Mr. T’s strategies for making it a successful remote learning period after holiday vacation.
Lastly, please reach out for support if you feel like remote learning is getting away from you or your student. We can be very creative in our support, and we’re always willing to be flexible with figuring out what works best for student success. You can reach me at [email protected] or my Google # (802) 359-7215
Happy Holidays,
Mr. Tetreault
- Routine - A routine and/or posted-visual-schedule is critical in many ways. Not only for educational purposes, but also to support the students’ mental health and overall well-being. Routines help students know what to expect, practice cause and effect thinking, develop resilience/grit, etc. Having a clearly posted schedule, and a typical daily routine (with room for flexibility) can go a long way in supporting a student’s growth during remote learning. Add a daily “peel-to-reveal” mystery block of time for fun :)
- Set up a workspace - a spot to store your educational materials, complete work each day, and add materials/visuals to support your focus and resilience. Avoid distraction-heavy areas, or agree to set up “library hours” in common spaces so folks can still get work done or relax in the shared spaces as needed. Consider the strength of your wifi connection when choosing a location as well. Choosing a spot near a window can help prevent headaches and reduce eyestrain. Feel free to check out this article on creating a workspace for students at home :)
- Movement breaks - Movement breaks are used frequently in schools all over the world, in a variety of ways. The important piece is that you find what works for you. You can check out my Movement break room in my BitMoji classroom for examples from TCS. Movement breaks should be used as needed, but should also be built into the daily schedule at an interval that is appropriate for the student’s developmental needs. Kindergarten may need a break every 20 minutes, while 6th graders may only need 4-5 breaks a day.
- Stillness = chillness - Stillness breaks are critical for supporting a student’s growth of their focus and self-regulation skills. I have several calming activities available in the Calming room in my BitMoji classrooms. These activities/calming breaks help students develop specific strategies for calming, as well as “exercise” the calming region(s) of their brain, improving self-regulation skills.
- Cool Down Corner - A spot your student can retreat to before/or during a moment of dysregulation. People often think of dysregulation as a meltdown, but there are signs that show long before the typical meltdown signs begin. As a parent, keep your ear out for fixed mindset language (I can’t do this, this is stupid, etc) or absolute language (I never get this stuff, this always happens, it’s the same every single time, etc). Those are a sign your student is regressing into less sophisticated ways of thinking (under stress we all regress) and may need a break before they can move on. See my video for Cool Down Corner specifics!
- Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset - I’ve touched on it a little bit earlier in the blog, but being mindful of Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset is another critical piece in the development of student resiliency skills. Our mindset affects our thoughts, which have a huge impact not only on our feelings, but their intensity as well. We all know how intense feelings can impact our choices and behavior… I encourage students to post a Growth vs. Fixed Mindset visual in their workspace. Check out my post and video on Growth Mindset for more info. There are also a few Growth Mindset rooms in my BitMoji Classrooms complete with a library of books to support!
- Strategies & Ask Mr. T - Having a running/working list of self-regulation strategies can benefit those of us who become dysregulated/”wound up” at the first sign of stress. Using a strategy during these times can help us regain a better sense of self/decision-making so we can make choices that better align with our values. Many of us (adults) take a walk, go get a drink of water, go for a drive, or some other way of creating space between us and the stressor. Students are taught strategies that provide the same sense of relief in more developmentally appropriate fashion. You can find more info about these strategies on my website, or check out videos describing how to do them on my YouTube channel.
Lastly, please reach out for support if you feel like remote learning is getting away from you or your student. We can be very creative in our support, and we’re always willing to be flexible with figuring out what works best for student success. You can reach me at [email protected] or my Google # (802) 359-7215
Happy Holidays,
Mr. Tetreault