Please give me your work and school from home hacks. HACKS, I say!
July 29, 2020 10:46 AM Subscribe
I can find 1001 blog posts with the same working and learning from home tips over and over again. Yes, we should have a schedule, dedicated work spaces, communication guidelines, be flexible with our expectations, take turns being the parent on call, etc, etc, etc. But what are the clever hacks? What was surprisingly useful for you? What unconventional resources should we take advantage of?
Asking for my family of 3 kids who will begin the school year online, 2 parents who telecommute, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 2 rats. Help us think outside the box, while stuck inside this box.
Asking for my family of 3 kids who will begin the school year online, 2 parents who telecommute, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 2 rats. Help us think outside the box, while stuck inside this box.
I am a teleworker, wife is a teacher, and we have two children. We have been in a 100% telework/remote learning posture since mid-March (We were all in Quarantine when I returned from an overseas trip right as COVID hit the headlines). What we've learned as far as the kiddos:
1. If possible, set apart a designated learning space for the kids to work on schoolwork. We turned our formal dining room into a classroom where the kids could log into their school work and study on their school-issued devices. Their personal computers and phones weren't allowed in the learning space. If you don't have access to it in the classroom, you shouldn't have access to it in the learning space. This prevents distractions (youtubing, netflix, games, etc).
2. Have designated times for learning/homework. If school starts at 8:30, they were seated and learning at 8:30. Don't go past when school ends. If they finish their curriculum/assignments for the day, and they do a good job, they can leave early. If they leave early, they had an evening "study block" after dinner. Nothing crazy, just 30-45 mins to reinforce what they learned that day.
3. Turn in/upload assignments on time. Teachers appreciate this. If you have questions/difficulties with a subject, email/communicate with the teacher when you hit the roadblock. NOT after you've turned in assignments.
4. Our school put out a weekly curriculum plan/syllabus. It's VERY tempting for kiddos to try and knock out everything the first day and blow off the rest of the week. Please don't fall into this trap. It will ruin routine and structure, and it will be difficult to reengage the next curriculum block.
5. Don't forget physical activity. Take frequent breaks. We did family walks, short hikes, walked the dog, etc. Get fresh air but obviously social distance when appropriate. This doesn't mean go to the mall or shopping. This means brisk walks, shoot some baskets, etc.
6. I'm former military and work in the Defense industry. One thing that worked REALLY well for us was the back brief/ after action review. We'd have the kiddos brief us on what they learned that day, if they had any issues, and what they thought they could do better the next day. It really helped them review their efforts.
posted by Master Gunner at 11:07 AM on July 29, 2020 [17 favorites]
1. If possible, set apart a designated learning space for the kids to work on schoolwork. We turned our formal dining room into a classroom where the kids could log into their school work and study on their school-issued devices. Their personal computers and phones weren't allowed in the learning space. If you don't have access to it in the classroom, you shouldn't have access to it in the learning space. This prevents distractions (youtubing, netflix, games, etc).
2. Have designated times for learning/homework. If school starts at 8:30, they were seated and learning at 8:30. Don't go past when school ends. If they finish their curriculum/assignments for the day, and they do a good job, they can leave early. If they leave early, they had an evening "study block" after dinner. Nothing crazy, just 30-45 mins to reinforce what they learned that day.
3. Turn in/upload assignments on time. Teachers appreciate this. If you have questions/difficulties with a subject, email/communicate with the teacher when you hit the roadblock. NOT after you've turned in assignments.
4. Our school put out a weekly curriculum plan/syllabus. It's VERY tempting for kiddos to try and knock out everything the first day and blow off the rest of the week. Please don't fall into this trap. It will ruin routine and structure, and it will be difficult to reengage the next curriculum block.
5. Don't forget physical activity. Take frequent breaks. We did family walks, short hikes, walked the dog, etc. Get fresh air but obviously social distance when appropriate. This doesn't mean go to the mall or shopping. This means brisk walks, shoot some baskets, etc.
