INTREPID parents across the Herald area have taken their first steps into teaching over the past fortnight – with schools temporarily closed and it being uncertain when they will return.

Faced with this challenge, many schools have produced useful guides to aid pupils’ home-learning.

This week, headteacher Claire Donnachie of South Farnham School has ten handy teaching tips to share.

1. Be realistic about what you can do – home is not school. You’re not a teacher and your children aren’t expected to learn as they do in school.

2. Share the load if there are two parents or older siblings at home. Take turns to teach so you all have time to do your own work.

3. Stick to a routine – this is what children are used to at school, so try to eat, study and have breaks at set times every week-day and designate a work-space with a desk if possible.

4. Involve your children in organising their timetable where possible. 

It’s a great opportunity for them to manage their time better and will give them responsibility for getting things done – they can tick off activities during the day.

5. Make time for exercise if you have a garden, use and it regularly. Or try to get out once a day as permitted by the government to walk or cycle; households can be together outdoors but two metres apart from others.

6. Make time for other activities such as cooking, baking, gardening, reading, drawing. Get the board games out, learn to do the Rubik’s cube, or knit, skip, identify birds, flowers and bird song.

7. Get your children to make cards for grandparents, neighbours or local care homes.

8. Ask grandparents to listen to your children read or to read to your children on FaceTime or Skype, etc.

9. Accept your children will probably have more screen time – agree some limits and timings. Use screen time to talk to their friends and family.

10. Take care of your own health and wellbeing. This will be new to your entire household, so give it time to settle and bed in – and ask for help if you need it. This is certainly a time for us all to pull together.