Name:
Carol Wright
I teach:
English
My top tip for remote learning is:
Where possible engage with your friends. Meet with them over Google Hangouts, Google Meet or some other social media where you can actually see one another and do your work together. Get dressed for your hangout with your friends- that is dress how you would if you were going out with those same friends or have a themed party with it. Yesterday I watched my daughter and her friends have an 80s themed hangout together. There was fun in finding the clothes or adapting ones that they had and then having a laugh together.
Something I’ve learnt over the past week in lockdown is:
That isolation is hard. I didn’t think that it would be all that bad- I’m safe, I’m with my family. But, I have two teenagers at home and keeping them from just sitting around staring at their devices and streaming has been challenging. We had to sit down as a family and come up with must dos: 10 laps of the outside of the house each day (for fresh air), clean one room or space each day each, digitally meet with your friends for at least 30 minutes each day. These small things give a little bit of purpose (I hope) and help them to continue with life (and keep my house clean).
My best advice for the school holidays is:
Set challenges if you have teenagers. My kids have created a challenges list each and are getting their friends onboard- ever hear of remote Dungeons and Dragons? Me neither but one of my kids is learning the game so that they can play over Google Meets with their friends.
I’ve also challenged each member of my family to keep a daily diary – a prompt to look to the small things and be grateful as well as a way of prompting them to explore the way that they are feeling. Each day we share them and talk about the way we are feeling so that we can support them in processing those emotions and they can see us do the same. [To find out how you can implement a Daily Lockdown Journal in your house, see the article under “Community”.]
Right now I’m loving:
The beautiful bird song in my backyard.
The first thing I’ll do when I come back to school is:
Smile and greet every person I see. Acknowledge them. Welcome them back to our school, department, classroom.