Distance Learning

Although we are no longer learning from a distance, I do want to maintain this area of the website! You can come here to find helpful articles, activities & information that was shared during our distance learning period. Use the drop down arrows to find more information in each category. 
 
 
Mental Health Activities to do with Kids
 
Managing anxiety

Helping your student succeed with at home learning!


Learning from home can be difficult. The natural structures of a classroom help students stay focused & on task during the school day. Without the visual & verbal reminders from teachers, students can easily lose track of time or struggle to remain motivated & interested. Here are some interventions you may want to use to help your student succeed:

(Please note these may not work for everyone, & that's ok, we are all unique!)


What

Why

How

Visual Schedule

Helps the student know what is next.  

Print out schedules & hang in the same area of the day. If you can, laminate the schedule so students can mark off each part of the day.

Set Reminders

We all lose track of time

Set reminders so an alarm will go off reminding students what subject they should be going in. 

Comfortable Chair

...probably not an office chair

Office chairs are difficult to keep still.  Spinning around & not facing the screen is distracting .

Try finding a comfortable chair, or add a pillow.  A chair that is similar to a school chair will work out great.

Privacy Folder

This will feel like school & can have reminders & schedules posted.

You can make one out of a trifold poster.

Set Movement Breaks

Kids need to get up & move their bodies.  Its ok for them to do that, or stand while they listen.

Set a timer.  Movement breaks should not involve playing games or other electronics, just taking a quick walk(especially outside to get some fresh air!), going to get a drink of water or using the bathroom.

Designated Work Space

It should feel like school, not like home. When the student is in this area, he/she should have a learning mindset.

Find a place in your home which will be their “space”.  A desk, the kitchen table, & comfortable chair. Younger students should be in an area where they can be monitored.

Offering Choices

Providing choices can give some sense of control over this unusual situation.

Provide appropriate choices, & remember it's ok to pick your battles.  One example is, “Would you like to work at the desk in your room, kitchen table, or the dining room table?”

Fidgets (not toys)

Keeping our hands busy can often help us keep our brains focused.

It’s important to review how to use a fidget & set rules, such as the fidget should be out of the camera view unless the teacher asks you to share.  

Home Token System 

Giving kids an incentive to complete Google Meets &/or work is a great way to motivate those who need extra encouragement

Create a sticker chart or fill a jar with pom poms every time a child appropriately partakes in a Google Meet or completes a task. Depending on the child's age, a chosen reward can be gained at the end of the week, mid week, or daily if they have received a certain amount of “tokens”.

No extra electronics

It’s important for them to know even though they are not at school, they need to stay in school mode & follow school rules & expectations

Students do not have access to phones, tv,  or video games at school.  Have them put them away until after school. They will become distracting, & even during break time will make the transition back to school work tough!

Ask for Help





We all need it as we navigate this world. It also shows your student that it is ok to ask for help!

Have your student jump onto Google Meet to get extra help from his/her teacher, or you can reach out to your teacher or the school counselor, Mrs. DeVito.

Offer Praise

A word of encouragement goes a long way! It may be the little boost your child needs to continue staying focused & on task. 

When you see your child participating in a Google Meet or working on an assignment independently, a simple word of encouragement or a “thumbs up” is a wonderful way to acknowledge that you are noticing how hard your child is trying!

School Closure Wellness Challenge
 
Challenge yourself to do as many of the activities listed below as you can. Each time you complete an activity color in that box. Lets see how many you can complete!
 
From where you are, name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell & 1 thing you can taste. Read something new either on your own or with a caring adult. What feelings did you notice as you read? Draw & color a picture of an animal you love. It can be a pet, stuffed animal, one you would like to see some day or an imaginary one! Name 5 things you love about yourself. Have a caring adult do the same.  Phone a friend & share something you have done since school has closed that was fun for you. Draw a picture of your future self. What is your career?
Name 3 things you love doing & 1 thing you'd like to try. 
SCREEN FREE CHALLENGE! Spend 2 hours in a row during the day time without looking at a TV, tablet, computer, phone or video game screen.
Write a note or letter to someone you are thinking about but can't visit right now.  Practice 5 finger breathing. Breathe in through your nose while you are tracing up your finger, blow out through your mouth while you are tracing down your finger. Ask 1 caring adult about a time they felt scared, and what they did to make it through that uncomfortable time until they felt better. Write about your hero.
Cook a healthy meal with a caring adult.  Be a helper! Ask a caring adult what you can do to help them out today. Trace your shoe sideways on a piece of paper & then draw/ color an original shoe design of your choice. Who would wear it? What would they do when they wore it? SCREEN FREE CHALLENGE! Spend 3 hours in a row during the day time without looking at a TV, tablet, computer, phone or video game screen. Use one of the links on Mrs. Devito's web page to do some yoga, stretching or mindfulness. Make a list of 30 things you are grateful for.
Watch a funny show, video, or movie with a caring adult & enjoy laughing & being silly. Read a book, article, or post & share what you read with a caring adult. Enjoy outside time. Spend at least 1 hour outside walking or playing with a family member. Draw a picture of what you would imagine would make a perfect day for you. Spend one day without playing any video games.  Play emotion charades. Can your family guess the feeling?
Dance party! Dance along to one of your favorite videos or songs! Call or email a family member or other adult you haven't been able to visit in a while. You can even call or email Mrs. Devito. How many jumping jacks can you do in 1 minute? Try to break your record. Spend 10 minutes silently listening to sounds outside & write down or tell someone what you heard. Play a board game or a card game with a family member.  Teach a sibling or adult one of the games or morning meeting activities you do at school. 
Social Emotional Activities Links:
 
LEGO challenges
 
YOGA, MINDFULNESS & RELAXATION LINKS: 

Apps for mindfulness & relaxation
 
Other Helpful Learning Resources:
https://www.khanacademy.org/- Free tools for parents covering a variety of grades and subjects. Great if you're looking for extra activities to supplement your teacher's assignments.
 
 
Social emotional learning + TV


American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Resources for Coping Amidst COVID
 
Weekly Parent Articles, Activities & Resources From the Crisis Management Institute
 
Coronavirus & Child Anxiety: How to Squash Fear & Build Strength in Your Child
 
What Parents Can Do to Manage Coronavirus Stress in Kids
 
6 Ways to Help Your Kids Cope with the Coronavirus Crisis
 
Child Mind Institute Resources on Coping with COVID-19
 
 
Free counseling
 
Click below to access the "virtual calm corner" for students created by Mrs. Jones (CBS counseling intern). Please click the link to find tools and strategies to manage feelings and emotions.