The Accidental Teacher

I heard a collective gasp around the country as parents were asked to teach their children from home. 

The truth is that most (including myself, a trained Early Childhood Teacher) feel overwhelmed and ill-equipped for the task suddenly thrust upon them.

In actual fact, parents were always teachers, whether they realised it or not. Our philosophy at Sentia states ‘We acknowledge that families are the most important and influential people in a young child’s life.’  We know that those little eyes are always watching what we do much more than what we say.

Creating a good, solid structure to the day is an excellent start.  Young children need predictable routines in their day.  If this is not the case in your home, this is a great time to begin.  I recommend short (age appropriate) blocks of time which alternate between active and passive activities.  For example, you could have 15 minutes of play dough ‘sensory play’ for your two-year-old, followed by 15 minutes of online yoga movement.  The key is to create a predictable routine, which in turn helps children feel secure in knowing ‘what comes next’.

Remember that play is a child’s work.  Imitating adult behaviour (currently zoom meetings, mobile phone calls, cooking) can create hours of entertainment and learning.  Notice what they are interested in and provide the ‘props’ needed.  Learning need not be a serious chore.  It should be fun!

And don’t forget to look after yourself. Self-Care was never more important than now, when you are wearing so many hats.  Take a little bit of time out every day for some of the things that make you happy, even if it is as simple as taking a bubble bath or listening to some favourite tunes.  

Be sure to nurture the important relationships in your life.  In our home, we have pulled off a couple of simple ‘date nights’, concerts and dance parties during lockdown!  The kids may think you’re crazy, but they will appreciate seeing their parents/teachers having fun, too.

If all else fails, there are some excellent resources online.  Check out:

https://www.earlyyearscount.earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/getting-started/

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/Pages/default.aspx