What this means for families is that the distance learning that will be sent out by teachers will be prepared for non-holiday weeks. There will be home learning packs emailed out to parents for the rest of this week. Then for the following two weeks, there will be no home learning, because it will be the Easter school holidays. From Wed 15th April, the school term will officially start and students will be learning from home for the rest of that week Wed 15th - Fri 17th April). There will be more home learning sent out for those days.
Having said that, there are lots of fabulous activities that children can do at home. Please see a list of some suggestions below. Children can also keep going with activities that help their learning.
Suggestions of things to do at home:
*Baking and cooking at home makes use of maths skills and helps children to see that maths is all around them.
*Helping with housework teaches children important skills around teamwork, contribution, and being organised.
*Start (or continue with) a myTime project. MyTime is a time at school when students choose what they learn about - they could find out about something new, or do something they are very passionate about. They might ‘tinker’ with something, grow something, create something or build an invention. Maybe invent a board game or card game your family can play. They could spend some time most days working on their chosen myTime project.
*Complete a fitness routine (link to fitness activities). This could include Just Dance, Go Noodle and Tabata.
*Spend time practicing a musical instrument, if this is part of ongoing routines for your child/ren.
*Keep a journal or a scrapbook. They could incorporate drawing, photos, plans, stories, records of what they have done.
*Email or write to family members, friends, or your whānau teacher. Tell them what you are up to and how you are doing.
*Build or create things: use lego / blocks / other usable materials / make a fort
*Draw - make a card or a picture for a neighbour and put it in their letterbox; draw a picture for a friend or family member, take a picture of it and email it to them; draw a map of your favourite place; create a new universe etc
*Read, read, read! This can include books, magazines, comics, graphic novels, e-books and listening to audiobooks. It also includes being read to - people of all ages enjoy this.
*At an age-appropriate level, work on critical thinking - making sense of the world around them. Talk with family members about news items or opinion pieces, and discuss whether or not they agree with what is being said. What do they think of ... - is it a good idea or not? Why / why not? Link to Kiwi Kids News
*Play a board game with one or several family members, and see the game through to the end. This helps to build cooperative skills, and the skill of winning and losing with grace.
*Access links and activities on our school Tizmos page.
*These are apps that we frequently use at school or are good learning apps.
*Make a plan that fits with your family’s approach around the balance of screen and non-screen time your child/ren will have each day.
The Ministry of Education has launched a new website - ‘Learning From Home’. There are some useful sites and activities on here, and the site will continue to build as more resources are added over time.
Here is a link to Ministry advice and suggestions for talking with children about COVID-19.
You will be hearing from your child’s teacher today with some learning for the rest of this week. Please email the teacher if you have any questions, or any issues accessing apps or activities. Our teachers are all very willing to help and support you all. Please just remember that many of our teachers also have young children or family members they are supporting themselves. They may not be able to answer straight away, but they will get back to you.
Please stay safe and well, and take care of each other. Stay at home and slow the spread of COVID-19 in New Zealand. Keep in touch with each other and with us, and we will see you all soon.
Warm regards,
The Amesbury team
