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Kia ora koutou,
Kia ora koutou,
Another update for you all about supporting learning at home over the next 4 weeks.
My main message to you all is that during this time our children are going to need to be supported as young people, as humans...more so than as learners. The best thing that you all can be doing during this time is being present for your children, engaging with them, chatting, reading to them, playing a game of cards, building a fort, playing board games, watching a bit of TV, going for a walk (maintaining strict social/physical distancing from other community members while out walking!)...playing, and letting them be kids.
We have posted onto our DPS Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DouglasParkSchool) all the activities we sent home yesterday, as well as my notice explaining what we are doing to support learning at home. We have 3 areas we wish to promote during the school closure;
1. Let the children play, be kids, and support them as whanau.
2. We want to maintain a connection with each of our students, and we will start to reach out to you (via Seesaw, email, txt, phone) this week and after the ‘school holidays’
3. We want to share some ideas for learning each week with you via Seesaw for Rimu/Kowhai, and through Google for Rata/Kahaikatea
The Minister of Education has shifted the school holidays forward, so this week is now the last week of Term 1. That means as of next week we have two weeks of ‘school holidays’.
We are going to start pushing out the online learning this week as a start before the ‘school holidays’. This is a chance for you to see how the systems work, and for us to see the effectiveness of them as well. The new term starts officially on Wednesday 15th April and we will be in contact via our school facebook page over the ‘holidays’, keeping you updated, as we have been over the last few weeks.
Be kind to yourselves in this time. Many of you may be working from home now, as well as having the children (and others) in the home. Nobody needs extra pressure in a time like this. This article has Nathan Wallis giving some advice, well worth reading.
The below message I’ve taken from another Principal, but it really sums up what is important for now.
“What kids need right now is to feel comforted and loved. To feel like it’s all going to be ok. And that might mean that you tear up your perfect schedule and love on your kids a bit more. Play outside and go on walks. Bake cookies and paint pictures. Play board games and watch movies. Do a science experiment together or find virtual field trips of the zoo. Start a book and read together as a family. Snuggle under warm blankets and do nothing.
Don’t worry about them regressing in school. Every single kid is in this boat and they all will be ok. When we are back in the classroom, we will all course correct and meet them where they are. Teachers are experts at this! Don’t pick fights with your kids because they don’t want to do math. Don’t argue with your kids for not following the schedule. Don’t mandate 2 hours of learning time if they are resisting it.
If I can leave you with one thing, it’s this: at the end of all of this, your kids’ mental health will be more important than their academic skills. And how they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what they did during those weeks is long gone. So keep that in mind, every single day…”
Stay safe, follow the official advice, maintain strict social/physical distancing...and wash those hands. We are still here to support you, and you can reach out to us via email/Facebook.
Cheers, and stay safe everyone
Gareth
principal@douglaspark.school.nz
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