tips for homeschooling during th · wh en it com es to ﬁgurin g out h ow to do sch ool f rom h om...

4/28/2020 WATCH — What’s your homeschooling style? Planner or free spirit? | Video | Kids News

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/watch-whats-your-homeschooling-style-planner-or-free-spirit 1/12

(Philip Street/CBC)

WATCH — What’s

your homeschooling

style? Planner or free

spirit?

Story by Alexia Sabau • CBC Kids News • Published April 9

Tips for homeschooling during thTips for homeschooling during th……

TOPICS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BTFthrbMKM

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/



Expert advice for how to

plan your day

When it comes to figuring out how to do school from home

during the coronavirus outbreak, it’s a bit of a choose-your-

own-adventure story.

Every province and territory seems to have a different plan

in place for helping students.

And advice from the experts is conflicting.

Should you stick to a schedule and the curriculum?

Or go freestyle and only learn what you want, when you

want?

Take a look at these approaches and decide: Which type of

homeschooler are you?

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/watch-can-i-go-outside-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/google-classroom-ratings-reviews-dropped-one-star-coronavirus-kids-homework



The planner

Do you leap out of bed at the same time every morning,

have all your textbooks bookmarked online and a colour-

coded system for keeping track of virtual assignments?

Let’s just call you a planner.

When it comes tohomeschooling, which label

suits you best?

Choose:

The planner

The free spirit

The combo kid

$

$

$



Planners stick to a routine. They’re setting aside a bit of time each

day during the coronavirus outbreak to do their homework. (Eric

Baradat/AFP via Getty Images)

That’s not a bad thing, according to Marina Milner-Bolotin,

an associate professor of science education at the

University of British Columbia.

If you want to keep up with subjects like science and math,

“you have to do it continuously,” she said, so that you don’t

fall behind.

As long as you do a little bit every day, Milner-Bolotin said,

you should have no problem catching up when school

starts again.



She recommends setting aside a certain time each day for

school work.

“When we have a routine, it's much easier,” Milner-Bolotin

said.

The free spirit

Do you start your day with a sleep in, then spend long

hours exploring the backyard or getting experimental in the

kitchen instead of hitting the books?

Let’s call you a free spirit.



Free spirits are taking advantage of this time of physical distancing

to pursue their passions without worrying about following a strict

schedule. (Paul Childs/Reuters)

There’s nothing wrong with pursuing your passions and

building in lots of time during the day to play, said Judy

Arnall, president of the Alberta Homeschooling Association.

And don’t worry about setting an alarm and sticking to a

strict schedule, Arnall said.

“Sleep in as much as you can,” she said, and “enjoy being in

your jammies.”

Most people find they can meet curriculum goals much

faster when learning from home, Arnall said, and that

leaves lots of free time for hands-on learning.

“You do not have to learn things through a textbook,” she

said.

In fact, Arnall said, if you try to set up a school at home, with

desks and a whiteboard and a schedule, most kids “get

bored and stop listening.”

The combo kid



Do you love your colour-coded system for tracking school

projects, but also refuse to change out of your jammies

until at least lunchtime?

Well then, let’s just call you a combo kid.

Sure, you like to get your work done, but you do it in your own way

and in your own style. Sounds like you take the combo kid approach

to homeschooling. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Both Milner-Bolotin and Arnall agree that this is a good

time to learn more about the subjects that interest you and

you don’t usually have time for.

Maybe you’re interested in dinosaurs or you want to learn

more about the planets or learn a new language, Milner-

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/a-relative-of-t.-rex-has-been-discovered-in-alberta-reaper-of-death

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/u.s-teen-discovers-new-planet-canadian-astronaut-reacts

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/what-these-kids-are-doing-to-keep-indigenous-languages-alive



Bolotin said. “Use this time to learn more about topics that

you love.”

“Explore websites that you’ve always wanted to and never

had time for,” Arnall said.

Whether you’re a planner, a free spirit or something in

between, consider this a vacation from the ordinary and

“enjoy it” as best you can, Arnall said.

Watch the video to see CBC Kids News contributor Alexia

Sabau act out various homeschooling personalities:

Tips for homeschooling during the coronavirus outbrTips for homeschooling during the coronavirus outbr……

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/social-distancing-try-the-stay-home-challenge-twitter-trend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BTFthrbMKM



Get your class on the same page, add this to

More Stories

Alexia Sabau

CBC Kids News Contributor

Alexia Sabau is an inquisitive teen who has worked as a juniorreporter for the Calgary International Children’s Festival and ShawTV Calgary. The 13-year-old Albertan was also the runner-up onCanada’s Smartest Person Junior on CBC TV in 2018. A committedhumanitarian, Alexia has won awards for her volunteer work. She’salso a devoted Harry Potter fan who is excited to work her magic onthe CBC Kids News website.

About the Contributor

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