If you’re reading this the chances are you’ve survived another week of homeschooling in lockdown.
Or if you’re anything like us, muddled through might be a better way of putting it (if you’re one of *those* mamas who’s got it all licked with laminated lesson plans this post definitely isn’t for you).
I’d tried to blot the awfulness of homeschooling in Lockdown 1.0 out but it’s all come rushing back, and this time I don’t have the excuse of having just given birth to fall back on.
Because there’s an awful lot they don’t tell you about homeschooling, and throw lockdown into the mix and it’s a recipe for disaster. In no particular order, here’s what I’ve been reminded of in the last week.
10 things they don’t tell you about homeschooling in lockdown
1. It’s not really homeschooling
Let’s be clear: what we’re doing isn’t really homeschooling. It’s remote learning. Homeschooling is something you choose and make a conscious decision to do. It’s not something thrust upon you with zero notice and no planning that you do alongside other quite important things, like working and looking after preschoolers. And under no circumstances am I cut out to be a homeschooling mum.
2. You need the patience of a saint
And patience isn’t one of my virtues. Especially when it comes to accessing multiple online learning accounts on multiple devices with multiple passwords.
3. The school day is a looong day
When they’re actually at school the day goes by in a flash: one minute you’re dropping them off, the next it’s time to pick them up. But when they’re at home and you’re the teacher it’s a completely different story – and you’re counting down the minutes to home time.
4. I’m rubbish at maths
Even some of the key stage 2 maths is beyond me. Thank god for calculators on phones.
5. The terminology makes me feel really old
Like obscure anacronyms, ‘spicy’ maths and split digraphs. It’s like learning a whole new language!
6. You’re not just a teacher
You’re the classroom assistant, the playground monitor, the dinner lady and the cleaner upper too. So you don’t get a break at all.
7. You find yourself saying ‘you wouldn’t speak to your teacher like that’
A lot. In fact if I had Β£1 for every time I’ve said ‘you wouldn’t speak to your teacher like that’ that I’d be close to earning a teacher’s salary!
8. You need all the snacks
I kid you not, by the Wednesday of the first week of Lockdown 3.0 we were on our third loaf of bread. And don’t even mention the milk. Who knew they could eat so much?
9. It’s impossible to shoehorn everything you couldn’t get done in the week into the weekend
Don’t even attempt it, because you’ll implode, or cry. Or both.
10. People who actually choose to homeschool are superheroes
Or nuts. Or both. And to be fair they probably don’t have four kids. Either way, they’re superheroes with invisible capes.
Have you found yourself suddenly homeschooling again too? I’d love to know how it’s going in your house!
I am glad that my children are grown so I don’t have the worry of having to home school #kcacols@_karendennis
I bet – it IS such a worry because I can’t possibly do the job of two teachers alongside everything else…
I can remember Rory coming home and talking about SPICY maths. The problem was he could only remember what a couple of the letters stood for so it was entirely meaningless! #KCACOLS
Quite! I couldn’t have put it better myself!
I’ve not had the joy of SPICY maths yet! But it’s so hard isn’t it? I am the least patient person in the world when it comes to this, and I find myself getting annoyed when my five year old doesn’t get it. I’m definitely not cut out to be a teacher! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time
I agree with all of these! Especially number 1…we aren’t homeschooling, we are doing our best to keep our kids learning during a pandemic. And we should be proud of our efforts!! #KCACOLS
Spicy maths who knew there was such a thing! Iβm very glad I only have a preschooler so not much actual school work needs doing, just playing but that in itself can sometimes be a challenge.
Katrina x
#KCACOLS
It’s tough isn’t it, definitely tearing my hear out with juggling different devices, downloading, printing, scanning and handing it! #KCACOLS
* Oh my goodness so many of these are so relatable. The school day is so long and honestly I’ve got a new appreciation for teachers. Thank you for linking up with us for #KCACOLS and hope you join us next time.