{"id":19470,"date":"2020-10-09T08:42:38","date_gmt":"2020-10-09T15:42:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=19470"},"modified":"2026-04-14T11:58:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T18:58:18","slug":"buyer-home-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-home-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to (Home) School! How to Create An Ideal Home Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you purchased your home<\/a>, you may not have been thinking about how it could also double as a school! But if you\u2019re now looking to set up a virtual classroom<\/a> in your home, you\u2019re not alone. A recent study<\/a> indicates that 52% of students in the United States will be educating remotely full-time this fall, and another 19% will be practicing some kind of hybrid education option.<\/p>\n

Setting up a home classroom school area in your house is no small task. You have to consider the needs of each individual child<\/a>, as well as those of the family as a whole. Here\u2019s how you can optimize your home for virtual learning while also maintaining that \u201chomey\u201d feeling you adore.<\/p>\n

\"Consider<\/a>
Source: (Jessica Lewis \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Consider kids’ ages and needs<\/h2>\n

J. Perrin Cornell<\/a>, a top real estate agent in <\/span>Wenatchee, Washington<\/a>, has worked with several clients who are setting up their home to attend school remotely, and he\u2019s also consulted with many teachers who are doing the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

When setting up a school space, he says it\u2019s important to view learning in terms of three layers: the child, the teacher, and the parent. Before getting too far into your virtual classroom setup, you\u2019ll want to ask yourself some preparation questions with those three layers in mind.<\/p>\n

How much support do your kids need from adults?<\/h3>\n

Each child learns differently, and only you know how much adult support your child will need while schooling at home. Generally speaking, younger kids require more direction and help from adults as they\u2019re doing their schoolwork. High school students are probably a little more independent, or they may seek help from friends or tutors.<\/p>\n

The level of expected adult interaction will influence the way you set up your child\u2019s learning space. Those who anticipate their students needing a lot of oversight will want the learning space(s) in their home to be easily accessible for the helper. Otherwise, your student will end up losing a lot of efficiency by walking back and forth for assistance.<\/p>\n

Consider the possibility that you may need to multitask while helping with school. For example, you may want to set your kindergartener up near the kitchen so that you can prep dinner while helping them read worksheet directions.<\/p>\n

How much time will school take?<\/h3>\n

Again, the answer to this question will vary based on the type of schooling as well as the individual student. Florida Virtual School<\/a>, an online learn-at-your-own-pace school, says, \u201cOn average, students in grades Kindergarten-3 will have 20 hours of work to complete per week, and grades 4-12 will have 25 hours per week.\u201d But other schools require students to be logged on continuously for all traditional school hours. Check with your child\u2019s educator about time requirements so you know what to expect.<\/p>\n

The amount of time your child will spend on school will also influence how you set up your space. If you expect your child to be done in just a few hours each day, you may not want to put as much preparation into your home\u2019s school area. Carving out a spot at the dinner table may be just fine for a few hours!<\/p>\n

How much work is independent?<\/h3>\n

Each school is doing virtual education a little differently. Some teachers are live online throughout the entire day; other teachers give instruction, then log off when it\u2019s time for their students to do independent work.<\/p>\n

Check with your child\u2019s teacher about the amount of independent work time that can be expected, as that will make a difference in how you set up and manage your virtual classroom. You may want to set up a formal computer station for instruction plus a more casual seating station for independent work. In fact, traditional educational data gathered over a period of 18 years<\/a> shows that many students tend to perform better when allowed to work in different stations.<\/p>\n

Is this temporary, or do you intend to school at home for the foreseeable future?<\/h3>\n

Some districts are planning to do virtual school for only the first quarter. Some families intend to school at home for the whole year, regardless of district mandates. If virtual schooling is a temporary thing in your household, you may not want to spend a lot of money on your child\u2019s learning space. But if your child will be learning at home indefinitely, you\u2019ll probably want to invest in some furniture and supplies to make them comfortable for the long haul.<\/p>\n

\"Consider<\/a>
Source: (Annie Spratt \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Work with the space you have<\/h2>\n

After you\u2019ve evaluated your family\u2019s personal schooling needs, you\u2019ll need to think through the physical space constraints of your home. Some houses allow for a separate school space; others require some creative multi-purposing.<\/p>\n

If your kids will work in a separate room<\/h3>\n

Those who plan to school at home for quite some time may want to consider converting a little-used room into a school room. A playroom, bonus room, unused formal dining room, loft, or guest room could be repurposed as a quiet space for virtual school needs. Even an extra walk-in closet<\/a> will work!<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve got an entire room to work with, you can think big about furnishing and layout. Creating a functional school space can be fun! Take a look at some of these essentials for a dedicated school room.<\/p>\n