INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — We're approaching two full weeks of kids being out of school to not spread the coronavirus. The novelty of learning from home may be fading, and, let's face it, we have more weeks left of at-home education.
Teachers say it's very important to keep your kids on a routine.
Greenwood Middle School Assistant Principal Jennifer Brinker said aside from all the assigned schoolwork, parents should also schedule extracurricular educational activities.
"The most important thing, I think, is to really make sure you do have that structure," Brinker said. "Because with the structure will come comfort for your child. And make sure it's not all just screen time, so I would still work in physical activity just like PE class, some art, music, reading aloud, writing. Not everything has to be on the computer."
The Queen of Free, Cherie Lowe also put together more than 75 resources for kids.
Here's a look at some that might help keep up with those extracurricular pursuits:
USA Track and Field also recently launched RunJumpThrow. It's a free program designed to teach kids the fundamentals of track and field which is running, jumping and throwing. The workout is up right now on USATF's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms. Parents can also find information on the full RunJumpThrow curriculum for free by emailing runjumpthrow@usatf.org.
Southern Hancock teachers are having a lot of fun keeping kids engaged. They're using video filters. Mr. Giant is also encouraging his kindergarten class to spread kindness by making spring cards for family members.
Tips For eLearning Success from Southern Hancock Schools Strategic Learning Coordinator Chris Young:
- Create a schedule that works for you and your child. Don't forget to include important things like family time, play, and breaks. Kids may be at school for 7 hours, but there's downtime naturally built in.
- If the school work gets frustrating for you or your child, walk away. Take a break and come back to it later. In serious times, eLearning is not that serious. The work will still be there when you can come back to it.
- Communicate with your child's teacher. You've always been a part of the team, but you're the star now! This is a new experience for everyone, so if something is going particularly bad or particularly well, give that feedback to the teacher so they can make adjustments going forward.