With schools closing to stop the spread of coronavirus, you may find yourself working from home as a new side-gig: teacher. One of the main considerations when seeking to use online resources is how well-equipped your kids are to work from home using technology.
1. Learning music
This website allows students to learn about beats, melody, chords, bass-lines, and song structure. Students can work through the tutorials then create their own songs using ‘the playground’. If you have Ableton Live software in school, students can export their ideas from the website to use in Ableton once they return to school!
2. Set up “school“
Your children’s school may have learning modules or classes via Google classrooms or Zoom. Looking for a home-school daily schedule? This quarantine home-school schedule template is a start. Keep in mind younger children may only be able to focus on a task for 10 or 15 minutes. Take lots of movement breaks, sing songs, and get outside when you can.
3. Use free educational websites
Most educational websites are offering free subscriptions during school closures. You can visit the Facebook group Amazing Educational Resources for reading, math, history, Chinese, coding, music, and other free learning materials.
4. Listen to free audiobooks and podcasts
Audible announced a free Audible Stories website with audio books for children of all ages. Everything on the site is free, with no login or membership required.
5. Be creative
This whole exercise is going to require loads of creativity for any parent, and it’s a great opportunity for kids to get creative, too. If your not sure of what to use for Art look on Amazon for free coloring books.
6. Find educational screen time
If your kids use Netflix, then you will be able to chill (or get some work done). And there are many quality films to urge you thru quarantine. Social media keeps a list of the best documentaries and movies for kids.
7. Get physical
With kids kept indoors and them not wanting to be quite, do not forget to supply many wiggle time. The Kidz Bop YouTube channel has dance-along videos. “So you think that you’ll Dance,” is offering virtual dance parties on Instagram. Or you can find dance lessons on Instagram. Just because you’re quarantined doesn’t mean you’re under house arrest. Take your work outside and let the youngsters dig, or simply observe nature. They can track what they see while creating a Science notebook.
8. Check out free Ebooks
Many libraries are closing, but online resources remain available. Check Libby, Kanopy, SimplyE, and Hoopla to find free resources with your borrower’s card . The Epic! reading app is free to parents for the rest of the school year. To unlock free at-home access, students and their families need a digital invitation from an educator or school librarian, who can check in liberal to provide access to their students and even assign books to read remotely.
Remember this is often temporary and nobody expects perfection. If you create good use of the new Disney Plus streaming service, your kids may commit it to memory because it’s the best academic year ever. Let the kids things they are having a TV break and have them watch a TV show about cooking or travel which can be great cross-overs.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
