Creating Norms and Agreements at Home

Last Friday, after one day at home with my two kids, I realized I would need to create some agreements and norms with our new, non-school schedule. I told my sons that we'd create a schedule together as well as norms/agreements as we move forward with our new “home school.” It might feel funny to do, but I think it's essential because unlike a weekend day or even a vacation, there is little structure in place at home and kids deeply rely on predictable routines. With no sports practices to get to or playdates to have, the open-endedness can feel overwhelming for both parents and kids.

In this virtual meeting I will share the process I use in my classroom to democratically create norms and agreements for our learning space so that everyone can be productive and have fun. My hope is that this same process will help ease the transition for parents and kids as they embark on this new learning environment.