Keep Calm and Carry On - Being a Parent Teacher During Lockdown
If this latest lockdown has caused you anxiety flashbacks to last year’s home school attempts, then you are not alone. As Newy and the Hunter go into another lockdown, schools close and teachers scramble to get work packs and online learning up and going…we as parents are starting to feel the pressure again to be home educators.
As a parent and a teacher, I hear your cries, I feel your pain and I just want to say KEEP CALM. Teachers know how hard this is for parents. We know parents are juggling so much while treading water and trying to keep their heads AND that of their kids, above the water in a world that is rapidly sinking. So parents, take a deep breath and don’t be so hard on yourselves! We know you are not teachers and we don’t expect you to replace us at home. This does not mean that we don’t value all you are doing to keep our students on track. BUT home is not school. You are not home schooling but facilitating learning that is provided for you at home.
I’ve seen the online clips of dining rooms converted into classrooms. Mums with a regimented routine and kids at home, dressed in uniforms and sticking to schedules and zooming lessons. All power to them! But as a parent, I know the reality of attempting to recreate the school environment at home is simply unrealistic. And honestly I think most teachers realise this as well. If you can achieve 1 hour or 2 of some schoolwork per day, then you’re winning!
And what happens if your child won’t work at home? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! I cannot stress this enough, your child is not going to slip behind if they do not complete the numerous tasks that their teachers send home. Unless your child is in Year 12, I wouldn’t worry too much.
Last month I spent 5 weeks marking the national NAPLAN writing tasks online. This is something I have done each year for the last 6 years. The calibre of this years written tasks was astounding considering the disruption to schooling last year with national lockdown. A pat on the back to parents, a kudos to teacher’s and a massive well done to students.
Your child learns in the most amazing ways. Learning is not always about what’s done in the classroom. Spend this time teaching the things that are not or cannot be learned in school. Life skills are just as important. Cooking, washing, growing food, DIY skills etc. Go and explore nature. Learning is all around us. Remember too that your child is just as anxious about the ongoing COVID situation as you are so take some time out and spend it as a family. Mental health is vital to academic success. And don’t deny your child time to socialise, albeit online, with friends and be creative, destress, relax AND have some fun.
Really in the scheme of things, school is not that important, so Mumma’s take the time to just BREATHE.
