With the news yesterday that schools will remain closed for next week we would like to send a few reminders:
It is great for the children to continue to learn and revise skills and information while the school is closed but the most important thing for everyone right now is to stay well physically and mentally.
This is an exceptional time and teachers understand that it is impossible to recreate at home what we do in a classroom full of children.
We are not expecting students to make huge progress during this time in terms of their academic learning – if they don’t slide backwards and still remember what they have covered already once they come back to school that would be great.
It is particularly challenging for children with special educational needs, learning or behavioral difficulties to learn at a time like this.
Children are worried and scared at the moment – like we are as adults – it is difficult to avoid this – the best thing we can do to support them right now is to make them feel loved and secure – they are more likely to remember how they felt at this time than what they learned.
At some point in the future this will be over, the school will re-open and we will begin to, slowly, put things back together somewhat like before, we need to be brave and help each other so that we have the capacity to put things back together when this time comes.
We understand that the tv and technology are sometimes necessary to keep the peace at home – but we would remind parents to be vigilant around monitoring use of social media particularly with older children at times like this (there is a lot of disturbing and inappropriate content online).
Try to do things with your children that normally none of us have time to do – take a day off school in your pyjamas if you all need it (your teacher won’t know!).
Keep a diary – this is a historic time and it’s also good handwriting practice – or try putting together your own family’s time capsule to report this historic time for your family (working as a historian).
Call your granny, grandad, auntie, uncle, cousin – or even better write them a letter.
Be kind and look after each otherKeep staying at home as much as possible and keep washing your hands.
The hse website is updated daily (and sometimes more frequently) – call your doctor if you are feeling unwell.
We understand that there is extra pressure at home when siblings and parents are competing over use of technology.
Keep up the physical activity and get out in the fresh air (at a safe distance from others).
Try baking (mathematical measurement skills) and gardening (science skills).
We will continue to try to support the learning at home and to provide resources and strategies we think may be helpful but we also understand that not everyone is in a position to do this – do as much as you can or what works for your family and circumstances.
We miss all the children and normal school life….but we will be together again.
Stay safe and healthy.
Siobhán Loughman
Suggestions for activities and educational websites you can use to support your child are on the previous post. Click on the next link at the bottom of this page.
