What if the Kids are Not Back at School in the Fall?
Here’s a question that may help focus you: Next year, in 5 years, in 10 years, in 20 years, what story do you want your kids to tell about this experience? My recommendations for “how to be” during a time of temporary / emergency education at home:
Focus on the basics.
- Remember-Teachers are Amazing! Now we all know first-hand what they do every day. Teachers must teach 30 kids at once. I only had one at home.
- Take advantage of the structure that the school has provided.
- Goals are different in “emergency” schooling.
- Emphasize review in subjects like math and language learning, it’s less intimidating than starting new topics, and it will make it easier to pick back up where you left off when school starts back. If the only thing you accomplish is “your kid doesn’t forget any vocab words during the closure,” that’s a win.
- Mental health and love of learning are more important than any given assignment.
- Must be flexible.
- There will be mess.
- There will be crying.
- There will be anxiety.
- Go outside. A lot.
- Show your kids you are learning / working, too.
- Read together.
- Watch movies together. Discuss books and movies together
