Alicia Porter Alicia Porter

Blog Topic: Homeschool Celebrations “How to End Your Teaching Year Successfully” & Why Celebrations are Important to Learning.

We can see it now… the END OF THE YEAR is on the horizon! You did it. You made it to May and it’s almost summertime.

How can we end strong and in the most effective way to propel the next season of learning?

When I homeschooled I always made celebrating an important part of learning. And… there is SO MUCH to celebrate.

Why Celebrations in learning are important

“A celebration always makes us feel good. So, when we celebrate learning, we make our learners feel good. Celebrating learning has a very significant and positive impact on learners’ memory, motivation, and other cognitive functions. It instils a love of learning. They are more than just feel-good moments. The right celebrations can propel students forward on their education journey. What is important is that celebration of the success of learners is done effectively. When done effectively, it gives our students the drive and motivation to continue doing great work.  Effective praise/positive reinforcement is the driver behind student motivation, self-esteem, and creativity.” -Global Education and Learning

Here are just a few things to CELEBRATE….

  • All the work you did together

  • All the work your child did independently

  • New books that made special memories

  • Specific skills your child learned ot mastered

  • Friends and other parents that supported your learning

  • What you learned not to do this year

THESE ARE JUST TO NAME A FEW….there is so much more to celebrate…really!

Every age and stage deserves a celebration…

DAILY

  • At the end of each learning day do a Verbal or Written REFLECTION of what they learned using pictures or words

  • Meet for a “daily chat” around the same time and place each day with a special snack or drink.. make it a RITUAL

  • Make a phone call to someone to tell them how well your child on something… small or big

  • Create REWARDS for learning and consistency

WEEKLY

  • Take photos weekly of your most special learning moments. Print and organize them.

  • Create a “LEARNING JOURNAL” and write or draw about the week’s most memorable learning

  • Offer rewards for continuing, finishing, or re-doing an assignment during the week

  • Create a weekly poster of goals and a checklist that your child can mark on their own. Use stickers, markers, or stamped images.

  • Create an end of the week ritual (ours was a weekly Friday morning big breakfast and a no homeschool day)

MONTHLY

  • Give your child a monthly report card with positive comments

  • Write a letter and mail it to your child that tells them how proud their teacher is of their learning. Include a photo.

  • Create a monthly ritual to celebrate all of their efforts.

  • Make it public… share your progress with relatives or friends.

QUARTERLY or END OF THE YEAR

  • Refresh the space with a few new learning materials… notebook, folder, or a writing utensil

  • Compare old and new learning and verbally share the progress they are making

  • Make it public… share progress with relatives or friends

  • Give achievement certificates and write details about how well they did

  • Create a SHOWCASE of work in a family GALLERY WALK to see everything your child did all year

Congratulations on a completed school year!!!

Check out our Summer BLOG to find easy peasy ways to prepare for a fantastic start next school year over the Summertime!


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