I need help educating at home

[lyssie29]

Hi my daughter is 7 and in year 2. She is practically point blank refusing to do any work at home. At the start when school closed she was so excited to get her work at home and sat for ages doing her work sheets. The longer it's going on though the less interested she is and now she won't even read to me. She's lost interest completely. She was always good at school. I was told in her last report she was exceeding in maths and English and her last parents evening they said was right where she should be. She's a very social child and loves to be around teachers and helping them. Now at home all she wants to do is watch TV and play on the tablet. She's only allowed a certain amount on it so she's then playing with her toys but asking constantly to watch videos. What can I do? I haven't been forcing her to do the work as it ends up with everyone being stressed and she just makes up any answer instead of doing it properly and if she does do work we do no more than an hour. I'm scared if the schools don't go back that she will get further and further behind.

Maybe she would benefit more from some online learning such as Oak Academy.
Some children are finding this much easier to engage in as it's video based and they can just listen etc.

"yes you can have your tablet after you have done your reading"

"yes you can have 20minutes of tv once you have done this worksheet"

Download the Oxford Owl for interactive reading and stories she can listen to

Sign up to hit the button maths or similar

Then go on the iPad and set it to ‘accessibility’ under general

You can then set a time limit and the only website or page she’s allowed until then the iPad is useless!!

Look it up - it’s a great incentive

I would agree, worksheets are only fun for so long. Oak academy is amazing, much better than bitesize imo. 3 Lance has great live zoom lessons for free.
I would also make a timetable. If

Woops. That should say:
If she doesn't already have one, I would make her a timetable. A colour coded one or one where you make the base from cardboard and than cut up little squares with names of subjects and stick those on with blue tack on the time she should do those. This helps some kids as it gives them a beginning and end.

My dd is also in yr 2 and has been doing Maths factor and bbcbitesize.
We’ve been watching some wildlife documentaries and reading.
Other than that, she’s been doing some arts and crafts.
I’ve tried to get her to do some writing but that’s been hit and miss and she doesn’t really want to do worksheets.
Just try some different things.
We allocate an hour in the morning to some fresh air, then it’s work, then lunch, then arts then screens.

If she is exceeding, Oak Academy may be too slow. Consider going up a year group (or 2) for the Maths if you go down that route.

I'd take the long weekend to talk to her about how she would tolerate some Maths and English every day. We started the home school a week earlier than most, so bodge jobbed it initially - I had sucess with writing " I'd like 3 paragraphs, one with what is good about home school, one about what is bad, and a final, realistic, paragraph about what we should do differently next week"
It's about the only writing I haven't had moans and groans about!

Visit 3-lance.co.uk/student-registration/ for FREE LIVE Online Classes for your child!

I have a 7 year old, also year 2 who sometimes says he just wants to watch you tube or play on his tablet, I have made a rule that they have to earn there device time, and can choose what they go on, tablet, YouTube or play station, only if they have tried there best and done the work to a good standard xx

We have also mixed it up a bit as he can get bored, some days doing worksheets other days bbc bitesize or watching deadly 60.

I have a similar reluctant home - learner. Reading is about the only thing he enjoys, but even then some days he only does it to earn screen time. Guided access on the iPad is brilliant!

White rose maths website is quite good too.

Thanks everyone. We've had a little talk today and starting Monday we're not really going to do the work sheets anymore. I've found some learning apps for her for English and maths and she's going to choose a topic a day such as an animal or country where we then look up on internet or watch a documentary on it. She seems a bit more excited by that so fingers crossed.

Great!

That sounds much better op
My dd has loved just learning things as they crop up. Last week we watched a YouTube video on how glass was made because she wanted to know.
We’ve learnt about wolves because she saw a pic of baby wolf and thought it was so cute.
We also found a sites for science experiments so went on a bug hunt in the garden and tried blowing bubbles different shapes to see if you could get bubbles in a different shape.
It takes some input and research from the parents but it’s so much more interesting for both than struggling with worksheets.

Firstly, parents have to stop listening to these experts that go on about children falling behind. The majority of children will rebound almost as soon as they return to school. At 7, even a year off is not a problem provided they go back to a good school and come from a supportive home. Secondly, some people (yes adults included) like routine. How about a proper timetable? Put together a weekly timetable with something happening every half hour or so. 15 minutes would work better at 7 but it will be too stressful for you. A child's attention span is their age plus 5 in minutes. Get all the work done by lunch time and let her do what she wants in the afternoon. Schedule things like baking and dancing together into the timetable. Finally, we must not downplay the mental difficulties many are going through at this time especially an outgoing only child like yours. One of mine doesn't enjoy outdoor play anymore with worry that coronavirus might be in the air. And no, dc can't be convinced otherwise.