"No School" Friday, Ha, ha

Tomorrow is a No School day and staff is encouraged to take it off. 

We'll start regular messages to the kids again on Monday. I will continue to google meet with them on Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 -10:00 and post activities on google classroom..

You may be getting plenty of this kind of stuff, but my daughter-in-law forwarded this to me.  It's a good reminder to be gentle with ourselves!

I don't know the source. Cut and pasted from another post that didn't cite source. Still: good stuff.

THIS IS SO GOOD!!
From a School psychology specialist:

*Dear parents with school aged children who are about to start day one of remote learning from an educator and mom:

You might be inclined to create a minute by minute schedule for your kids. You have high hopes of hours of learning, including online activities, science experiments, and book reports. You’ll limit technology until everything is done! But here’s the thing...

Our kids are just as scared as we are right now. Our kids not only can hear everything that is going on around them, but they feel our constant tension and anxiety. They have never experienced anything like this before. Although the idea of being off of school for 4 weeks sounds awesome, they are probably picturing a fun time like summer break, not the reality of being trapped at home and not seeing their friends.

Over the coming weeks, you will see an increase in behavior issues with your kids. Whether it’s anxiety, or anger, or protest that they can’t do things normally - it will happen. You’ll see more meltdowns, tantrums, and oppositional behavior in the coming weeks. This is normal and expected under these circumstances.

What kids need right now is to feel comforted and loved. To feel like it’s all going to be ok. And that might mean that you tear up your perfect schedule and love on your kids a bit more. Play outside and go on walks. Bake cookies and paint pictures. Play board games and watch movies. Do a science experiment together or find virtual field trips of the zoo. Start a book and read together as a family. Snuggle under warm blankets and do nothing.

Don’t worry about them regressing in school. Every single kid is in this boat and they all will be ok. When we are back in the classroom, we will all course correct and meet them where they are. Teachers are experts at this! Don’t pick fights with your kids because they don’t want to do math. Don’t scream at your kids for not following the schedule. Don’t mandate 2 hours of learning time if they are resisting it.

If I can leave you with one thing, it’s this: at the end of all of this, YOUR KIDS’ MENTAL HEALTH WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIR ACADEMIC SKILLS. And how they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what they did during those 4 weeks is long gone. So keep that in mind, every single day.

Bette's Class!

Hi Class!!

 

Well, this was the weirdest spring break I’ve ever had. Talk about stay-cation! I really appreciated, and needed the break from learning new approaches to guiding your learning, particularly the technology, but I missed checking in with you and I am looking forward to checking in with each of you this week. 

I will continue to present activities for you to do, so keep an eye on Google classroom and email. Tuesday we will get together on Google Hangout Meet 9:30-10:00 to check in with each other. You can send me an email anytime you want and let me know if you want to meet individually.

I have come up with some new activities for the next couple of days. Go to Google Classroom to see what they are. Always continue to read daily.

From Bette

I hope you are all well and finding a new normal with the stay home, stay safe mandate.

Well, this was the weirdest spring break I’ve ever had. Talk about stay-cation!  I really appreciated, and needed, the break from learning this new "virtual school", particularly the technology, but I missed checking in with the kids and I look forward to meeting with them and hearing what they are up to.

I will continue to present activities for students, so remind your child to check Google Classroom and email. Tuesday I will hold a class meeting on Google Hangout Meets 9:30-10:00.

You and/or the kids, can send me an email anytime. I will be at my computer 9:00-10:30, I guess we're calling them office hours.

I have come up with some new activities for the next couple of days. Your child can go to Google Classroom to see what they are. Students should always continue to read daily.

Thursday, to Kids

Hi Kids,

Today is "Popeye Pose" National Spinach Day. If you don't know who Popeye is, see if your parents do. Those were my cartoons "when I was a kid".

Go to Google classroom for a fun math assignment. Also, If you chose a topic to work on enter it in the Stream section. 

We will have another meeting Friday at 9:30am. It turns out I am not supposed to use Zoom with you because of internet security, so we’ll meet on Google Meets. You will get an email to join.

Thursday March 26

Dear Families,

Today is "Popeye Pose: National Spinach Day" for Virtual School Spirit week. I wish I was there to tell the kids about Popeye. If they want, kids should strike a Popeye Pose and send a picture to Jen Thomas.

I will offer another online meeting with the kids Friday at 9:30am. It turns out I am not supposed to use Zoom with the kids because of internet security, so we’ll meet on Google Meets. They will get an email to join.

In Google Classroom I posted a fun activity on area and perimeter. I am attaching the activity and cm grid paper to this email for you. I don’t want to make you print too much, so I told the kids if they can’t print the grid paper to get a ruler and a piece of paper and make a grid of their own. Keep 'em busy. It's up to you.

I am also adding a sheet on how to form cursive letters for the kids if they want it.  

 

Families

Dear Families, 

I hope you are well. I am doing fine, hunkering down. 

I sent an email to the kids this morning. They can go to Bette's Class Google Classroom to find a couple of activities and check in on the class.

Virtual Spirit Week starts today!  It is National Puppy Day! If your child wants to they can take a selfie with a pet dog or a plush to share! Maybe a drawing. If you’d like your picture to go into a slideshow for Open families, please send the picture to thomasjen@aaps.k12.mi.us

I will be at my computer for quick response 9:00-10:30 this morning. I will check the computer other times, too. I love to hear from you. 

Bette

Kids #4 Monday, March 23

Good Morning Bette's Class!

How was it having a weekend with no school around it?

In my last email I told you about A2Open School Spirit week. Today is National Puppy Day. If you go to "Coursework" in Bette's Class Google Classroom, you will find 2 "assignments". They're just for fun and I'm learning how to use this Google Classroom. 

If you didn't respond to the "SQuiRT" assignment and enter the title of the book you are reading you can do that, too.

You can email me, or enter Comments in Stream. I will be at my computer for quick response 9:00-10:30 this morning. I will check the computer other times, too. 

I was Skyping with my granddaughter yesterday and she was into riddles, so if you know any good ones enter them in Stream.