6. I'm former military and work in the Defense industry. One thing that worked REALLY well for us was the back brief/ after action review. We'd have the kiddos brief us on what they learned that day, if they had any issues, and what they thought they could do better the next day. It really helped them review their efforts.
posted by Master Gunner at 11:07 AM on July 29, 2020 [17 favorites]
As the parent of a kid who was in 11th last semester and is now starting 12th, I know that one thing that really helped us was that the "schedule" should be one that works for the kid. He's doing his homework at 10pm and going to sleep at 2am, and while I don't love that, it's what's getting him through it. It's legitimately a coping strategy on his end, and I'm letting him have it.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:08 AM on July 29, 2020 [13 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:08 AM on July 29, 2020 [13 favorites]
This may or may not be your cup of tea (probably not mine, in the end), but consider: any meeting large enough to turn off your video can be attended from a stationary bike.
posted by the_blizz at 11:21 AM on July 29, 2020 [10 favorites]
posted by the_blizz at 11:21 AM on July 29, 2020 [10 favorites]
We let the kids watch a movie during lunch as long as they didn't have a scheduled online meeting. Let both of us have an hour to do email.
I don't have a solution yet but snack time took up a lot of energy. Trying to brainstorm ways to set it up with minimal intervention.
posted by typecloud at 11:45 AM on July 29, 2020
I don't have a solution yet but snack time took up a lot of energy. Trying to brainstorm ways to set it up with minimal intervention.
posted by typecloud at 11:45 AM on July 29, 2020
Recess is important. Get some books on jumprope, playground games, tree and bird identification, etc., and have regularly scheduled recess.
Kids should wear clothes for school (not PJs) and should have breakfast. Structure really helps.
Think what schools have, replicate what you can. Weekly library visit, holiday decorations, a big calendar, maybe a whiteboard. They make whiteboards that you can pin to a wall or use white board or chalk paint. Part of that is Taking School Seriously and they are useful resources.
posted by theora55 at 11:52 AM on July 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
Kids should wear clothes for school (not PJs) and should have breakfast. Structure really helps.
Think what schools have, replicate what you can. Weekly library visit, holiday decorations, a big calendar, maybe a whiteboard. They make whiteboards that you can pin to a wall or use white board or chalk paint. Part of that is Taking School Seriously and they are useful resources.
posted by theora55 at 11:52 AM on July 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
Hey how old are the kids? People might be able to give more specific answers knowing the age levels.
With my first grader in the spring, we ended up making a breakfast and lunch schedule for the weekdays. Nothing fancy and there were repetitions over the week, but it turned out to be really nice to eliminate two decision/negotiation points every day.
We have a spare bedroom where I already had a desk that I started using for WFH. We moved my daughter's desk in there as well and declared that room the dedicated office/learning space. She didn't do all her work at the desk, though-- her classroom teacher used some flexible seating options like a rug and some floor rocker chairs, so I didn't force her to stay at the desk. I got a lapdesk with legs so she could sit on the floor, and sometimes she went to her room to do reading or watch an assigned video.
We started each day with "morning meeting"... for her it was similar to what she did at school, but it turned out to be a good way to start the day:
- She goes to Catholic school so we started with a prayer and intention for the day. A non-religious version could just be a goal/resolution for the day.
- She marked off the day on a calendar and announced the date, and we did a "look out the window" weather check like they do at school.
- Her teacher sent out weekly work plans and only had one Zoom session per week, so each morning we reviewed what work needed to be done that day.
- We also discussed schedules-- I told her if I had any meetings/calls and what time those would be. If something "different" was happening that day, like hey the A/C guy is coming to do seasonal maintenance, then it was an announcement at that time as well.
Like Master Gunner above, I did check-ins with her. We did that about once a week at first and then about every other week after that. I tried to do them at otherwise low-key times, like while we were out on a walk. I gave her a heads-up earlier that day so she had time to think on her own about what was going well and what she would like to change.
posted by scarnato at 12:33 PM on July 29, 2020 [9 favorites]
With my first grader in the spring, we ended up making a breakfast and lunch schedule for the weekdays. Nothing fancy and there were repetitions over the week, but it turned out to be really nice to eliminate two decision/negotiation points every day.
We have a spare bedroom where I already had a desk that I started using for WFH. We moved my daughter's desk in there as well and declared that room the dedicated office/learning space. She didn't do all her work at the desk, though-- her classroom teacher used some flexible seating options like a rug and some floor rocker chairs, so I didn't force her to stay at the desk. I got a lapdesk with legs so she could sit on the floor, and sometimes she went to her room to do reading or watch an assigned video.
