Just be there for your kids
That’s the view of one Wishaw headteacher as parents and pupils begin lessons away from the classroom.
In the first of a new Wishaw Press feature we sat down with Coltness High head John McGilp to give advice and tips to pupils as they try and work as best they can.
Mr McGilp said: “Every school is using the GLOW platform which every child has access to.
“Our staff have also been uploading material onto the school website.
“The school’s ICT network manager has also been uploading videos for parents and pupils to
A Wishaw primary teacher has urged parents to try and not recreate the classroom while teaching their kids at home.
Calderbridge Primary principal teacher Laura Livingstone also hopes children will use the time away from the classroom to develop other life skills.
She said: “The children are sending through pictures of their completed work.
“I tend to be online from 9am to 3pm but for the kids it can be different.
“Most of them will dip in and out of lessons which is totally understandable.
“It’s important also that they do other things with their families so we are giving them life lesson tasks such as cooking a meal with their family.
“My advice to parents would be to not try and recreate the classroom.
“Find time to do other things and take away some of the stress of the situation.
“My friend’s wee girl is in P5 and she was asking about this.
“I told her you can’t suddenly be her teacher, just be her mum.
“Some parents may be more computer-literate than others and that’s where a lot of anxiety can come from.
“You have to go at your own pace and do what’s right for you as well as the child.
“It’s a scary time for all of us with this coronavirus outbreak.
“If your children are worried about what will happen, talk to them about it.”
Ms Livingstone has also revealed that teachers too are missing the classroom experience.
“Some of the teachers have volunteered to be part of the hub and the rest of us have been working online sending work to the kids,” she added.
“That had to be set up within a couple of days so it was quite manic within the school before the decision was made to close.
“I’m sure a lot of the schools were the same.
“So far it has been working well and we are able to check the children’s progress.
“Obviously it’s not the same being in the classroom and you are missing that face-toface interaction but we are communicating through messages and uploading work.”
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If you are a teacher and would like to be part of this education feature in a future edition then email news@wishawpress.co.uk.