Earlier this spring, teachers and students embarked on a journey they had never taken before, teaching and learning online and in person. They had to venture into the unknown world of virtual teaching/learning. Teachers had to switch from in person instruction, with hands on activities and interactions with kids, to teaching through an online distance format. Both teachers and students had to learn to navigate the online platforms and still figure out what they were supposed to be doing while using video chats, digital lessons, and the distractions of learning at home. Fast forward a few months and now we are looking at a blend of in person and online learning also sometimes referred to as hybrid learning. Depending on location, guidelines, and funding, some teachers and students are back at school, some are working virtually, and some are doing a blended format. No matter what format is being used, there are definitely stresses and issues to be dealt with. The pandemic has created a whole new reality for us. As we continue to learn how to navigate through this with safety and social distancing as a focus, it changes how teaching and learning is done. But as always, teachers don't give up. They manage to find a way to support their students and help them to engage in learning. They care about their students and they do what they can to create something positive out of a negative situation. Support staff at school, parents and other family members at home, and the community as a whole are trying to make things work in a tough situation. For some, it is working, but for others, it is not. This is not a time to point fingers or criticize, but rather, a time to join together and support each other. Together we can make a difference. When we first started to navigate this new way of learning, I wrote about some tips for teaching and learning at home. You can read about it here. I would like to reiterate that many of these ideas are appropriate for this blended teaching and learning situation as well. I truly believe that hands on learning is the best way to learn. Since we are expected to stay socially distanced in the classroom, some of this is much harder to do now. However, it is not impossible. Many of my teacher friends have been sharing ways that they are trying to incorporate hands on activities into their day following the protocols of their districts. Real life learning experiences provide applications for concepts and skills taught. They can be linked to the various academic subjects, but they can be done both in school and at home. The more children can make connections between what they are being taught and how they can apply this to their experiences, the more engaged they become and the richer the learning becomes. For those who are learning at home, hands on activities are much easier to include in the daily routines. These activities can create positive learning experiences for the children as well as bonding opportunities for the parents and caregivers who are trying to help with the teaching. Parents are scrambling to find time for instruction, scheduling assignments, going to work or working out of the home, making meals, and finding time for themselves.They are overwhelmed and need to have some space too. I loved doing projects with my students because they provide a variety of different ways to share what they know and what they have learned. This helps them to feel successful in their learning. This is still possible with today's setting. Preparation and research can be done as a class or in small group situations and the projects can be worked on both at school and at home. Next time I will share more about how to incorporate real life experiences and projects. I would love to hear about some of the things others are doing in their classrooms to manage the blended learning situations happening right now. Drop me a note in the comment section. Related Posts
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Here in Canada, summer vacation is nearing an end and teachers are preparing their classrooms for a new year. In other places, some teachers are already back at school. It is always exciting to freshen up a classroom, prepare for the new students, and just begin a new adventure. However, this year is a different start up because of the pandemic and it will be filled with excitement and trepidation. The uncertainties can be stressful, but together, we will get through it. With the possibility of a hybrid model or more online teaching, the resources will be somewhat different than in the past. More digital materials are required and ideas for engaging students from a distance are important. Here are some samples of some bundles and resources. Click on the images to see more about them. Check out the categories in my store for more ideas. Back to school activities help children get back into learning mode. Here are some ideas for the first few days that will help engage them and get them started. Decorating up the room makes it feel inviting and fresh. Here is a rainbow themed kit that might work. It is available in French as well. Taking care of your students' well being is important right now. Positive encouragement and recognition of feelings are key. This self esteem kit can help. When it comes time to report on how things are going, student-led conferences empower the children as they share their learning with their parents. This format has worked well for me for over 20 years of conferences. Working with measurements is fun for children because it involves concrete activities and it can be directly related to real world situations. Money is sometimes confusing for children. I created this Money Lessons for Children unit with my grade 3 class a few years ago. It was amazing how much we covered as we learned together. I love doing projects with my students. It give them hands on experience and also allows for sharing knowledge in different ways. This 3D community unit evolves with each class as the background knowledge and the types of communities chosen can be different to fit the group of children involved. With the solar system project I am always amazed at the different ways children come up with sharing their understanding. Even after retiring, I still continue to go into the school to volunteer with guided reading groups. I have created several guided reading study guides and supplements as well as emergent readers and other literacy materials for use with the class and small groups. Here are a few examples. When I retired, I began tutoring in French. I found that it was easier to make my materials so I could customize them for my students. The cool thing was, that I made them in French first and then discovered that they would work well for my students in English so I created English versions as well. Distance learning is sure to be happening in many places. I have been working hard to create some digital activities that work for online instruction. Here are the ones I have done so far. Most of them are Boom cards, but I am slowly working on adding some activities for use with Google Slides and Google Classroom. I am also working at using the Digital Overlay Tool from TpT to make some of my regular products usable for distance learning as well. Enjoy your time with your new students and returning ones too. Don't forget to get lots of rest also. I always forget just how tired a teacher can get the first few weeks of school. Stay safe.
