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With virtual school now in place for the remainder of the school year, Mounds Park Academy wants to share some tips to help Lower School families thrive. These times are not easy for parents of younger students especially and MPA is committed to helping them navigate life through the end of the school year and perhaps even emerge stronger.<\/p>\n
Build independence whenever you can<\/strong> Give children of all ages input into their daily schedule<\/strong> Institute a brief \u201cmorning meeting\u201d to review daily tasks<\/strong> Use high-tech or low-tech strategies to track activities and assignments<\/strong> Encourage your child to \u201ceat the frog\u201d<\/strong> Build in activities that focus on mindfulness<\/strong> Physical activity is more important than ever before<\/strong> Reach out for help<\/strong> MPA teachers and administration are here to support you\u2014we\u2019re all in this together. We know this is a challenging time for you, and we greatly appreciate all that you are doing to ensure your child\u2019s success in virtual school.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nOur children have important work to do with virtual school and dealing with the current reality. We need them to persevere and be independent, much more than ever. Our Lower School students are incredibly tech savvy and in grades second through fourth, are likely able to navigate Schoology to access their lessons. Encouraging independence helps your child feel more empowered to complete tasks on their own, which means you can better attend to your own work, projects, or other children.<\/p>\n
\nWhen children have some control of their day, they are invested in the activities and more inclined to cooperate. Ask for their input and implement what you can of their desired schedule for the day. Debbie LaChapelle, MPA PreK teacher, recommends using a whiteboard and having your child write the date, weather, and activities they would like to do during the day. This mirrors what students typically do in Lower School classrooms and keeps learning student-centered.<\/p>\n
\nEach morning, sit down with your child (or children) to review all of the assignments they need to complete that day and the activities they would like to do. Renee Wright, MPA Lower School director, shares, \u201cA morning meeting will help your child prepare for the day, as it creates some structure for your child and you. Use this time to check their resources and determine if there is a Zoom meeting the day. If a \u2018morning meeting\u2019 does not fit within your family\u2019s style, just be sure to start your child\u2019s day with a moment of your undivided attention to set their focus and your expectations for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nAnother recommendation is to use a KanBan board<\/a>. This is a project management tool that tracks tasks and helps you visualize what needs to happen. Work with your child to write down the daily tasks on a Post-it Note. (If you have a pre-reader, you can draw pictures.) A KanBan board has separate columns that represent the different stages of completion. One example is that tasks start in a \u201cparking lot\u201d and then move to \u201cdoing.\u201d Throughout the day your child moves the tasks from \u201cparking lot\u201d to \u201cdoing.\u201d Then, depending on your child\u2019s age or independence, you or the child move the Post-it Notes to the \u201cdone\u201d column when the tasks are complete. This idea could also be achieved using the online project management tool Asana<\/a>, with the project set up as a board. Some other digital child-friendly options recommended by Common Sense Media include Bear Focus Timer<\/a>, Chore Pad<\/a>, and Purp To-Do List & Goal Tracker<\/a>. The novelty of a hands-on, engaging process may help your children (and you!) power through.<\/p>\n
\nThere are different approaches to what you tackle first. Some people like to jump into what they love the most first and put off what they do not. Mari Espeland, MPA music teacher, recommends that children tackle the project they like the least or is the most challenging for them\u2014the frog. So, she advises that you encourage your child to \u201ceat the frog.\u201d Then, it\u2019s done for the day!<\/p>\n![\"lower](\"https:\/\/nclhx5yj.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/tipsstory2.jpg\")
Do something musical or artistic every day<\/strong>
\nSing, dance around the living room, drum on a bucket, or rap about your day. Ms. Espeland says, \u201cI would not be true to my subject area if I did not mention that every single day needs some music. Somehow it makes things better, even if you sing for just a few minutes.\u201d Adding something musical or artistic does not need to be formal or one more thing for you to implement. It can be as simple as turning on some music while you\u2019re making dinner or sketching.<\/p>\n
\nIt is hard for your child to learn if they\u2019re feeling anxious or worried. Check in with your child about how they are feeling about distance learning and about the changes related to COVID-19. Help make them feel safe, content, and secure mentally. Dr. Jules Nolan, MPA school psychologist, strongly recommends that families build in mindfulness and other relaxing activities that you and your child can do together. She finds Headspace<\/a>, Mood Meter<\/a>, Youper<\/a>, and Wysa<\/a> to be effective tools for young people. For more tips and resources about emotional health, revisit an earlier MPA blog article, \u201cCOVID-19: A Transformational Moment for Parents<\/a>.\u201d And, Dr. Nolan and the entire school counseling team is available to meet with families who are struggling.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cResearch in a growing scientific field called ecotherapy has shown a strong connection between time spent in nature and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. Working from home, helping with virtual school, and completing all of the household chores can be exhausting, so it can be difficult to find the time and energy to be physically active,\u201d shares Tim Sheehan, MPA physical education teacher. He recommends starting small with a 15-minute walk through the neighborhood, gradually increasing the distance, speed, and time spent walking. He also recommends living in the moment. \u201cTry not to think about all of the things on your to-do list when your outside. Take that time, however long it might be, to focus on the beauty around you and let your batteries recharge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nYamini Kimmerle, MPA fourth grade teacher, reminds us that \u201cTeachers are here to support you and your children in any way they can. As educators, our goal continues to be to provide an enriching and rigorous curriculum to ensure the growth of each of our students. Our big dream is to create a virtual learning environment that allows each child to reach his or her fullest potential. What we can\u2019t see, however, are the real challenges you and your child face unless you share them with us. Teachers, virtually or otherwise, do not want to overwhelm you or your student. When we hear from families that they would like more though, we will jump at the chance to enrich. At the same time, not everyone wants that or can meet those expectations given our new learning circumstances and that\u2019s perfectly okay. At the end of this, if every child emerges with more independence, greater confidence, and academic growth on any level \u2026 we all win!\u201d<\/p>\n