We started each day with "morning meeting"... for her it was similar to what she did at school, but it turned out to be a good way to start the day:
- She goes to Catholic school so we started with a prayer and intention for the day. A non-religious version could just be a goal/resolution for the day.
- She marked off the day on a calendar and announced the date, and we did a "look out the window" weather check like they do at school.
- Her teacher sent out weekly work plans and only had one Zoom session per week, so each morning we reviewed what work needed to be done that day.
- We also discussed schedules-- I told her if I had any meetings/calls and what time those would be. If something "different" was happening that day, like hey the A/C guy is coming to do seasonal maintenance, then it was an announcement at that time as well.
Like Master Gunner above, I did check-ins with her. We did that about once a week at first and then about every other week after that. I tried to do them at otherwise low-key times, like while we were out on a walk. I gave her a heads-up earlier that day so she had time to think on her own about what was going well and what she would like to change.
posted by scarnato at 12:33 PM on July 29, 2020 [9 favorites]
I've been working from home for about 20 years, off and on.
- Assuming your work depends on using your computer a lot, get a good widescreen monitor and make sure your workspace is ergonomic, etc. Invest in a good chair and desk, whatever you need to be comfortable. This is where you'll be 8 or more hours per day and five days per week.
When my fiance went from working at her office to home work she used her laptop for a few weeks until I persuaded her to use one of my Apple Displays. It made a dramatic difference for her. (Now she complains about how tiny the laptop screen is when she works at the kitchen table...)
- Get a good-sized container for water, coffee or whatever your beverage of choice is for work. I used to decant a pot of coffee into a big ThermoFlask in the morning so I was less tempted to get up for a cup of coffee every 30 minutes and get distracted.
- Noise-canceling headphones. Music optional.
- If you don't already, start using instant messaging / chat to communicate instead of talking for quick things. My fiance works upstairs, I work downstairs, we pass information via chat most of the time instead of going to find the other person and worrying about interrupting someone.
- Odds are you are now responsible for your IT needs. Make backups. Have a contingency plan for "what happens when my laptop / work computer goes belly up." This isn't a day-to-day 'hack' but I work with a lot of other folks who suddenly had to work from home. Many of them have no secondary computer and no backups - when they've had IT troubles, it was usually a show-stopper for an entire day.
- If possible, use wired Ethernet connections instead of WiFi. Anybody doing video calls with you will thank you.
posted by jzb at 1:53 PM on July 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
- Assuming your work depends on using your computer a lot, get a good widescreen monitor and make sure your workspace is ergonomic, etc. Invest in a good chair and desk, whatever you need to be comfortable. This is where you'll be 8 or more hours per day and five days per week.
When my fiance went from working at her office to home work she used her laptop for a few weeks until I persuaded her to use one of my Apple Displays. It made a dramatic difference for her. (Now she complains about how tiny the laptop screen is when she works at the kitchen table...)
- Get a good-sized container for water, coffee or whatever your beverage of choice is for work. I used to decant a pot of coffee into a big ThermoFlask in the morning so I was less tempted to get up for a cup of coffee every 30 minutes and get distracted.
- Noise-canceling headphones. Music optional.
- If you don't already, start using instant messaging / chat to communicate instead of talking for quick things. My fiance works upstairs, I work downstairs, we pass information via chat most of the time instead of going to find the other person and worrying about interrupting someone.
- Odds are you are now responsible for your IT needs. Make backups. Have a contingency plan for "what happens when my laptop / work computer goes belly up." This isn't a day-to-day 'hack' but I work with a lot of other folks who suddenly had to work from home. Many of them have no secondary computer and no backups - when they've had IT troubles, it was usually a show-stopper for an entire day.
- If possible, use wired Ethernet connections instead of WiFi. Anybody doing video calls with you will thank you.
posted by jzb at 1:53 PM on July 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
Get your older kid to explain material they have recently learned to their slightly younger sibling. This is not so much to take the teaching responsibility off you briefly, but because the process of teaching really consolidates material for the one teaching it.
