Homeschooling Starts Today. Wish Me Luck!

[Polabowla]

I am with @Alex T with those gorgeous hands of yours you must have had your children when you were a baby yourself!
And good for you doing what is best for your family!

Thanks missy!

 

[lissyflo]

thanks @Alex T

we've been doing ballett and Yoga exclusively....might try wicks...

He’s definitely worth doing with the kids. I agree with AlexT - he makes it about fun activity rather than ‘exercise’. My boys are loving it, but my knees and buttocks are both feeling my age after 5 days in a row!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

How are you parent teachers surving ?

I just came across this and thought you might like to do an art project and have a break from all those stupid worksheets

People Recreate Paintings With Stuff They Can Find at Home

Even if you don't go out to enjoy art in museums, that doesn't mean that life has to be boring or uncultured. You can recreate a famous artworks at home.

www.sadanduseless.com

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Back to the real world after out Easter holidays for us... My new printer cartridge is empty already... Sigh

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

how are you guys going ?
ive been thinking of you but had trouble refinding this thread

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

how are you guys going ?
ive been thinking of you but had trouble refinding this thread

Thank you for thinking of us ❤ . Much uncertainty, since we have no clue when and how the schools will be opened. I'm ok with doing what needs to be done, but I'm a planner and I'd like to be able to prepare. Kids are doing fine.

We're hanging in there. I think the lucky psers in the UK are still enjoying their Easter break

I hope you're doing great as well @Daisys and Diamonds !!!

 

[Ally T]

Thank you for thinking of us ❤ . Much uncertainty, since we have no clue when and how the schools will be opened. I'm ok with doing what needs to be done, but I'm a planner and I'd like to be able to prepare. Kids are doing fine.

We're hanging in there. I think the lucky psers in the UK are still enjoying their Easter break

I hope you're doing great as well @Daisys and Diamonds !!!

Nope, we are back at it too as of yesterday!

Thank you thinking of us @Daisys and Diamonds !

Our Government has stepped up our work volume as we start the summer term, due to uncertainty of getting them back before summer break, so we've gone from 2 hours to 3 each day. Still nowhere near an actual school day & also, my kids are super speedy, so yesterday & today they were done in a smidge over 2 hours.

The weather is glorious & warm with temps of low 20's (celsius) over this week, so we've done longer walks than usual to enjoy all the pretty colours of the spring flowers. And nobody will have a clue we've been out for longer than permitted hour, as we hardly pass a single soul on our travels.

I have cut back hugely on the wine habit I was developing I was far from a raging alchy, don't get me wrong, but going from a few glasses at weekend only to 1 or 2 every night needed nipping in the bud. Back to a Saturday night tipple only as of the last 10 days. Though if I'm honest, it's now almost 3pm, Mr T is doing interviews via video link & the girls are playing in the garden, so I'm tempted to have an icy cold G&T!

 

[Arcadian]

This is pretty cool idea! didn't even see this until someone sent it to me

If you live in the US and need to provide science lesson (grades 4, 5, and 6) this is perfect. And gotowebinar is secure. (glad they're not using zoom)

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/Hurricanes_at_Home_April_6.pdf

 

[Ally T]

This is pretty cool idea! didn't even see this until someone sent it to me

If you live in the US and need to provide science lesson (grades 4, 5, and 6) this is perfect. And gotowebinar is secure. (glad they're not using zoom)

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/Hurricanes_at_Home_April_6.pdf

This is great!

Have heard very dubious things about the security on Zoom. I'm not very technologically savvy though

 

[Polabowla]

I'm really exhausted & sick of fighting the school on how much work my kids have to do that is "mandatory".
Especially my kids who struggle w learning in a regular situation.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I'm really exhausted & sick of fighting the school on how much work my kids have to do that is "mandatory".
Especially my kids who struggle w learning in a regular situation.

I'm sorry @Polabowla

They really shouldn't make an exhausting situation worse! ((Hugs))

 

[Polabowla]

Thanks @kipari
It's so crazy

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I'm sorry @Polabowla

They really shouldn't make an exhausting situation worse! ((Hugs))

hugs @Polabowla to you and the kids

being safe and happy at home durring the pandemic is more important than school, that can be caught up on latter
have an easy day today and do art,
send the school the virtual middle finger and declare a home schooling teacher only day

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

here in NZ we have moved out of level 4 into level 3
not a lot of difference but with click and collect shopping and takeaways

schools and preschools can now open for the children of essential workers that have no childcare alternatives
kids at school with be seated 2m apart with 10 kids to a bubble and they will be supervised doing the same online work the kids at home are doing
older kids - the last 3 years of highschool, who by then are legally old enough to stay home alone continue to learn on line at home

only 1% of school kids and 4% of little kids have returned to school and preschool

my sister is definatly keeping her's at home

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

only 1% of school kids and 4% of little kids have returned to school and preschool

my sister is definatly keeping her's at home

Yes, we're between a rock and a hard place regarding this decisions....

