By FRC's Meg Kilgannon
With much of the nation under "shelter in place" or "stay at home" advisories, most school buildings have closed, some for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. There is a wide disparity among school districts in terms of how individual schools will help parents facilitate learning. American parents find themselves in an unprecedented situation: working from home (if they are so fortunate) while simultaneously serving as school teacher, administrator, and child wrangler.
Like many of you, many of us here at FRC are working from home during this crisis. Some of our staff has always homeschooled. These families are challenged by canceled co-ops, classes, therapies, sports, and playgroups -- just like traditional school families. Others on staff have children in Christian schools or public schools. And with all schools closed, these parents are navigating a variety of situations. Some schools have moved seamlessly to online studies; others are still figuring things out. But all of us are struggling with the same less-than-ideal situation and are challenged to make the best of it for ourselves, our families, and our country.
In this post, we will share some resources we have found useful, and would love to hear from you about what you are doing to manage your children's education during this time. This is a very real way we can support each other and do our part to help keep America safe and healthy.
The U.S. Department of Education's coronavirus page is jam packed with information for both schools and parents. Scroll down for the "At Home Activities" section which includes links to federal agencies with worksheets and virtual tours that can keep children both entertained and informed about our beautiful country's natural resources, wildlife, space programs, geography, and the arts. There are also reminders and links about staying healthy and preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
Some of our favorite general advice has come from parents who are also leaders or educational advocates.
- One mom's plan
- One dad's plan
The videos on this website are fun, informative, and reassuring. Just a few minutes on this website will convince you that you really can do it -- you really can work and school your children at home during this crisis (and maybe even anytime). The enthusiasm of these Texas moms is contagious and just what we need.
If your school district is on hold or you are taking the rest of the year off from school, these activities will keep children and teens busy while parents are working from home. As FRC is unable to vet each item on every website, we encourage you to trust your judgment in finding materials that are appropriate for your family and reflect your values.
To keep reading about our collection of resources for parents on math, language arts, science and nature, physical education, art therapy, history, and autistic/sensory image children, click over to the FRC Blog. There, you'll find more than 200+ online learning ideas. While you're there, let us know what's working for your family! We are all in this together, working, praying, and staying healthy. Americans will do what we must to defeat this virus and keep our families strong, safe, and free for generations to come.
