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I am taking over writing content for CodeJoy on the Blogosphere. Checkout blogs related to our work, classroom projects and the latest CodeJoy events!
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Education Article for East Bradford Neighbors Welcome Back to School By Amanda Jeane Strode, 4th Grade Teacher, Technology Innovator @AmandaJeane2 *can we add a small headshot of me on the side? Back to school this year is going to look a bit different than usual. Many families are sending their students back with the usual classroom supplies, plus masks. There are new government regulations for social distancing and sanitizing that will continue to ebb and flow even after school starts. Some of our families are choosing alternative forms of education, including cyber schools and homeschooling. However, no matter where your kids are learning, there are a few things that will not change. ORGANIZE As a classroom teacher, I can tell you that the beginning of the year is a flood. That waterfall of paperwork you receive in the first few weeks is flowing with news and how-tos that will help you navigate the year. Don't give into the urge to toss all that paper in the recycling bin! Instead, take the time to sit down and do your homework. Set aside a chunk of time to read through and organize all the forms and information each week. Sign all the forms, read the statements, and put those dates on your calendar now! If you have a teacher that does everything digitally, commit the time to check your email or notifications. Either way, getting that paperwork done goes a long way in starting the school year off on the right foot. Also, give that paperwork and other school materials a home. Find one location, a drawer, a folder, a bin, where school material belongs and keep it there. Some of the best organization advice I’ve picked up from years of watching Peter Walsh and Marie Kondo: If everything has a place, nothing is ever lost. ROUTINE Not only do our students need to practice their academics, they need to practice their routines. One of the most important things you can do to help your student succeed at school is develop routines at home. When I was little, my mom would have us start going to bed early and waking up early even before the first day of school. Bedtime, breakfast and academic practice are all important routines to setup and stick to. Some great routines to get in the practice of now:
REGULATE There is a lot to do and keep track of as the school year begins. Be sure to regulate how much time and energy your family puts into different parts of your day. Homework time should be matched by playtime, social time should be matched by personal time, and sports & activities should be matched by family time. We all need balance.  Education Article for East Bradford Neighbors By Amanda Jeane Strode, 4th Grade Teacher, Technology Innovator
@AmandaJeane2 The COVID-19 school closures came fast and hit many households hard. Our local school districts had to scramble to meet the needs of all students in a completely new platform. Teaching content online is a very different experience than delivering at school. But, despite all the hardships, it is time to highlight some of the best experiences to come out of remote learning. If you have not had the chance to partake in some of these, now is the time to put them on your list to keep those kids busy. Please note, it is recommended that adults accompany children to any online resources shared here, especially those presented in a live platform. Play One major area of learning has greatly benefited from quarantine is play. Of the approximately 7-8 hour school day, your students have a mere 15 minutes dedicated to play. Play helps children to develop new neural pathways, develop prosocial behaviors and increases adaptability and problem solving. In a more recent study, done by LEGO®, they found play, “associated with neural networks involved in brain processes, including reward, memory, cognitive flexibility, and stress regulation that are activated during learning.” Check out the article: bit.ly/LEGOArticle Everywhere you go, whether you’re taking a walk or checking your Facebook page, kids are playing! With significantly less academic demands and ample boredom, our children have been taking to the sidewalks and backyards with sidewalk chalk LEGO® castles for days, and imaginary play. Play boosts your child’s neural capacity. Here are some of our favorite play activities curated from our stay at home so far. These resources are great for all ages:
Connect Since we are stuck at home, many talented people have made some very serious efforts to connect meaningful content to you kids. In the first few days of quarantine alone, countless authors, illustrators, museums, companies, and so many more found ways to share their content with educators and students for FREE. We wanted to share some of our favorites with you to add to your list as the weeks at home troll on:
Creativity Another facet of the remote learning puzzle is the immense amount of creativity it takes to first, get kids online, and second, occupy them all day at home. Educators and guardians have put a great deal of time into curating activities like those listed above. The learning community deserves a great big shout out for all of the hard work put in to make this experience fun! As we venture back into school next year, let’s hope we can keep that open communication and creative engagement curated during our time of need alive! "Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun." -- Mary Lou Cook Here are just a few more resources to help get those creative juices flowing:
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