What does high-quality early learning look like during the Coronavirus Crisis? And how can we as educators, researchers, childcare providers, and family members, provide it? Lisa Guernsey, director of the Teaching, Learning, and Tech program and senior advisor to the Early and Elementary Education Policy program at New America, presented on this topic at our 2020 InterAct Now: Virtual CLASS Summit. Below are a few of the ideas she shared. You can also watch the entire recording provided at the bottom.
Teachers everywhere have yet another new challenge—supporting students and their families from home. We know that high-quality interactions, including interesting, hands-on experiences that are facilitated and supported with feedback, scaffolding, and higher-order thinking questions, best support young students' learning. So how do you help your students' caregivers offer the same high-quality interactions while at home? Well, Rachel Giannini has some super fun ideas to share! The following are ideas she shared during her session at our recent InterAct CLASS Summit.
When schools abruptly closed due to Covid-19, teachers everywhere were given a new challenge—supporting students from home. This Teacher Appreciation Week, we at Teachstone want to celebrate the teachers impacting families and say thank you to teachers everywhere.
Here are a few thoughts from some of our team on the impact teachers are having on their families' lives.
When I first learned about CLASS Group Coaching—a training for early childhood professionals about building relationships with children—I was more than a little interested. This, I thought. This is what teaching is all about. It seems to be an obvious concept, but once we dig deeper, we are able to identify the whys and hows of our interactions. CLASS Group Coaching allows us to identify the benefits of our classroom relationships with our students and helps us be intentional in our daily practices. It allows us to utilize each moment we have with our students to deepen our understanding of their perspectives and genuinely connect with them as people. It helps us see the world from their view and guide their learning in a way that is relevant to them.
Most kids like arts and crafts. They’re a great outlet for creativity. Ever watch a child finger-paint and see their delight as they make huge swirls and marks with their paint covered hands? Because arts and crafts are fun, they are a go-to activity for teachers, baby-sitters, and parents alike.
We are into our 5th week of school closures in my state and our governor already announced that schools will not reopen this academic year. While it’s true that most districts are sending information home and/or offering online instruction, kids still have more time on their hands than usual. What does all of this mean? It means we have a lot of bored and antsy children on our hands and social distancing means that a lot of kids are not able to spend time with people who aren’t a part of their family, which only makes matters worse.
I recently read that the sales of processed foods have soared with the rise of the coronavirus.
‘I Just Need the Comfort’: Processed Foods Make a Pandemic Comeback. Some of this may be attributed to nostalgia for simpler times - I can’t be the only person craving ice cream right now - while some is probably due to the fact that processed foods have a longer shelf life and none of us know when life will return to normal.
Children are born musicians. Babies turn their heads when they hear a parent or caregiver sing, toddlers sway to music, and preschoolers dance and twirl around the kitchen (generally when one of their parents is trying to prepare a meal). Elementary-aged children may sit with a tablet to listen to music on their headphones, while older kids may walk around with ear buds permanently inserted in their ears. And what child has not picked up a stick or a kitchen utensil and used it to tap out a beat?
Since the coronavirus has disrupted many of our in-person plans, you might be trying to figure out how you can transition in-person coaching to online coaching. Online coaching can open a number of doors for coaches and teachers that might not be an option in face-to-face work.
Many of us are stuck at home with children out of school due to the coronavirus. With it came a slew of social media articles with tips, tricks, and activities for “homeschooling” during these times. These activities have been great for getting our kids busy and active during the day, but let’s take it a step further and talk about how to facilitate these activities like a teacher.
