A few bits for the week...
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I hope everyone was successful in navigating the Home Learning Plan with their students. Please let me know about any problems you have with access or availability of technology and materials via email. We want to make sure no one is experiencing any hardship in providing materials to complete tasks. We have added next week’s Home Learning Plan to that document so you can look back on last week’s if there was an idea you didn’t get to that you wanted to try.
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Starting next week, we will be highlighting two or three activities that we would really like to see documentation for. If possible, please submit a photo or video using FreshGrade STUDENT app.
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If you are having trouble with anything we are giving you or with FreshGrade, please feel free to contact me via email. We can set up a video meeting if needed.
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Please remember not to put too much pressure on yourself during this time. You have always been and always will be a teacher for your child(ren). Now is the time to model knowing when to take a break, knowing how to take of yourself. If your well-being is at stake, it’s okay to plunk your child down in front of Minecraft or Sesame Street, or send them off to play. Do not hesitate to let me know how I can help.
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Don’t let the children trick you into being by their side for everything. When there are specific instructions to follow, give them and then ask, “Do you think you know what to do?” If they say no, break the instructions into smaller pieces. Then walk away and check on them after they start. I’m not telling you to abandon them but give them the opportunities to build their confidence in themselves by showing them you are confident in them. That said, it is unwise to leave your child unmonitored if they are accessing the internet.
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Journal entries are an opportunity to see what words, letters and sounds they know. They need to try the printing themselves. You can help when they are stuck, “What word are you trying to write? What sounds do you hear?” If they don’t know, encourage them to guess or skip it. After they are done, they can tell you what they wanted to say. You can write it out for them, you can sound out the words, and ask them what letters you should write.
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Take lots of photos. This is history in the making. You are going to want a record.
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Even though the BC Ministry has purchased Zoom licenses for BC schools, Saanich School District is not implementing their use with children until they have been granted full access for a risk assessment and trial. This is likely to take a while so in the meantime, I will attempt to have small group meetings on Wednesdays with up to 4 children at a time in Microsoft Teams. Here is a signup schedule for meetings next Wednesday. This will be a social gathering and sharing (show and tell) opportunity for the children.
Have a great long weekend!