Head of Junior Years

During the week, I read the following article by Australian  parenting expert Maggie Dent: 

https://www.maggiedent.com/blog/navigating-these-crazy-crappy-uncertain-times-as-a-family/ 

I appreciated what Maggie said about the pressures on parents at this time and the realisation that doing everything required well is simply not doable:  

"There is no way that you can effectively and consistently be your child’s learning facilitator, as well as a parent who meets their basic needs, while meeting the requirements of your work, having the energy to be a healthy co-partner if you’re in a relationship, and supporting loved ones who you have been forcibly separated from." 

Ultimately, you can only do what you can do and that is going to depend on the individual personal situation. What works for you and your family will not necessarily be the same for your friend, neighbour or family member. I have heard of some very creative ways which parents are managing during this time and adapting their routines to do the best they can. 

The same goes for our teachers. They are continually reflecting on how their students are responding to their learning and making appropriate changes so that they can benefit the majority. This is not always going to suit every family situation and different children will react in different ways. It is never going to be like being back in the classroom.  

Maggie says, in regard to teachers:  

"We are all in the same storm just in different boats. To all the school communities who are full of hard-working teachers who are doing their best under these trying circumstances we need to be grateful. Avoid judgement and criticism as it will only add to the stress. Strive to be a positive presence and shine a light as it will shine back on you too." 

It has been encouraging to hear from parents who have thanked their child's teacher for their support during this time. It might have been a question or query they had about a particular task which needed some further clarification, or a modification made to assist a student who was having difficulty, or a particular activity which really engaged their child and bought some consistency or joy to their day.  

I know that the Year 3 teachers organised a 'Camping Day', as they were unable to go on their scheduled camp. The Year 4's have been able to take part in a 'virtual' incursion to supplement their learning. The German teachers have organised a fun activity for the Junior Years students to get involved in.  

I encourage parents who have questions or concerns to always contact their child's teacher first. It can be easy in these times if you are unsure about something, to reach out to or share with other parents, but this can complicate issues and not necessarily be helpful. 

Maggie talks about now being a Golden Opportunity: 

"Lockdown can be a wonderful opportunity to have your children learn how to step up and be more responsible." 

So often I hear teachers saying how they are amazed with how their students have adapted to online learning and their IT skills have improved. If they can learn these new things, then they can learn many other useful skills as well. Teachers will often say, 'don't do something for children which they can do for themselves' as it can encourage 'learned helplessness'. Sometimes this takes longer than if you were to do it yourself, but in the long run, it is much better for the child. 

Maggie also talks about being real and showing emotion. At school, teachers and students use the Zones of Regulation as a tool to articulate their feelings and state of mind. The Zones give us the words to describe how we are feeling and the teachers have done lots of previous work on how to move from one zone to another to help and there are some wonderful suggestions in the article as well. 

This down to earth article puts what we are going through at the moment into perspective and offers some helpful, practical advice.