Learning from home can be all kinds of stressful. If you’re struggling with home-schooling, read on to find ways to cope…
Q. I can’t concentrate! My younger brother is always charging around the house and distracting me. Help!
A. It can be very difficult to concentrate in a busy household, especially if you don’t have a quiet space of your own to work from. Ask your parent/s if they can keep your brother away from you for a period every day to give you peace to get on with some work. If that doesn’t work, pop on a pair of headphones and if you can concentrate play your favourite music. It can help you focus and blocks out any pesky background noise. Try to be patient with your brother as he’s probably feeling frustrated and cooped-up with lock-down restrictions, too.
Q. My mum is too busy working from home and juggling my younger siblings’ schoolwork to help me with my coursework. I really need help at times, but I don’t want to add to her stress…
A. Your mum has a lot on her plate, but she’d want to know if you’re struggling. Even if she doesn’t always have the time to guide you herself, she’d be able to find you the support you need or point you in the right direction. Your teacher is also a great person to contact and will be happy to help you with anything you might be finding difficult. Once you’ve got support in place, you could even offer to help out with your younger siblings’ schoolwork to give your mum a helping hand.
Q. I can’t be bothered doing any work. I’d rather chill in my room and watch Netflix.
A. It can be difficult to keep yourself motivated, especially without the structure of a normal school day. As tempting as it can be to just ignore the workload, you wouldn’t be doing yourself any favours as you could fall behind and have to catch-up with the rest of the class, which would be very stressful. Try to get up at the same time every morning and do a little work every day. Make yourself a timetable or ask an adult to help you create one if you’re not sure how to do it. Read our handy guide to help you with studying techniques: https://ionpadel.com/for-me/current-issues/home-schooling/why-is-studying-so-difficult/
Q. I hate video calls with my class! I don’t want to show my face, especially when I haven’t showered or done my hair and make-up.
A. It’s extremely likely that your classmates probably feel the same way, so you’re not alone. Many teachers allow students to turn off their cameras, so long as they have their audio on. Others may prefer for cameras to be on to make their students are paying attention and understanding what they’re saying. If you’re experiencing anxiety about video calls, talk to your teacher to see if there’s anything they can do to help.
Q. I don’t have a laptop or the materials I need to do the work. I’m worried that I’ll fall behind or get into trouble.
A. Firstly, try not to worry. Don’t suffer in silence – speak up and ask your teacher if they can help you source the materials you need. Your school will do whatever they can to support you during this time, whether that’s providing equipment and worksheets or guiding you to helpful resources. There are lots of free online resources you can access, as well as daily Bitesize learning on BBC2 and BBC iPlayer.
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