I wish you a very happy and rewarding year. A Different Kind Of SummerSummer is here and this is usually the time for picnics, barbecues, family and friends gatherings. Because of the pandemic, things are definitely not the same. instead, we have to monitor who we visit, how we visit, and where we visit. Even the smallest group of people could be at risk if we don't take precautions. This is enough to create a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. People are social creatures and it is difficult to isolate oneself and have minimal contact with others. Here are some tips to help you take care of yourself as you prepare for Back to School. As we approach the end of July, some teachers are already making plans to head back into school. Others are still about 6 weeks away. The uncertainty this year is creating added stress for teachers, parents, and even children. No one knows what to expect. Self Care Is ImportantSelf care is really important now. If we want to be able to help our students through this, we need to take care of ourselves first. Take time now to do things to relax and refresh your spirit. Go for walks, explore nature, read books, do a craft or hobby. Do something for yourself. You deserve it. Don't feel guilty about it either. If you don't take care of yourself and add some positive moments to your day, you will not be able to recharge and stay healthy. Stop focusing on the news about the pandemic and all the worries of what it will be like when you go back to school. I know this is easy to say, but it is important to do. Negativity builds more negativity and this leads to worry and anxiety. Stress is bad for your health. We have so much negativity around us right now that it is easy to get caught up in it and sometimes it is difficult to get out. We need to protect ourselves from this. It may seem difficult at the moment, but try to focus on some positive things that are happening because of the pandemic. Many people are getting a chance to spend some time with their children or parents because they are home instead of running around trying to get through life. As my husband and I go for walks each day, we notice many people taking time to work on their gardens, or do some renovations that have been on hold for awhile. People are keeping their distance, but still saying hello and waving as they pass others along the way. Many people are getting outdoors and enjoying the summer weather, but in a different way. Teachers, parents and children are stressed out from the online learning this spring, the uncertainty about school re-opening and what it will look like, and the worry surrounding the virus. It is so important that everyone do things to de-stress. For each person it will be different. Perhaps families should discuss what they think might help in their situations. Teachers can find support with their families or colleagues. Whatever it takes, find ways to enjoy life and de-stress. We often feel guilty when we do things for ourselves. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. We need to take care of ourselves in order to give our best to others. I hope you find these tips helpful and that will have a happy and successful year with your students. I would love to hear from you. If you have any things that you would like to share or add to this list, leave a comment below. I would love to be able to connect further with you through email and blog updates. If you are interested in joining my email list, I have a special gift for you. Click on the image to get your copy. This is a set of calming strategy posters that may be helpful when your students are stressed out. They will also work for adults! Related Posts
Distance Learning HelpHi Everyone. I hope you are managing to get some rest this weekend as we prepare for another week on online learning and teaching. I just wanted to let you know that many of us are trying to make changes to our products or create new ones that are able to be delivered in a digital manner so that they can be used more easily in the new way of teaching and learning. If you already have some of my products and would like to use portions of them you have my permission to copy and share in password protected programs. Please make sure that those who receive them understand that they are not to be shared out publicly so as to meet my terms of use. I have been working on creating some online materials. So far I have created some Boom Cards for math and music. I have also started experimenting with Google Slides and I hope to be able to have some of these ready soon. My goal for now is to create materials for literacy and French in addition to more math materials. You can check those that are done by cllcking here. Stay safe everyone and try to find time for rest and self care during the week.
Distance Teaching And LearningOur world has been turned upside down and parents and teachers are struggling to figure out how to incorporate distance teaching and learning. This has become the new method or reaching our students. Parents are taking on new roles as teachers at home and teachers are trying to find the right materials and methods of using them in a digital way. There are many challenges ahead, but as always, we will find a way to meet them. Teachers are creating and converting material to digital formats and they are using different video platforms to provide online instruction as well. This is a steep learning curve for some teachers. They are used to having access to paper copies and books. They work well with large groups, small groups, and one on one in the classroom, but with online groups there are unfamiliar challenges. Ideas To Support Parents At HomeParents are scrambling to find time for instruction, scheduling assignments, going to work or working out of the home, making meals, and finding time for themselves.They are overwhelmed and need to have some space too. The kids should not be doing academic instruction for several hours a day. Academics are important, but they can be scaled back for now as people adjust to the new method of learning. Children need some brain breaks, emotional breaks, and family time. This is the perfect time for real life learningMath can be part of the meal preparation, setting up schedules, building things and creating things. Reading and writing can be part of the family time. If children have siblings, they can read to each other and maybe even create story boards, comics, or other things that relate to the stories read. They can use these as writing prompts or create some games with them. Maybe they could write letters or emails to friends and family and keep a journal of their days and activities as writing projects. Social Studies activities could include using Google Earth and exploring different areas of the world. It could also be following other current events. Covid-19 does not have to be the only focus of current events. Science experiments can be lots of fun to do at home. There are so many different ways to learn about things. Make volcanos, grow plants and learn about the life cycles, do research on animals, learn how things work, invent things, etc. The arts are also important because they help balance out all the academics. Music soothes the soul and it is a good brain exercise. Art unleashes the creativity inside. Teachers are working hard to find a balance of what needs to be done and what families should be expected to do. Have patience as we all work together to get through this. If you are looking for some resources to use at home, I have started creating and converting some materials for online learning. Check them out in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
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About Me Charlene Sequeira
I am a wife, mother of 4, grandmother of 9, and a retired primary and music teacher. I love working with kids and continue to volunteer at school and teach ukulele. Categories
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