Strange times we live in! Whoever thought we would be under a quarantine for a virus and out of toilet paper at the same time! I don’t mean to make light of a serious situation, but sometimes it helps to laugh a bit!
All kidding aside, it is important to keep our children safe, calm, and learning if your school has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus, COVID-19. Here are some suggestions for both teachers and parents.
Stay Calm
Above all, stay calm, cool, and collected. Children will look to adults to gauge their fears, so model calmness, even if you are freaking out inside! Turn off the radio and the television! Children, and adults for that matter, do not need to hear a constant flow of bad news.
Ask your child questions geared to their age and ability to communicate. Let them speak about their fears freely and tell you all of the crazy things their peers have told them about the Coronavirus. Give them honest answers. If you don’t know the answer, say so. Then go to a reputable place, such as the Center for Disease Control, to look up the answer together. Give your child and students actionable tips to help them feel in control. Things such as: wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds; try not to touch your eyes and mouth, and please do not pick you nose! If your child is not interested, don’t push the subject.
Get Your Groove On!
As the saying goes, music calms the savage beast! Put on classical or peaceful music, put on some dance music and dance to relieve the stress! Let your older child put on the music they have been listening to in their earbuds (cringe) and get to know it! Music is a great way to fill the quiet void that can lead to worry, so fill your house or classroom with music!
Home Learning
As a teacher and a mom, being home bound can raise worries about how to keep your child learning while they are out of the classroom. Remember, you were their first teacher, and you did a great job! Here are some suggestions to keep your child thinking, learning, and moving forward during this time.
Read a Novel
With the television off, its a great time to enjoy a good book! If you are homebound as well, its an even better time for you to enjoy a novel together. I try to find novels that are just above my child’s reading level or offer themes that cause both of us to think and discuss.
If you have a reluctant reader, consider reading to them! Children of all ages love to hear a good story and it is a great way to stimulate the imagination! Not the best reader aloud? Choose an audio book!
Regardless of whether you are reading the novel with you child or not, consider a novel study or book companion. These are used in the classroom a lot and help to build reading comprehension by asking questions, teaching vocabulary skills, and incorporating writing.
Here a list of novel studies that are perfect for your Grade 2-4 student:
Flat Stanley – Who doesn’t love Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown? He is silly, adventurous, and well flat! A charming story for kiddos just starting to read chapter books. As well, there is a whole series if you child gets hooked!
Balto and the Great Race – Read about a famous dog who saved an Alaskan town from another virus!
Stone Fox – A young boy and his dog compete in a dog sled race to save his family farm. A definite heart warmer!
Tornado – A perfect length for children new to chapter books, this novel is an endearing story of a boy who discovers a dog in his yard after a tornado.
Midnight Fox – A boy from the city befriends a fox while spending the summer at a farm. A sweet story of friendship and change.
My Father’s Dragon – A classic! Elmer has been asked to help rescue a beloved flying dragon. This chapter book is beautifully written in a very predictable format. Perfect for young readers just beginning to comprehend chapter books.
Here a list of novel studies that are perfect for your Grade 4 – 8 student:
Number the Stars – Told in a warm and disarming way, Annemarie, a ten year old Danish girl, becomes important in the events surrounding the the rescue of Jews in Denmark.
Sign of the Beaver – A young colonial boy is left alone for the summer on his family’s new land, where he befriends a young Native American boy and learns to see the settling of the New World from both sides.
Indian in the Cupboard – A classic story in which Omri is able to turn a plastic figurine into a live person.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson – A sweet story of a young girl who comes immigrates to America and learns about her new country through the lens of baseball and Jackie Robinson.
Tuck Everlasting – One of my personal favorites! A family grapples with eternal life. Is it a blessing or a curse?
Old Yeller – An absolute classic! A young boy is left in charge while his father is on a cattle drive. He befriends and old yeller dog and has a multitude of adventures.
The Great Gilly Hopkins – A young girl in foster care learns the true meaning of love and family.
Bridge to Terabithia – Two friends create a magical world together to help them deal with the common issues of growing up.
If these books don’t float your boat or interest your child, here’s a link to a novel study that will work with any novel you choose!
Above all…Stay safe and Calm!
~tina
