Associate Professor, Greg Wetterstrand, shares a few at-home learning tips for parents and guardians.
- Check with your child’s school website for learning resources, activities and ideas. Professional educators can provide resources approved by the Ministry to help nurture learning.
- Talk to your child to understand what they are interested in. Use these interests as a core around which you can create activities.
- Structure learning. We all need structure to help us feel safe and grounded. Have ‘school’ and learning at a regular time each day.
- Praise effort – reward achievement.
- When possible, try to work on learning activities together.
- Pose questions. Asking your child questions about their thoughts encourages thinking.
- Find online resources.
- Keep activities short – shorter for younger ones – longer for those older.
- Take breaks for physical activity – dance to a video, kick a soccer ball.
- Help your child to focus with kind encouragement.
- Be creative and challenge your child. Make musical instruments from objects in the house; build a rocket; make something out of wood or found objects.
- Read to your child and have your child read to you.
- Write about what you’re doing by keeping a journal. Or encourage them to do video journals.
- Do calculations – find ways to measure, add, subtract, count, divide, and multiply.
- Draw, paint or sculpt every day.
- Create a puppet show or theatre play.
- Devise an experiment, this could include cooking or baking.
- Share responsibilities for keeping the house running to help teach life skills.
- Hug your child frequently. Talk to them and listen.
- Manage your own anxiety. We are all in this together, but this too shall pass.