Here are some tips and sage advice from educators, parents and students alike:
• The Pandemic has been traumatic for all of us. Stay in touch with your students. Teaching and learning in these conditions is not ideal but the social aspect is very important for their mental health and wellness, says Sharon Boswell, Director Youth Mental Health Canada and ESL teacher with the Toronto District School Board.
• Learning is all about the relationships you have built – remember that adapting your teaching style is a great way to try and maintain those bonds, says Tanya Saraiva of the Kindergarten Department at Moffat Creek Public School in Cambridge.
• Embrace technology! Michelle Evans, a grade 5 teacher with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board says she uses a Google Extension called Screencastify. “It enables me to create a video of my screen. I use it to teach (using Google Slides) or to explain a new website or learning tool. The students hear my voice explaining the lesson. It is great because students can pause, rewind and refer back to it at other times. It has been a game changer for me.”
• If you have younger children at home, follow their lead for schoolwork. If they want to skip a day, don’t force things. It will only make it harder says Hamilton mom Melissa Robertson-Bye.
• Everyone learns in different ways and everyone has different coping mechanisms. Put things into perspective and don’t get upset if you think your child is just trying to make light of things. It’s not easy and in the end, you have to focus on what really matters, says Benjamin Boudreau, a 17-year old student in his final year of high school.