Summer Camp @ Home – Part 3

Welcome to another week of Summer Camp @ Home. Parents of tweens and teens who’ve had to turn into homeschoolers overnight, this post is for you! 

My good friend, a veteran homeschooling parent, reminded me that the global lockdown has not created a space for homeschooling. On the contrary, the intentionality and preparation behind homeschooling is lost in the wake of a deadly virus. The sudden measure taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19 has forced parents to take on the role of teachers as well. Heather Anne, an artist and an educator, calls it crisis schooling. She writes to every parent struggling with their new role. She reminds us to extend grace to ourselves and to others.

• When confronted by alarming claims that education is at stake, do not panic. 
• When clouded by the overwhelming options available for your adolescent’s educational needs, do not panic. 
• When confused by the underwhelming response of your adolescent to every suggestion you make, take a deep breath and remind yourself that some things don’t change.

Schools in India are on their summer break . Some ended early and some cancelled final exams due to the lock-down. Learners are pretty stoked but parents remain apprehensive. The uncertainty of the situation requires parents to prepare for crisis schooling in the weeks and months to come. So think of a word or a phrase that you can use as a guiding light while you prepare to meet the educational needs of your adolescent child.

My two words during times like these are safe and sane. Last week I recommended creating safe zones within the home. Spending time in solitude has benefits, but remaining in their room all day can cause emotional isolation in teens. Create spaces in the house like a reading nook, a Lego table, or a gaming center where they are in the presence of family yet able to do their own thing. 

As you gear up to spend an hour or two of dedicated time with your tween or teen, consider the phrase delight-directed learning. Instead of learning for the sake of an exam or learning in order to compete for a grade, consider learning with a new lens. If you are dedicating an hour a day, let that hour be filled with activities that resonate with whatever brings joy to you and your child.

Delight-directed learning rekindles a passion for knowledge – not only accumulating knowledge but sharing knowledge. So, this week, I’ve chosen activities that are designed to create beauty and joy in and around you. 

DAY 1: COLLABORATIVE ART

Collaborative art has been done in classrooms all over the world where a mural or a picture is completed by different artists, each bringing their perspective and palate to add drama to the artwork. It’s as easy as taking a coloring page, cutting it in half and each artist coloring a piece. For best results, avoid any rules and let your creativity flow. 

If you prefer to draw or sketch your own artwork, layout the desired number of A4 sheets that you need for your group, sketch the desired image across the sheets and then hand each sheet to a group member. Or select one of the free coloring page printables from A Girl And a Glue Gun.

A collaborative art piece that I have cherished is one that hangs in the Hope Torch office – a NGO that instills self-worth through education of children from underprivileged backgrounds. It was the first collaborative art they created with a group of girls in Chennai, India.

Another stunning repository of coloring sheets can be found with a hashtag. #ColorOurCollections is used by museums and libraries around the world to provide sketches of artwork that is hanging in their galleries, beckoning you to fill in the spaces with vibrant color. Click here for one of my favorite collections. 

DAY 2: FAMILY READING TIME

Building delight in reading is one of the surest ways of furthering your teens’ education. Pick reading material you are interested in, including the daily newspaper, sports magazine, etc.. Set aside a fixed time and place to meet and read. If you don’t consider yourself an avid ready, then start slow. Start 10 mins a day and slowly build stamina to read for longer durations of time. 

If you are able to source the same book for all members, then it can be turned into a family book club. If you have different interests, then encourage each reader to bring a book of their choice. End each reading time with a reflective question such as: share one quote that struck a chord, favorite character and why, or would you recommend this book to a friend and which friend?

Here’s my recommended reading list if you decide to do a parent-teen book club: 

1. Modern Classic Novela: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
2. Biography: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
3. Biography: Becoming by Michelle Obama
4. Fantasy: The Lightning Theif by Rick Riordan
5. Realistic Fiction: Rani and Sukh by Bali Rai (A recommendation by my 14-year-old)

If “reading time” sounds too boring or daunting, have an Audible party; they’ve just made a lot of children’s books available for free! A Gathering of Friends: My Favorite Stories, by Ruskin Bond, is on that list.

Be it a Kindle, a hardback, or an audio book, find a relaxing place to sit with a snack and a drink and enjoy a story! 

DAY 3: SOLVE A PUZZLE

Math, due to no fault of its own, earns a bad reputation among many learners. No matter where in the world I teach, many kids in my class are fearful of math and are convinced that their brain is not wired for numbers. Incidentally, adults have the same attitude and we inadvertently pass on our fears to our kids. If you are someone who is fearful of Math, then try something new that would make it fun for you as well. 

• Start with critical thinking puzzles that are fun
• Once you are comfortable, try the board game
• Then take on a challenge that is more complex

In delight-directed learning, the goal is to flex your math-brain, build endurance and enjoy the process; Success and failure are mere side effects. Here are some more tips on how parents can help mitigate the fear of Math in their adolescent child.  

DAY 4: PODCAST

Last week I suggested making a podcast with your tween or teen. And I really hope you were able to give it a shot. This week have them add another episode to the podcast. You could also enable them to create a 2-3 day marketing campaign to get more people listening to your podcast. 

If your teen is ambitious and ready for one more challenge, have them create a poster using free design apps such as Canva and a plan for circulating their ad. 

DAY 5: DIALOGUE JOURNAL 

Journaling is a simple and effective tool that builds metacognition. It allows us to sift through our thoughts, identify our strengths and troubleshoot our weaknesses. It also develops delight-directed learning. 

A Dialogue Journal is not only reflective but relational. It allows parents to create an avenue for dialogue with their teens. Teachers use dialogue journaling as an effective communication tool in the classroom. Teens and tweens don’t always have the vocabulary to share their thoughts effectively. One of the benefits to dialogue journaling is to develop their ability to name these feelings in a safe space that is void of judgment. 

Print the dialogue journal starter, arrive at a few ground rules (created by you and your adolescent child), and you are ready to begin.  

May this week be filled with moments of delight-directed learning that builds curiosity, believes in reflection, and binds families.