8 Education & schooling


15 FEBRUARY 2021 FAMILY VALUES — AN ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE IN 1 Supercharge your routine


“Children get the most out of homeschooling when parents decide when and what they should be studying,” says Greg Smith, head of operations at Oxford Home Schooling (oxfordhomeschooling. co.uk). “Most children aren’t able to concentrate for long periods of time, whatever the learning environment. Te average lesson is filled with interruptions and the real ‘work’ may be condensed into 10 minutes. Te same is true at home.” He says the most effective


routines combine a timetable for subjects with clear study objectives. “Tis way, children will find it much easier to stay focused, engaged and make progress.”


2 Don’t multitask


“Sometimes, particularly when there’s a lot of work to be done, it can be difficult to resist the urge to multitask and try to get lots of jobs done at once,” says Greg. “Tis is best avoided though as, in essence, you’re dividing up the amount of brainpower you have available to a given task. Tis means that you and your children may miss out on important bits of information.”


GETTY Teach like a pro


Homeschooling primary school children during the pandemic takes time, patience and some creative thinking. Here are five expert tips for staying on top of the extra load. Words: Faye Bartle


3 Shake up their workspace


“If you’ve been using the same area for home learning for a while and your kids are getting fed up, push the reset button with a change of scenery,” says Charlotte Gater, head of curriculum at Explore Learning (explorelearning.co.uk). “Set their workspaces up in a different part of the house, if possible, or redecorate their set-up with some fun accessories. It may help inspire a change in mindset.”


As the weeks go on, homeschooling may become more difficult for children


4 Keep it interesting


“Your kids require variety now more than ever to help hold their attention and keep up their motivation,” explains Charlotte. “When swotting up on topics, a new voice or approach can break up the learning process and give your child a fresh perspective. If you feel stuck in a rut, look for age-appropriate plays to stream, educational documentaries to watch or simply go on a nature walk.” Greg agrees and says: “Sites like


BBC Bitesize and Geography Games are great for delivering educational content in a fun, engaging way.”


5 Take five and repeat


“As the weeks go on, homeschooling may become more difficult for children, so accept that your formal learning time may become shorter and their playtime and snack breaks may need to be longer and more frequent,” says Charlotte. “Regular snack breaks will also keep their energy levels up. It can help to get active for five minutes with some star jumps or freestyle dance. Even if you end up with slightly less lesson time overall as a result, the time your children do spend learning is likely to be of a better quality, as they’ll be less restless.”


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