Just because our kids are at home with us, doesn’t mean they need to sacrifice an educational routine that is fun and challenging. Even when working, as parents, we can set up structures for positive student learning experiences. Over the past two days, I’ve spent two hours thinking about and designing a learning plan for my second-grade son. Qualities of Remote Learning Use Home Supplies We Already Have What does remote learning look like at our house? I began thinking about possible teaching tools that we already have at home, that our son, Gus, could use for his learning. I have to admit, this first started with a quick playroom clean-up which revealed many unused and underused resources including worksheets from last summer’s skills workbook (buried below a mound of toys), school-made word lists (thanks Mrs. Decker) (that I turned into flashcards), pre-fabricated flashcards, various books (science, cursive writing, various topics, maps, etc.), stickers, toys, and lined paper – along with markers, crayons, and pencils. As I collected these things, I laid them out and began to categorize them by general subject/activity. I also included Gus’s iPad. Develop a System with Choices With all my tools laid out on the dining room table, categorized by general subject/activity, I began to think about all the choices in each category. How can each subject/activity be a specific choice for my second-grader? Make a Visual of the System After categorizing, I realized that my son would have 12 possible choices. I made a simple and colorful chart, briefly identifying his choices. This visual is similar to a system that his current second-grade teacher uses with her students – hopefully my son will take comfort in the similarity of the visual. In that visual, I also included values for each choice. For us, each choice/task is worth a certain star value. When Gus earns a given number of stars, he also earns levels of surprises (small and large). When Gus earns 18 stars (for completing tasks he chooses), he receives 1 small surprise (yet to be determined). When he earns 36 stars, he receives 1 large surprise. Variety – by Subject and Activity The learning plan should have different subjects and different activities, some of which are driven by student interest. For example, my son and I created the art project choices together. In my son’s learning plan, he also has choices for learning in different subjects: language arts, math, science, social studies, fine arts, P.E., and religion. As the plan unfolds, it is my responsibility to make sure he approaches all these subjects. Finally, Gus can choose from a variety of types of activities for learning: worksheets (practicing skills), flashcards (three different types, repetition and practicing skills), science experiments, handwriting, cursive writing, reading and comprehension, reading summary work, presentation creation, use of technology, art creation, and physical movement. Again, as he works his plan and earns his stars toward surprises, it is my responsibility to ensure he is engaged in a variety of activities for his learning. Here is a recap of the 12 choices in his plan:
Earning Surprises I have assigned each choice completion in the learning plan a value (star). When Gus earns a given number of stars, there is a surprise – yet to be determined. For him, a small surprise might be a Beyblade or Matchbox car. A larger suprise could be a remote control car. The rewards students earn could be dependent upon their level of achievement and could be tied to their interests. When I introduced the idea of a “small” and “large” surprise, my son’s face lit up immediately. Perhaps this is a motivator for him. How to Get Started & Why Preview A day or two before the learning plan began, I sat down with Gus to review the plan and I asked for his input. Together, we developed a list of his possible art projects, and I clarified questions. Time & Place Gus has a worktable in his playroom, where he will work independently after deciding about choices. Together, we agreed that he would do a total of two choices per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. What’s a reasonable amount of time? Each project should take Gus between 5-10 minutes of independent time, along with help from me – another 20 minutes. The Results I hope this learning plan will help Gus to continue to build healthy learning habits during this school interruption. The new home learning plan encourages that learning can happen, even at home, and he has choices based upon is interests and preferences. Hopefully, during this time, Gus is practicing skills he already knows and learning new skills. Finally, the daily experiences should help Gus feel accountable, creative, successful, and supported.
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Pete MussoAssistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction Archives
May 2022
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