As homeschoolers, we know it is quite important to create independent learning experiences for our children. Parents know the value of our children learning to complete tasks on their own.
Since we want our kids to be able to thrive independently, it is essential that we create independent learning opportunities to guide them through the process.
One of my go-to resources that I use to create independent learning experiences is an Evan-Moor series called Take It to Your Seat Centers. The full-color activities in these books are designed for children to practice skills on their own!
Step-by-Step Method to Create Independent Learning
I wanted to share this simple step-by-step method to create independent learning:
- Teach the new skill (I highly recommend Evan-Moor’s Language Fundamentals and Math Fundamentals as your baseline curriculum).
- Make certain children understand the skill. We check for this understanding to make sure they are ready for practicing using the new skill correctly.
- Choose an activity that will help your child practice this skill. My kids really enjoy the full-color activities from the Evan-Moor series called Take It to Your Seat.
- Introduce and practice the independent learning activity with them. Why? Even though children may understand the skill, it still may be new to them. Let children try the activities on their own. Once kids have success with guided practice on their own, they will naturally move toward learning on their own.
- Follow up by having children repeat the activity again as a review in future independent work time such as workboxes or centers.
How I Use Take It to Your Seat Centers
Evan-Moor’s Take It to Your Seat activities are so fun, colorful, and engaging that children will be motivated to work on their own.
There are Take It to Your Seat books for math, geography, language, literacy, phonics, reading, science, vocabulary, and writing!
One of the secrets to creating independent learning experiences for children is to practice with them FIRST. If we are working with skills that are new to children, we do the Take It to Your Seat activity together. Then I put the Take It to Your Seat activity in their workboxes as a review within the next 3–7 days.
If the Take It to Your Seat activity is a skill that children have already been taught, then I make sure they understand the directions and let them have a go on their own!
BONUS TIP: I like to print these activities out and keep them in an envelope or plastic bag. We use them to review all year long!
Have you checked out the Take It to Your Seat series yet? If not, head over there right away!
Remember, you get the BEST price by joining TeacherFileBox for $13/month. You will have access the entire series of Take It to Your Seat books and tons of other publications covering grades PreK–6 in reading, phonics, math, science, and MORE!
How do you set your child up for success for learning independently? Share your ideas in the comments!
Amy Michaels is a certified teacher with 11 years of elementary classroom experience who is actively homeschooling her own children. Her mission is share the best teaching methods and resources with all homeschoolers. Amy supports parents through her podcasts, webinars, and online training for homeschoolers on her website www.thrivehomeschooling.com.