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| image: thinking boy |
No one knows how long the impacts of COVID-19 might make remote learning a necessity. Some may feel the need to "get away" but safety is the priority.
These virtual field trips for families can take children places... to learn about history, discover science, and even checking out outer space. There are trips for everyone.
If you want to make the most out of a virtual field trip, help your children engage with the material even after they've turned off their devices with a fun activity. They could draw their favorite part of the "trip" was, or write out a couple of facts that they've learned. Of course, this is still screen-time, and every family should strive to find the balance between "real" and "screen" experiences. After playing in the yard, or building a blanket fort, you might give one of these a try:
One of the struggles that parents and teachers alike are talking about is trying to get students to generalize school-behavior at home…. in an environment they have been practicing home behavior. For some students, we understand that work avoidance is a particular issue. Since things cannot happen in the traditional classroom, here are some suggestions to make schooling as consistent as possible.
-Don’t underestimate the power of a schedule To the extent possible, experts recommend keeping everyone on the same or similar sleeping schedule. Write down or post the schedule provided to you by your students' teachers. Having a clear vision of what is expected of your child will help them to understand the expectations. Experts also recommend helping students to prioritize; to learn to create goals, tasks, and deadlines, just like adults do when they go to work.
-Maintain breaks including lunch and recess Routines and schedules are extremely important for children at school, and this is no different for at-home school. Children will function best if they maintain their routine as close to normal as possible. Setting alarms similar to those they would encounter at school can be helpful for keeping them on a schedule. Around lunch time, encourage them to get up, get some fresh air, go for a walk or bike ride, or have a snack so that they are not sedentary for the entire day.
-Allow Your Student Some Choice While maintaining an at home “school schedule’ allow for some choice and flexibility, depending on your students' *(and family) needs. During a ‘session’ allow them to choose if they are going to work on math or reading. Offer encouragement and positive reinforcement for efforts made. This is new territory for all, and as we all learn to be effective in this situation, we need to remember to offer positive encouragement for efforts towards completion of work. Even if the entire assignment isn't completed.With reluctant learners in the traditional learning environment, we often encourage teachers to express verbal approval for any sign of beginning the assignment, even if the student just completes a small part of the work.
For more information, reach out by email, or check out the links below:
In addition to all of the wonderful Counselor Keri videos and the link to "Wilma Jean, the Worry Machine" by Julia Cook you can find here (linked with permission) I wanted to post another great story for our students about skills for managing a worry.
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| Ruby Finds a Worry - Read-Aloud |
Managing Anxiety During Re-Opening
Parents need to know that being "sensitive" does not mean that there is something "wrong" with a person! For this week's "Just a thought....." please read along for more information, or reach out if you have concerns about your own child.
Parenting the highly-sensitive child
What every sensitive child needs to hear
