Written by: Daniella Esposito
Homeschooling - this type of teaching style is not for everyone, however, it certainly
became the norm when our world fell into one of the most traumatic states. The
majority of everyone’s lives were being dictated by a virus that brought forth
uncertainty, anxiety and fear. The new reality for parents is to take on the role as
their child’s teacher, all while attempting to stay calm during this pandemic.
When I was pregnant with my son in 2017, my husband and I thought it was best for
our family if I were to stay home with the kids until they were ready for
school. Once they attend school, I will return to work as an elementary school
teacher. In the mean time, I have been home with both my kids, and have taken on
the role of a homeschooling mom. It seemed the most proficient, since I have
appropriate knowledge in this area.
Fast forward to March 2020 - our world has undoubtedly changed. We are in a
global pandemic due to Covid -19. This was our families’ and everyone else’s new
reality. My initial fear regarded our family. The longing to see my mother took a toll
on me. How long will we have to stay away from them? How will my kids react when
they find out they won’t be able to embrace their grandparents? Will my husband
lose his job? How will we manage our finances? All these fears raced through my
mind for the first few days, leaving me to be unsettled. It wasn’t fair to my kids.
Then, something amazing happened - my son came up to me and said, “ I love
staying with you mama, I love you.” It was then in those pure, innocent words that I
was able to see the silver lining. Through the eyes of my three year old son, not
much has changed, except, his mother and father being more present in his life. I
decided from then on that I would look at this virus as a positive - extended family
time with daddy, engaging crafts and more hands-on lessons. Family walks with
focus on the beauty of nature. Becoming less wasteful and more grateful. Daily
facetime calls with extended family. A healthy less polluted world. Most importantly,
instead of sheltering my kids from this virus, I did what I do best - teach. With that, I
explained the importance of hand washing, proper hygiene and conducted germ
experiments.
In terms of our daily routine, not much has changed since I currently am a stay at
home mommy. However, we restructured our living area to feel more like an open
ended learning space. This gives our kids the opportunity to feel inspired to learn.
Every morning during learning time, I teach my son his pre-K, hands on learning
curriculum with Habitat Schoolhouse. My daughter, at 17 months, is still too young
to follow this curriculum. Nevertheless, she remains involved through crafts,
sensory, readings and free play.
Homeschooling doesn’t require a teaching degree. All you need is to be a loving
parent, and a child’s willing desire to learn.
Below are a couple pictures that illustrate the ways I created an inspiring learning space for lessons.
