A learning experience for all of us

Teaching from home is a new frontier for many of us. Here are some lessons I've learned trying to teach my own kids at home.

• It takes patience, a lot of it.
• You have to build up to it. Add a new layer each day. Layers can be small.
• It takes time. As teachers at the beginning of the year, we often take the whole first month laying the groundwork for what the rest of the school year is going to look like.
• I read once that it takes repetition of at least three times before a new habit is established. 
• Know that there are going to be days that are really productive and days that aren't. What is sometimes especially hard are the days you get nothing done right after a great day where you think you have found your groove.
• This is hard for everyone. All transitions require us to be more alert and use more energy than usual, even the good, exciting transitions. Ironically, it's hard for us teachers to transition to teaching our own kids and we're supposedly the experts.
• Find what excites you and share that with your kids (it works sometimes as you will see below).
• Role model lifelong learning. Your actions speak louder than your words.

I had a great lesson in humility and the power of role modeling for my kids yesterday. I sat down with them and tried to have them do one of the art lessons I've taught so many times, to classes across the country... one that my students have really enjoyed and created some amazing art form. My own kids, the ones I gave birth too... they bailed on it. They were resistant to even starting the lesson. My timing was totally off. I continued on with the lesson myself after they left the table and I had fun doing it. Instead of learning about complementary colors, positive and negative space, my kids saw me persisting on my own and saw me enjoy the process of making art, experimenting and following through. I left the materials out on the coffee table and both boys have circled back and worked on the pieces they barely started yesterday.