Distance learning from home and in the park
I wake up each morning feeling great and reminding myself of the only thing on my “to-do” list — enjoy life. But anxiety keeps seeping in.
I find solace walking the dog at nearby Edgemere Park in Oklahoma City, where I see young families demonstrating so many of the values that will get us through the COVID-19 crisis. Children in that outdoor classroom have been cleaning trash from the creek and creating street art. Some are allowed to pet my dog, while other parents err on the side of caution. (By the way, the American Veterinary Medical Association has said, “there’s little reason to avoid petting” and it relieves stress, but we should also practice “park petiquette.” But now that a tiger has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, Dali is getting less physical contact from the new people we meet.)
Back at home, I muse over my own experience and read education experts for insights into how parents should handle schooling at home this spring. I’m struck by the number of international educators who recommend learning practices and values that are very different from those that became the norm in the 21st century.
Experts look outside the box for distance learning lesson plans
This is especially true for educating young children. Jennie Weiner writes in the New York Times, “Maybe this is the perfect time to call a timeout on the academic rat-race that was never healthy or fair in the first place.”
The University of Ottawa’s Joel Westheimer advises, “Stop the worksheets. Stop trying to turn your kitchen into Jaime Escalante’s A.P. math class.” Westheimer then writes, “And when brick-and-mortar school (hopefully) returns next fall, let’s give teachers a great deal CONTINUE READING: Distance learning from home and in the park