It really has been an interesting week to say the very least and the unknown of the future that lies ahead for all of us.
During all of the these closures there is difficulties and feelings of stress and anxieties and now in addition, and I realise that so many of you have the added pressure of being a teacher to your children. Some great advice that I have seen and totally agree to involve the following points:
- You don't need to try to replicate the whole school experience, do what works for you and family.
- Don't try to be your child's classroom teacher. Just keep being the teacher you already are and who have been as their first teacher since the day they were born.
- Please be easy on yourself - keep in mind that we are trained for years and had many years practise and do not expect you to replicate the same overnight. We know that we couldn't possibly take over your job overnight and we know and understand that you wouldn't be able to do ours. Let us support you when you need, we are here.
- Remember these things will benefit your child the most right now in terms of home education: reading with your child, cooking with your child, gardening with your child, enjoying nature and its wonders with your child. Also making and creating things, singing and dancing and playing with your child. Teaching is talking and listening - telling, explaining, asking, questioning and reasoning is a large part of the teaching and learning cycle.
Above all, keep being the kind, calm role-model your child needs through this challenging time. This is how you teach. Keep doing you - your child is learning from you every day.
For those parents wanting support - we are here. We are currently learning and evaluation how we can try to adapt our teaching methods to digital based and try to help you and your child in this new education scenario. Please find at the end of this post a direct link with the suggested outline for learning experiences that line up with our original planned learning concepts for Week 9, Term 1. These learning concepts are underlined in our home learning document. See if these concepts can tie into any other happenings or activities you complete around your home as well or any other resources you may have or use.
This week we will be moving onto using more digital learning platform tasks this week as students (and you!) are becoming more familiar with using them. Please email us if you need the log-in codes emailed to you again. Tasks for reading, spelling and mathematics on our new learning topics and concepts will be set in Seesaw, Study Ladder and Mathletics. Students are also encouraged to keep reading everyday and can access appropriate leveled readers in the Library part of Reading Eggs app. We will clear out some of the Week 8 activity tasks on these platforms on Friday afternoon and set the new tasks for Week 9 over the weekend so they are ready for your child to access and select by Monday morning. We are also planning on including some video instructions on how to complete some of the Seesaw tasks so please encourage your child to watch it first before they complete the worksheet template in the 'add response' section.
Feel free to complete any of the Mathletics, Seesaw and Study Ladder tasks whenever it works best. We suggest just trying to make sure everyday there is a balanced mixture of one or two reading, writing, spelling and mathematics tasks each day, plus another learning area of your choice. Or do some intense days of learning and other days not so much - it is totally up to you.
For those parents who are still a little unsure of how to use these digital learning platforms we have made a few tutorials below. Please note that I'm not really enjoying hearing the sound of my voice when I play them back haha- I don't think I would make it in a career of instablogging...
Additionally here are some paper based Learning Resources for Week 9. Keep in mind if you do not have a printer then just refer to from a screen and complete on lined or blank paper.
Please click here for Week 9 Home Learning English Maths Other
Please click here for How to access and use Reading Eggs Library
Please click here for A little introduction to using Seesaw Class at home
Please click here for How to use Mathletics and Rainforest Maths
Please click here for A little introduction how to use Study Ladder for learning
Optional: Please click here for Week 9 HASS Learning from Mrs Meyer.
We understand there is an abundance of other learning resources and websites being shared on social media that are available to use and access for free. There are also workbooks available to buy and printable worksheet you can access and use just by googling keywords. While these are not necessary, please still feel free to use whatever you would like if you wish.
Finally, thank you so much for all of the hard work you have done this week at home with your child. I really appreciate the effort you are doing to maintain your child's education and love seeing their work and hearing their voices as they read. I have also received a few little audio messages and a little video from some of the students at home which have been absolutely beautiful and has reminded me how blessed I am to be their teacher. It was interesting hearing how a few of them explained how they feel and these messages really have been a gorgeous way of lifting my spirits. You should be proud of your little tech-savvy children.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Thank you for your continued support and assistance,
Monique
