COVID-19 has sent an estimated one billion children across the globe home from school. With this major change, many parents and guardians are taking on the role of educators. Education expert Kerry McDonald has advice on the daunting task of homeschooling during this time:

Parents should take the pressure off themselves to be the teachers and curriculum enforcers. Children are often able to complete their course work in much less time than in a typical school day, and can learn a great deal from other experiences and insights.

Allow children time for unstructured learning, play, and virtual time with friends. Creating space for free play without directing their activities can allow for your children to discover new interests and goals. This unstructured time is one important way we can help our children cope.

There are also great online learning resources such as Kahn Academy and Ted Ed that can expand a child’s pathways to new information and knowledge.

Don’t try to replicate school and act like nothing has changed… because so much has changed! Reflection on this historic occurrence can be helpful to endure the experience now and teaches us is that it is possible, and sometimes preferable, to learn without school.