Learning At-Home Resources for Children, Teachers and Parents
Our lives have changed in what seems like an instant, and I suspect that this will be our new normal for the months and possibly, years ahead. Schools, churches, ball games, concerts, amusement parks, restaurants, stores; what will the places that we are so used to gathering look like in the future? There is no definitive answer yet. For right now, we must hunker down at home, practice social distancing, wear face masks and gloves, wash our hands, and do our best to lead this “new normal” life.
Many parents are working from home and they must balance their job demands along with homeschooling their children. This can be an overwhelming task. The following is a list of some resources that may help support at-home learning and make life just a little easier.
NBC Nightly News Kid’s Edition on YouTube debuted April 15, 2020
Hosted by Lester Holt - Children can ask questions about Covid-19/Corona Virus, remote learning and many other topics. The answers are kid friendly.
The beloved Emmy award winning show featuring LeVar Burton is available on YouTube, iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
Understood.org is a resource for children and adults who learn differently.
Their website statement is as follows: In the United States, 1 in 5 people have learning and thinking differences, like dyslexia and ADHD, and 1 in 4 adults have some type of disability. For many of these people, the world can feel like it’s built for a normal that doesn’t include them. Helpful resources and supportive communities can be hard to find, making everyday life even more difficult. We’re here to change that by connecting the people who face these challenges, and those who champion them, to resources, expertise, and communities that bolster confidence. Because with the right tools and support, people who learn and think differently will have a greater ability and opportunity to thrive.
Understood.org has some suggestions on how children can manage doing schoolwork from home:
· Shower, get dressed and get ready for the day
· Set-up a good work space free from distractions
· Set-up a meeting time to update parents on your schoolwork.
Google Classroom is a blended learning platform for schools that aim to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way. Introduced as a feature of Google Apps for Education, it aim is to be a paperless educational system. www.googleclassrooms.com
ABC Mouse has 10,000+ online learning activities for children ages 2-8.
Scholastic learn at home provides free day-by-day projects to keep kids reading thinking and growing. You can gift a child with a book during school closures by shopping the Scholastic Dollars catalog or host a virtual book fair. Visit www.schoolastic.com or www.scholastic.com/learnathome for more information.