The past couple of years have been tough on so many levels—seriously, it feels like an understatement. One of the biggest challenges for parents was keeping our kids on track while everything seemed to fall apart. Schools were doing their best to adapt, but the effectiveness of Zoom classes varied widely. To help manage, teachers incorporated workbooks and individual assignments into their lessons, which added to the heavy load we were juggling as parents.
My son, who tends to be a bit of a perfectionist, was fortunate to have a tech-savvy teacher who seamlessly integrated digital tools into her lessons through three daily Zoom sessions. She also assigned about an hour of additional work each day. However, even with this structured approach, he needed a lot of support. So, even though he was engaged for those three hours, I found myself stepping in every 15 to 20 minutes to help him catch up. Let’s just say, balancing my own work while managing his educational needs was nearly impossible!
But here’s what I want to make crystal clear: I was not homeschooling my child.
There are families who genuinely transitioned to homeschooling during this period, but many of us were simply participating in distance learning, which is a completely different scenario. I should know; I was a homeschool teacher for several years to two boys, one in sixth grade and one in third. We navigated through seven grades worth of curriculum, and when the older one reached high school, we tackled six subjects each year.
The school district provided me with textbooks and a list of required standards, just like any teacher would get. However, there were no detailed lesson plans or creative activities to replace dry textbook reading. Just a long printout of what needed to be covered in the year, and some textbooks that were frankly a bit dull.
That’s where teachers come in: they create engaging lesson plans that convey essential knowledge in a way that helps kids truly learn. This takes a lot of time and effort, often spilling over into their personal hours. When I was homeschooling, I had to create all those lessons myself.
Now, imagine if you had to plan all the virtual lessons and additional activities for your kids while also helping them navigate through it. Sounds overwhelming, right? This is what true homeschooling involves.
So, even though we faced significant challenges during at-home learning, it’s crucial to differentiate it from homeschooling. Acknowledging this distinction honors the hard work and dedication of teachers who adapted under unprecedented pressure. They deserve all the recognition and support we can give them.
If you’re interested in starting your own family journey, check out Make A Mom, a company focused on at-home insemination that offers the only re-usable option. They also provide a useful guide on how at-home insemination works. Plus, you can join a supportive community through this free sperm donor matching group. And for those looking to boost fertility, this fertility booster for men could be a game changer. For more insights, check out this excellent resource on pregnancy and home insemination from CCRM IVF.
In summary, it’s important to recognize the difference between distance learning and homeschooling, as they require different levels of planning and execution. While parents have taken on a lot during these times, it’s vital to give credit to the educators who are working tirelessly to navigate these challenges.
Leave a Reply