‘You can do this! You are doing such a better job than you think you are. Your children are going to look back and treasure that they have this time with you.’
Rachel Bringhurst is an American homeschooling mom and mother of four who has moved around a lot, and is now sheltering in place in California. By education and training, she is also a qualified teacher, so she brings experience from both sides of the teacher’s desk to this huge challenge of homeschooling under lockdown.
Rachel talks about growing up in a military family where home wasn’t a physical place, but people who loved her, and a sense of purpose. She explains why she decided to homeschool in the first place, and how homeschooling under normal circumstances is different from homeschooling under lockdown. We pick her brain for ideas on staying sane, what to let go and what to keep, and how to help kids remain occupied and quiet on their own during those dreaded times when you and your partner are both on a conference call.
During the podcast Rachel shares quite a few different resources parents can use for homsechooling during lockdown, so links can be found below.
Things kids can do online
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/free-online-learning-activities-for-kids_l_5e73848dc5b63c3b648bc968
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-lists
https://hellogiggles.com/news/coronavirus-zoos-aquariums-live-stream/
https://melscience.com/US-en/articles/
Studies on the benefits of boredom
https://www.theschoolrun.com/benefits-of-boredom-for-kids
https://www.melbournechildpsychology.com.au/blog/the-benefits-of-boredom/
A digestible resource for getting your kids brains working through play: https://www.amazon.com/101-Brain-Breaks-Educational-Activities/dp/0999022008
The effects of stress on learning
https://www.nature.com/articles/npjscilearn201611
Photos are courtesy of Rachel Bringhurst.
This episode features music by Meydän under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
