Online Learning in Lockdown

There it is, that L word again.... Lockdown. The past few weeks have seen us juggle the roles of parent, teacher and therapist, with some of us working a 9 to 5 as well. They often say it takes a village to raise a child, but right now it may feel like you're cut off from your support network and doing it alone. We're here to tell you that we see you, we hear you and we are continually inspired by the amazing job you are all doing. Lockdowns are not easy on us as parents or on our children so you should be incredibly proud that you are surviving this trying time. 

If you're struggling to keep the kids on track with their schooling, check out some of these fantastic online learning resources that are fun and engaging for kids and will give you a much deserved break.

     

The Newcastle Writers Festival have created an amazing online program that provides students with a wonderful opportunity to engage with their favourite authors and illustrators in a fun and educational way. In these half hour sessions, writers perform from their work and talk about their craft bringing the magic of creating books to life. With sessions about The Seasons of Kakadu and Catching a Cat Burglar, this program is full of laughs and most importantly is completely FREE. Check out the program here, tune in live on Facebook or YouTube on Tuesday the 14th and enjoy a day off homeschooling as the kids learn from some amazing Australian authors and illustrators. 

*With the exception of When We Say Black Lives Matter, these sessions will remain online indefinitely so you can rewatch or save sessions for a rainy day

Did you know that Education NSW streams live learning sessions from their website at 10am daily? Brew a coffee and leave the kids to tune into educational videos from innovators and creators from a range of fields. Topics range from outer space to songwriting, story time yoga to insights from insect gurus. The best part... these sessions are archived on the Education NSW site so you can scroll through, pick and choose programs you know your kids will love!

 

Check out the ABC Kids website for a diverse range of educational resources designed to help kids engage with their curriculum in a fun way!  You will find video and audio resources categorised according to six broad curriculum areas including Creativity and Self-Expression, Family, Community and Culture, Health and Wellbeing, Language and Literacy, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and Sustainability and Nature. ABC Kids also offer screen-free extension ideas to support educator planning and practice, along with topical posts in the ABC Kids Early Education Reflective Journal.

You may know Scholastic as a publisher of iconic children's books but did you know they offer a fantastic Learn at Home site designed to help parents homeschool in lockdown? You can head to the Parent's Corner for downloadable resources and print outs or to the Scholastic Education page, which provides  instructional literacy and numeracy programs aligned with school curriculums. 

We hope these innovative online resources help you with homeschooling in lockdowns but remember we are in the middle of a global pandemic so it's okay to take a break! We are all stressed and tired so take a day to watch movies in bed, do crafts, bake cookies or whatever it takes to recharge your batteries and give your family AND yourself the self-care you need.