I don’t think I’ve been shy about my “bad attitude” related to remote learning. It has been HARD!! For loyal followers of my blog, you know that remote learning has kicked my butt and I can’t wait for school to be back in session on Monday.
During all this, I know that I am not alone in how hard it has been as a parent of a kindergartner (also with special needs) to sit through class, do his assignments, and interact with his teacher and classmates.
Still, for as hard as it’s been for me as a parent I know that it has been just as hard for my child’s teachers. I feel lucky to be working with an amazing group of teachers that are collaborative with me in getting what I need for my son.
The kindergarten teachers at his school have not only taught live multiple times a day, but have recorded videos to pair with each assignment they send for him to do through the learning app. I realize that this is not the norm for remote school, but their extra videos and work have not gone unnoticed.
I have also seen first-hand how they interact with the kids that attend live instruction. If there is a “wiggly” child on the screen or one that is being distracting they have little recourse. They can only talk to them through the screen. They don’t have the ability to pull them aside and work with them individually to establish strategies to help them focus. I can’t imagine how hard that must be.
Most of teaching at kindergarten is about classroom behavior. While numbers, letters, and reading are also important, for some kids, this is the first time that they are in a formal classroom. Teaching them through a screen without being able to hug them, get on their level, or show them how to do something is not easy!
The one thing that I see my son’s teachers do repeatedly during live instruction is allow each child to “be themselves.” This is especially important for my child. My child will often look like he’s barely paying attention during live instruction, and is simultaneously ready to share things that he’s interested in during a lesson. This has taken some coaching on my end to get him to wait for his teacher to finish teaching to share what’s on his mind.
Still, during the times that he does interrupt her while teaching, she allows him to be himself, which for him might mean sharing a random animal fact completely unrelated to the lesson. In his mind, the things he shares are either related in some way that only his brain knows, or he has no idea what she’s teaching about and craves some way to be brought in. And she lets him. And it makes a difference.
At the end of today’s lesson he wanted to read a story to the class. (It was a long story… and it was painful to me). His teacher not only let him read almost the entire book, but also invited his friends to stay on the call and listen if they wanted. She just has a way of making him feel included, even remotely! It meant the world to him.
To the teachers that have been going above and beyond to make each of your “kids” feel special during this time, thank you! It means the world that you are making the most of this trying time. I’m learning just as much from you about how to provide support and instruction to my kindergartner. Your patience, kindness, and determination are making a difference for at least one little boy.