How to Make Schooling Fit Better In Your Life
Flexible Schooling: School has pretty much always been the same: you get up early, go to a school building, stay there all day and then fit whatever’s left of your life, homework, hobbies and family into the remaining hours. And that’s fantastic for many families. But for others it can sometimes seem as though family life is arranged entirely around school, rather than education shaping your family life. So if that rings bells, here’s where a bit of extra flexibility could make a real difference.
Do you know how to identify the Source of the Pressure?
Identify what’s driving the struggle don’t change anything until you’ve identified what’s makiDoes your child have a serious sporting or creative commitment that clashes with school hours? Is their commute to and from school too long or are they fidgety in the classroom?
Do you know how to Look Beyond the Traditional Classroom?
For your child, school doesn’t have to mean spending five days a week in the same building. Online learning provides a different choice to those families who want the general ‘essence’ of school, just with a little bit more flexibility. Oxford Online School provides live, teacher-led, UK curriculum education in small class sizes, with a time-tabled school day. This can work well for families who are travelling, for young people whose sporting or performing arts commitments mean they need a different style of education, or for any pupils who need to learn in a more flexible environment – it’s simply about choosing what kind of education works for your family.
Why Shouldn’t You Fill Every Spare Hour?
All these extra options can be lovely but it can be very tempting to make sure your free time gets used straight away. Don’t. Remember children need some time off from their busy little lives too. A whole afternoon where there is not a rush to get from school to homework to something else can be a real luxury; time to read or play or follow their own interests (or frankly switch off) and even catch up on sleep.
A more flexible approach to education should give us space, not just a different, overloaded timetable.
How Can You Create a Routine That Works for Your Family?
Routines and flexibility aren’t opposites. Children actually thrive on some kind of sense of what is coming. Set some regular timings for work, breaks, meals, play and exercise. It doesn’t have to be tight, but just set enough gaps around the day so kids get that they know what is coming.
Why Is Education So Personal?
What is perfect for your friend’s kid may be totally unsuitable for yours. Some kids do well in high energy classrooms with the demands of school life. Other kids need to be in smaller groups, quieter settings or have more choices in how they spend their time.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning If school makes the whole family live around one child’s schedule, let’s look at what might be possible. Just a few strategic changes, or an alternative approach to school might make life for your child – and the whole family – much better.
