Early in this and previous newsletters we mentioned attendance and the need for us to see evidence of learning, for students to be marked as Learning from Home. This is a directive we have been instructed to follow and is not included to cause additional stress.
Once again if you have any concerns about your child’s learning or wellbeing, please contact us. We know how challenging it is to keep your children on track at home, motivated, engaged and to still juggle the other important responsibilities you have as parents or carers, not to mention your own work commitments.
The longer we are learning from home the more concern many of us have that our children will regress. Please be assured that every single child is in the same boat and they all will be ok. When we are back in the classroom, we will bridge any gaps that may have developed during the At-Home learning phase. Teachers are experts at this, and our 2021 State NAPLAN results are a testimony to this.
Our students are aware of COVID-19 and the implications it is having on them and their families. And although the idea of Leaning from Home- No School may have been welcomed in the beginning, most will be starting to miss the routine and normality that school provides and especially the social side of school.
You may notice an increase in behaviour issues. Whether it's anxiety, or anger or protest that they can't do things they want to. This is normal and expected under these circumstances. Kids need a lot of love and reassurance right now and it is better to find ways to enjoy your time together than argue about schoolwork. Don’t mandate hours of learning time if they are resisting it. When they are ready you can try again.
At the end of the day everyone’s mental health is more important than academic skills. Find other ways to learn together, go for a walk together, talk about the things you see, cook meals together, take virtual field trips. Taronga Zoo and many of our wonderful museums have opened their doors and invite you to join them on digital platforms. Read a book together or watch a movie and discuss the plot and characters. Children feel our constant tension and anxiety and when this is over, they aren’t going to remember the learning they did while they were at home, but they will remember how they felt.
Don’t give up on learning but don’t sweat the small things.