As schools gradually re-open their doors, teachers across the UK are faced with the challenge of integrating the children into a whole new type of classroom life — with plenty of social distancing and copious amounts of hand washing in order!
Whether you’re back in school already or waiting for the go-ahead, our Teachers’ Club Ambassador, Kelly Sattin — who has recently returned to her classroom in Warminster — has a few tips and tricks up her sleeve…
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
So many of us have been finding our feet when it comes to the ‘new normal’ in teaching. So far, it has definitely been a bit of trial and error to work out what best fits my group of children.
Here are some things that have worked for me, that may work for you too!
Short bursts of activities have worked well for my group. It’s helped gradually build their stamina back up, and we are now at a point where the children are asking for a longer amount of time on an activity, so that they can complete it.
This is something that many of us teachers struggle with at times, as we are so used to a routine and structure. But if the children are happily continuing with their writing or art session, then why not let them carry on for a bit longer?
I had planned a 20 writing activity last week, which turned into a 40-minute activity as the children just wanted to keep writing.
Who was I to say no!?
Playing background music whilst the children are working or taking some time out for mindfulness has really helped them to stay settled.
We’ve even used this time to listen to songs from different eras and genres that they hadn’t heard before.
Giving the kids breaks to move around encourages them to stay motivated and feel less tired. We are currently loving GoNoodle, Just Dance routines and silly games like Simon Says.
We’ve even had a go at ‘table yoga’, where we try out very simple yoga stretches whilst sat on or under the desk.
Just the novelty of doing something different has put a smile on the children’s faces!
One activity that the children complete at the end of every day is a short diary entry, consisting of three questions or statements to answer. It has been lovely to give the children some time to reflect on their day and find many positives during their time back at school.
Here are some questions and statements we have used so far:
Sign up as a FREE STAEDTLER Teachers’ Club member to access curriculum-linked teaching resources and fun classroom competitions.