Allow your kids to work on personal projects when they have finished their regular academics. Much of in school time is hurry-up-and-wait time. Unless they are attending all zoom classes for the same amount of time they would be in their classes if they were in the building, your kids will be finishing their work earlier. So don't try to make them work on the academics the teacher gave them, or do review if they have already finished, just to keep them in their seats. Let them pick a project they would enjoy and work on that. It needed be academic. It could be physical, or artistic, or personal reading.
Nerf balls for indoor exercise and a stationary bike can be extremely useful. Thick carpet if you have downstairs neighbours and check what room is the best one for the kids to be thumping around being active in. If neighbour is working below your dining room then you don't want your kiddos doing their indoor phys ed just above her zoom meeting. make sure you are getting that exercise yourself. Set up a biking competition with your eldest and motivate them to surpass your miles.
Count un-schooling activities such as baking cookies or tending house plants towards their education. If you delegate any supervision to the eldest or middle kid, make sure they get significant positive feedback for how helpful they are. Do not take it for granted, record the time they spend on it, and if possible pay them a wage in privileges or contributions to their education fund. An example would be if your eldest fixes sandwiches they get to pick what will go in those sandwiches and you shop for the ingredients they pick. If you delegate work you need to also allow them some control, no micro-manage what the work they are doing.
Get some time for yourself out of the house every day if you can where you cannot see or hear the kids. You need to temporarily not be on duty even if there is a horrible crash and screams of pain. Even if you are back-up parent and not parent on duty, there is still that little bit of vigilance going on that prevents you from completely relaxing. Even ten minutes outside with the dog is a break, and you need that.
posted by Jane the Brown at 2:00 PM on July 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
Allow your kids to work on personal projects when they have finished their regular academics. Much of in school time is hurry-up-and-wait time. Unless they are attending all zoom classes for the same amount of time they would be in their classes if they were in the building, your kids will be finishing their work earlier. So don't try to make them work on the academics the teacher gave them, or do review if they have already finished, just to keep them in their seats. Let them pick a project they would enjoy and work on that. It needed be academic. It could be physical, or artistic, or personal reading.
Nerf balls for indoor exercise and a stationary bike can be extremely useful. Thick carpet if you have downstairs neighbours and check what room is the best one for the kids to be thumping around being active in. If neighbour is working below your dining room then you don't want your kiddos doing their indoor phys ed just above her zoom meeting. make sure you are getting that exercise yourself. Set up a biking competition with your eldest and motivate them to surpass your miles.
Count un-schooling activities such as baking cookies or tending house plants towards their education. If you delegate any supervision to the eldest or middle kid, make sure they get significant positive feedback for how helpful they are. Do not take it for granted, record the time they spend on it, and if possible pay them a wage in privileges or contributions to their education fund. An example would be if your eldest fixes sandwiches they get to pick what will go in those sandwiches and you shop for the ingredients they pick. If you delegate work you need to also allow them some control, no micro-manage what the work they are doing.
Get some time for yourself out of the house every day if you can where you cannot see or hear the kids. You need to temporarily not be on duty even if there is a horrible crash and screams of pain. Even if you are back-up parent and not parent on duty, there is still that little bit of vigilance going on that prevents you from completely relaxing. Even ten minutes outside with the dog is a break, and you need that.
posted by Jane the Brown at 2:00 PM on July 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
Long time off-and-on teleworker here.
The biggest thing that I rarely see in the 101 tips lists: track your time, even if you don't need to for your job.
For me, this was a huge mindset shift and made the time I was working more productive, made me more aware when I was working way too much, and gave me a bit of insight as to when I might be shirking a bit.
I do it on a sheet of paper off to the side, or in an Excel sheet that I keep for myself. I don't report it in to anyone. It helped a ton with the mindset of work being "over" for the day since I have put in solid time on projects for the day.
posted by chiefthe at 6:56 AM on July 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
The biggest thing that I rarely see in the 101 tips lists: track your time, even if you don't need to for your job.
For me, this was a huge mindset shift and made the time I was working more productive, made me more aware when I was working way too much, and gave me a bit of insight as to when I might be shirking a bit.
I do it on a sheet of paper off to the side, or in an Excel sheet that I keep for myself. I don't report it in to anyone. It helped a ton with the mindset of work being "over" for the day since I have put in solid time on projects for the day.
posted by chiefthe at 6:56 AM on July 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
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posted by crunchy potato at 10:53 AM on July 29, 2020 [1 favorite]