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I hope that you are all are well and keeping safe with your families. It has been a very challenging time for us all across our local, state, national and international communities. Every single person across the globe will in some way be affected by the pandemic. It is very important that parents during this time remain calm and help lower the anxiety of our young people. Unrealistic expectations of what they can achieve in terms of schooling in the home environment is a stressor that we have control over. We have some simple messages and ideas in the learning at home section of the newsletter.
I also want to remind you that school holidays begin next week for our students and go for 3 weeks. Please take the time to relax with your children, remove expectations of schooling and enjoy family time together. Whilst social distancing applies in the community it does not preclude us from going for walks and bike rides, exploring our back yards, conducting science experiments, cooking, gardening, playing a musical instrument and singing. At school, teachers are figuring out the best way to deliver learning packages that are of quality to support all of our learners.
All of learners have access to work that has been distributed this week. Going forward, all learners will be able to access learning devised by their class teacher starting next term. At this moment in time, it is envisaged that school will begin term 2 as it has finished term 1. That is, school will only be open for the children of essential workers who do not have the ability to keep them at home. More details on this will come from the premier and the education minister over the next week.
Again I want to emphasise that whilst you may feel anxious about your child’s education, the greatest support you can be for them is to be calm and present. Enjoy the extended holiday period as much as possible, practise safe social distancing and keep safe.
Yours in partnership,
Brett Hay
The key messages we want to get across to families:
- To support learning at home, you are not required to be an expert or trained educator. Your knowledge of a child’s strengths and interests will support creating reasonable expectations. You will need to provide care and stability and guide your child through this time. You will need to set realistic expectations. You will need to offer support for your child especially in getting access to the learning at home packages. Teachers will design tasks suitable and relevant for your children.
- Below is some information that will help you and your family. Further support and activities for Learning at Home can be found at
https://www.education.tas.gov.au/learning-at-home/
Wellbeing
Children and young people who feel safe, connected and secure are more likely to engage in their learning. Positive wellbeing allows them to explore, experiment and participate in their learning with confidence.
To support the wellbeing of your family, information, activities and advice on topics such as mental wellbeing, connectedness and building resilience are available at https://www.education.tas.gov.au/learning-at-home/wellbeing/
Supporting your child’s wellbeing
Learning at home for any period of time may bring joy and challenges. Below are some tips to support you during this time:
- Talk to your whole family about what is happening. Understanding the situation may reduce their anxiety.
- Talk with your child or young person about how they have coped with difficult situations in the past and reassure them that they will cope with this situation too.
- Exercise regularly. Exercise helps to maintain wellbeing. Options to consider include getting outside, playing, dancing, yoga, walking around the backyard, creating an obstacle course with items from around the home or using home exercise equipment.
- Establishing daily routines is important. Learning activities provided by the Department and school will provide opportunities to maintain a learning routine.
- Keep connected by staying in touch with family members and friends via telephone, email or social media.
Develop a routine
Children and young people are used to the routine and structure of school. To support their ongoing learning, it is important they have as much routine and certainty as possible in their day. You can support your child’s learning by:
- Involving your child in establishing a simple, consistent, and responsive daily routine
- Including times for eating, reading, talking, writing, playing and exercise.
- Displaying your daily routine so everyone in the family can see it.
- Creating a balance between more formal learning with time for reading books, exploring the outdoors and child initiated learning opportunities.
- Being prepared for things not going to plan and being flexible.
Create a supportive learning space
It is a good idea to set up an ‘at home’ learning space where children have access to the things they need. A dedicated learning space separates work and play which supports children’s focus and concentration. This will allow you to organise and manage learning materials and assist where necessary.
- Involve your child in creating their learning space.
- Consider the age and independence of your child when deciding on the location of the learning space
- Remember to use safe outdoor spaces for learning throughout the day.
As a school we are not stipulating exactly how many hours a day you spend focussing on Learning at Home activities. It will vary, depending on the age of your child e.g. up to an hour a day for younger children and maybe 2 to 3 hours a day for older children. Try and establish a routine that works best for you. For this week your child’s teacher will focus mainly on providing literacy and numeracy tasks.
You will find this week’s Learning at Home package for your child below. They can also be found on the school’s Facebook site. Hard copies will also be available at the front office. We will provide Learning at Home packages on a weekly basis next term. More information regarding this will be provided at a later date if school’s are not open Term 2.
Do you know someone with a child born in 2016? Children born in that year are eligible for pre-Kindergarten! Mrs Spicer would love to hear from any potential enrolments and can be contacted by calling the school on 6382 1564 or texting 0418 479 961.