are Drowning
Roadblocks to Homeschooling: The S word - Socialization
Fr. Ken Geraci - Spiritual Warfare and Divine Mercy
Unbreakable, Saints Who Inspired Saints to Moral Courage - by Kimberly Begg
Homeschooling’s Flexibility - Providing Stability in Changing Times - Interview with Arlena Brown
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