Back to school is here, and many of us are all hopeful for F2F learning. However if distance learning is what you are preparing your family for, let’s get your home ready for success! These are some great easy tips on creating a learning space at home that works for each individual student. You don’t have to be fancy or spend a lot of money to make changes, just some simple steps to make their space personal.


Show your children that you value learning at home by creating a space where they can achieve!

As summer ticks away day by day, it may be time to rethink and reinvent the learning spaces for them at home before the onset of a new school year. From preschool to pre-calculus, there will always be a need to reinforce skills on the home front. Making a learning space they’re eager to enter can be the perfect incentive for helping them hunker down to get the job done. Our 5 easy tips for ensuring it’s a well-used space will leave you smiling and your kids achieving!

Lighting

Unless your child is developing film for a photography class, a well-lit learning space is a must. Natural light from windows or doors can do wonders for livening up a space. Since not all homework is completed during daylight hours though, a well-placed lighting fixture or two should also be included. An overhead light, desk lamp, or floor lamp to shine some light on the subject will help keep your kids engaged and deter the onset of Sleepy Student Syndrome.

Supplies

Avoid procrastination by having all the learning tools needed at hand. Pencils, pens, markers, colored pencils, paper, erasers, stapler, calculator, ruler, and a device charging station are a good start. Even older kids may need to add some color to maps, charts, or graphs, so don’t consider some of the craftier supplies as exclusive to elementary grades. Having the supplies in labeled containers will make accessibility a breeze!

Personalization

When a kid feels like he has some ownership of a space, it will make him more likely to use it and care for it. A sign that reads Cohen’s Creativity Corner or Lucy’s Learning Zone would be a great start. Having younger (and even older) ones help decorate the signs on the supply containers can be a fun activity to build some ownership. Picking up pencils or a special notebook depicting a favorite character or interest is a great addition, and a few items in her favorite color are sure to bring a smile. For shared spaces used by multiple kiddos, a container or two of supplies that aren’t for sharing with everyone would be welcomed.

Location

Ask any realtor — the bestsellers are all about location, location, location. Make sure she buys into her designated learning space. While a well-lit spot is key, a high-traffic area can be counterproductive. If the television is blaring, a sibling is across the room playing, or the outdoors is calling, it can be hard to maintain concentration and/or not rush through work to be able to join the fun. Be in tune with his distracting triggers and try to find a space that minimizes them.

Her learning space may be best in a bedroom, basement, or den. The kitchen can be transformed too with some rollaway drawers or bins containing all her must have supplies. Learning zones in shared family spaces may require the designation of a Family Quiet Time where distractions can be minimized.

Whimsical

Try adding some captivating nuances to your at-home learning space. Framing an area with holiday lights, providing a beanbag chair or throw pillows for reading time, or adding a splash of paint to her desk or table can make the space all the more inviting.

By taking the time to create a captivating learning space, your child will see that you value learning time at home and will be ready when the first day of school rears its ugly head.. Whether you’re transforming a part of her room or creating a rollaway cart for use in a shared space, it will be time well spent. Start thinking now, and help your kids start off the school year right with a motivating environment at home that allows them to achieve.

By Lani Aquino for Global Educator Institute

Posted by The Cobb Group on

Tags

Email Send a link to post via Email

Leave A Comment

e.g. yourwebsitename.com
Please note that your email address is kept private upon posting.