We’ll start with our third top tip to support your child…
Tip number 3: practical tasks for practice
We all agree we’d rather have all the children in school, the best place to learn different subjects and develop socially and emotionally, too. And we all agree that home learning is tough, especially when many of you will be working from home, too (and all of us are feeling cooped up so much).
There’s one thing about being at home that’s a real advantage, though, and that’s the chance to get your child joining in with practical tasks around the house.
- For younger children, setting the table can help to develop motor skills and promote characteristics of effective learning like being involved, concentrating and enjoying achieving what they set out to do.
- Being at home is a perfect chance to practise telling the time (by the end of the school year, most Year 1 children should be able to tell the time to the hour and half past the hour) – so what time does PE with Joe Wicks or Let’s go Live with Maddie and Greg start, or what time is lunch? For older children, how much longer until then?
- For older children, serving out food can help to develop mathematical skills of estimation and fractions.
- Have you a flat-pack that’s been lying around waiting to be assembled? Think about the reading skills and design and technology skills that will be developed if your child gets stuck in to help with this.
- Even putting something in a microwave is an opportunity – what power is the microwave and how can we set the time to match?
Often, our instinct is to get on and do the job while the children are occupied elsewhere – it’s usually easier that way. However, it might help to try to look out for these opportunities. Some children learn better by doing things in a practical way. Don’t feel you must insist on all three home learning tasks done if you feel confident they’re practising skills in a more practical way.
Two new suggestions to support your child’s learning…
Why not join Leeds library online? Once you’ve joined, you can use their e-reading options, which are free and a great way to spend time, learn something new or look after your wellbeing.
The Maths Factor, endorsed by Carol Voderman, is free to use at the moment. It’s a comprehensive package of tutorials. We’d suggest your child watches one a couple of times and then perhaps has a go at something similar. You could work your way through them one by one, or dip in and out, looking at the one that most closely matches the home learning that’s been set by the teacher.
We’ve added both links to our menu of useful home learning sites.
Finally, a repeat call to respond…
Do you need to use school during the pandemic? It would really help us to plan ahead if you can complete this short form and return to us by email (or call us on the number provided if you can’t email). The dates on the form go right through the Easter holidays and include the bank holidays – we’re doing our best to be able to open throughout this situation. Please only consider this in light of current guidelines.