Smith Middle School Counseling, N. Elder, PhDDearborn Public Schools

Mar 31st Grades Will Be Posted To Soon

Grades will be out soon; they will not be printed but parents will be able to access grades remotely. As families continue to adjust to this period of remote learning, we as educators are experiencing similar adjustments and making flexible accommodations. As we head into the last card marking, please partner with teachers to provide as much learning support as possible. Some suggestions for the next card marking:

1. Limit distraction
   A “digital quarantine” will help keep your child’s attention focused on their schoolwork. Limit use of their devices, other than what is needed to complete their work. If you choose, you can allow your child to play on a device during a designated break,
2. Make space for learning If possible, create a specific area of the home for schoolwork in a quiet, comfortable, and dedicated space.
3. Maintain breaks such as snack time and recess
   Routines & schedules are extremely important for children at school, and no different at home school. Children will function best if they maintain a routine. Some parents are setting alarms like at school. After lunch, get some fresh air, go for a walk or bike ride, or have a snack so that they are not sitting the entire day.
4. Allow them to have supervised interaction with friends
   Kids are used to lots of social contact at school, so they will feel the effects of being distanced from friends. While it might not be safe for your kids to see their friends in person, you can allow limited interaction beyond social media or text messaging. Video chats are often the closest thing to seeing someone in person and a way to get in social time without endangering yourself or others.
5. Mix screen time with old school learning mediums
   Overuse of screen time can have adverse impacts on young brains, so it’s important to mix it up. It’s likely that your children will want to continue to use a screen of during their breaks, so limit screen time by mixing in old school mediums, such as print reading.
6. Keep in touch with other parents
   During this time, staying in touch with others via virtual communication is very important. Each parent that has a child home is going to be going through a new experience. Check in with other parents to see what they’ve found to be effective.
7. Don’t underestimate the power of a schedule
   It’s likely that this is the first time working from home has happened for some families. A schedule is extremely important. Experts recommend: Having a clear vision of what is expected of your child will help them see that just because they are home does not mean they don’t have work to do. Help them prioritize, create goals, tasks & deadlines, just like adults do when they go to work.
8. Don’t let your children treat this as a vacation
   This time at home might feel like a vacation for students, it’s important to remind them that their education is still the priority. Obligations like class assignments, grades, tests, state exams, are not going away and will continue when they return to schools.
9. Remember to schedule time for fun While this is a challenge for everyone, including school leaders who are trying to accommodate and support families, it is important to have some fun with your children, so use it as an opportunity to bond. Experts recommend having game time, getting outside for a hike or walk together, create some down time to “reflect & chat.” Your child will be part of history when the next generation reads about how families coped with remote learning during the Corona Pandemic Shutdown of March 2020.

Family Activity Task – Create a Time Capsule with your families. What will you place in the time capsule?

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