Lessons from home learning
This year has had events that we and our children will talk about for years to come. The Covid-19 Pandemic is a significant lifetime event. When the NI Assembly announced school closures, it had massive practical implications for our family. Pressures on parents have increased with the difficulty of some trying to balance working and “home learning” – all while trying to keep our children’s education moving forward.
As Christian parents we are thankful for Hebrews 13:8 which says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”. We have a God who is unchanging and we can trust in Him. Our situations do change but God does not. We don’t have to be left with fear, disappointment or uncertainty. His promise tells us to “fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).
Of course, we can’t help but think of plans and dreams for our children – we want them to excel. As parents we are learning to lead them with God’s grace to serve others. We need to be disciples! Taking the acrostic D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E. here are some lessons that we are learning from “home learning”.
D – for DOING daily prayer! This has been so helpful as we need God’s blessing continually. Self-discipline and will power can all too easily fall apart if we don’t keep our eyes fixed on the One who supplies our needs. On Sunday evenings after ‘church at home’ we have a family time of prayer and remember each other individually. We constantly need to be reminded to lean on Christ. Each day He gives us the wisdom, strength and joy to do all.
I – for IMPORTANCE. Starting each morning with God’s Word on our minds is so important and such a blessing. We have a Yorkshire terrier puppy called Otto and he likes to set our alarms for 7am or before! Starting earlier has been made easier and time in God’s Word is vital and precious. The great Pilgrim’s Progress author, John Bunyan said, “He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day”.
Our youngest was the most excited for ‘no school’ – or so he thought. A routine or schedule was important. Freeing up time to give parental support and following each of their current school patterns has been working, i.e. 8:45am Start, 10:30am Break, 1:00pm Lunch.
S - For SPACE & STRUCTURE. It’s hard! We have mixed emotions; one minute we are enjoying our ‘togetherness’ and the next we need time out! Cabin fever quickly sets in, especially during lockdown. We have had to set up new spaces or reorganise existing ones for our four home learners and one working from home. God has blessed. We have been able to do this within our small 3 bedroom semi-detached house. We’ve learned to stick to schedules and do tasks on Seesaw, Google Classroom, Zoom, Google Meet & Microsoft Teams. These home learning platforms have helped to motivate the children. We’re thankful for our schools that provide such a great mix of activities and learning.
C – For CONNECT. Learning to connect with others is easy in today’s modern technological world. Even though we aren’t together physically with our wider families and friends, we have learned to appreciate these methods. Zoom, Whats App calls and phone calls have helped us to stay connected with precious loved ones. The children have learned to see our daily routines with a front view seat. These connections are helping to show their little hearts the value of being able to connect with precious parents, too far away and my now ‘usual’ Saturday call with beautiful sisters. However, we are looking forward to seeing dear loved ones in person!
I – For ISOLATE. Learning to do home learning in isolation. It’s not the ideal way we want our children to learn as it’s not what they are used to. They miss their friends and classmates. These times of lockdown are not easy for them. While other age groups have struggled with too much loneliness and nothing to do, it is different for our school children. But we are bound to educate our children with moral principles and set good standards for them. Some days it may feel like we have made a poor effort but we trust in God to help us and use our weaknesses. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”.
P – For PATIENCE. It is a virtue! Home learning can be testing and during stressful times relationships are easily strained. Staying at home has affected us emotionally. Things we enjoyed before are on hold: visiting, holidays, shopping and more – except housework! Life, some days, can be far from perfect. Little eyes are watching us; looking up to us. So we are learning to ask God for patience to be strong in these times. We can thank God that He is not against us and as the faithful hymn says His help gives us: Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.
L – For LOVE. One of our first home learning activities was to make rainbow-coloured decorations. These were to show support and thanks to our amazing NHS workers. We stuck these on our front windows so people could see them as they passed our house. It was a small but visual way to show love. We have learned that even though Youth Club, Sunday school and churches have closed, we can still be a witness to show love and hope at home.
E – For EXPERIENCE. What an experience! Some of our children have happily plodded along and it appears that they are oblivious to what is actually going on. Others, here, have had a stressful time wondering what the future holds for their exams and plans. 2020 has left its mark and 2021 is off to a rocky start. As Christian parents we have a duty to help them and to do this with faith. They quickly pick up on our reactions. We are learning to show them that God is not alarmed or surprised by anything going on. He is in control and He wants us to do life His way. We can be sure His way is the best way. Corrie Ten Boom said: “Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see”.
As the saying goes, ‘This too shall pass’. It’s not a biblical quote but we won’t always have a pandemic. Ultimately the biggest lesson we can learn at this time is our witness to each other. We are not trying to show how great we are but the One who is and meets our greatest need. Our focus at home is on eternal matters. No matter our situation may we have a childlike trust and not worry but depend on our Heavenly father. This old poem by its author, Elizabeth Cheney, encourages us:
Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
“I would really like to know
why these anxious human beings
rush about and worry so?”Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
“friend I think that it must be
that they have no Heavenly father
such as cares for you and me”