On the one hand children need normality and studies suggest alarming outcomes for the children who aren't schooled (the economist has a piece on it that I found verging on alarmist, so I'm not linking)... On the other hand one sick kid or parent in a class will mean two weeks of self isolation for the whole family anyways. So for me personally (sahm of six) the risk for our family is quite big with relatively small benefit (kids will need to rotate, because of the distancing measures etc, essential workers' kids rightfully having a spot each day, which means realistically one day of school per child).

Our school has three conferences today. First one with superintendent and teachers, second one with superintendent and parent representatives , third one with class representatives.

We'll see how that goes..

 

[Polabowla]

We are definitely taking it easier today; but I'm very restless today .

@kipari good to meet you fellow mom of 6!

Tbh it sounds like kids going back in those situations is just harder on everyone.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Wondering if by having to homeschool anyone has become acutely aware of just how age inappropriate some of the material is?

Our son just started kindergarten and the assignments he is given are just too much sometimes. For example, watch a video and answer questions in complete sentences with proper capitalization and punctuation. He is hardly actually writing anything, most of the work is done on an app with a stylus which means it is typed. He is also left-handed and has a hard time with letter formation at times.

I'm considering just doing the assignments that are age appropriate and stopping everything else to concentrate on proper writing and other basic skills. However I'm concerned he would be behind by their standards when he returns.

 

[House Cat]

I keep thinking about the fall. There’s no way this is going to work. The children won’t be safe by then. Think of the littles and how close they get to one another. Think of the teens and their romantic relationships.

Our colleges are already announcing that school will be held online.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@House Cat, I'm interested to see what things will look like for the little kids. Young children tend to be very affectionate, my son would hug his classmates at dismissal. Will that be against the rules now, too risky?

Also they will be so behind and will need to get caught up, I fear they are just going to move them on to the next thing without making sure they have mastered all the skills before that.

 

[House Cat]

@House Cat, I'm interested to see what things will look like for the little kids. Young children tend to be very affectionate, my son would hug his classmates at dismissal. Will that be against the rules now, too risky?

Also they will be so behind and will need to get caught up, I fear they are just going to move them on to the next thing without making sure they have mastered all the skills before that.

I have the same worries about my high school aged child. My daughter-in-law is a second grade teacher. She said with the right supports, children can be caught up relatively quickly. I think we will all be using tutors for a year or so.

 

[Ally T]

@House Cat, I'm interested to see what things will look like for the little kids. Young children tend to be very affectionate, my son would hug his classmates at dismissal. Will that be against the rules now, too risky?

Also they will be so behind and will need to get caught up, I fear they are just going to move them on to the next thing without making sure they have mastered all the skills before that.

I think you should just do what your little one can manage. And forming his letters properly is a huge step, as are phonics sounds for reading & writing at this age.

Please don't get too stressed about how far he gets or how far he falls behind. The schools will have to adapt their learnings as & when they return.

Some children at the school I work at are doing the bare minimum asked, if even that on some days, as parents are choosing to bake, learn life skills, learn about the judiciary system etc, instead, whereas other children are asking for even MORE work & more challenging assignments.

All children have different abilities & teachers study for years to bring the best out of every child. You, my lovely, are not a teacher. It will be their job to bring everybody back up to speed & to a certain level just as soon as they can.

 

[lissyflo]

All children have different abilities & teachers study for years to bring the best out of every child. You, my lovely, are not a teacher. It will be their job to bring everybody back up to speed & to a certain level just as soon as they can.

Exactly this. All we as parents can do is the best we can in the circumstances. What each family feels is best for them will vary. In young children, I think the most important thing is to encourage curiosity and a love of learning - the rest will flow naturally once children are back with professional educators. And the schools will have to take account of this time - it’s the entire education system that’s missing a term, not just one child who needs to catch up - they will have to adjust the curriculum across the board, if only for a while.

Children are remarkably flexible. My kids started school at 4 as that’s the age school starts in the UK. Their cousins live in a different European country and started school at nearly 7. They caught up with reading, writing and learning in a formal environment very quickly because they took things on more quickly at an older age. I hope it will be the same for younger children affected by these school closures.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Alex T, you are so right in all accounts, especially the not being s teacher part. I have a whole new appreciation for teachers that's for sure!

@House Cat, I keep thinking about the seniors who are graduating this year, what an upheaval for them. Yes our children will have to be brought up to speed and tutors may play a very vital part if the school system doesn't.

 

[House Cat]

@Alex T, you are so right in all accounts, especially the not being s teacher part. I have a whole new appreciation for teachers that's for sure!

@House Cat, I keep thinking about the seniors who are graduating this year, what an upheaval for them. Yes our children will have to be brought up to speed and tutors may play a very vital part if the school system doesn't.

I think about the seniors too. My son is only a freshman. This has been very hard on him. People say that they have FaceTime and their social media to stay in touch but it isn’t the same. They need to get away from their parents and be goofy with their friends. His birthday is in two days and he tears up every time it’s brought up. I bought him a great gift to try and help soothe the loss, but I know nothing is really going to help. I can’t imagine if he were losing a prom, graduation, camaraderie, last goodbyes...