Learning from home — the best bits!

Thankfully the reality is that school has not abandoned us: lessons are still being set, learning materials provided, teachers can be emailed, friends work together in group chats, and an abundance of free learning resources have popped up online.

There’s no doubt that endless weeks of 100% independent learning is challenging, and a return to school as soon as it’s safe to do so will be welcomed by many, but as time goes on, I’m finding there’s a lot I’m going to miss about our strange little home/​work/​school situation:

• It’s really interesting to see how format influences enjoyment of a subject, for example at school, computing would be low on the list of lessons my daughter ​“likes”, but now it’s one of her favourites because lessons are delivered on a website with an element of on screen teaching. On the flip side lessons that come as static pages of information and worksheets are being relegated to the ​“don’t like” list.
  
  
• The creative classes that allow her to move away from her desk (or whatever flat surface she’s decided to work at that day) give us an opportunity to watch her create art, choreograph dance and make music — sometimes we even get to join in reading through a play together.
  
  
• We’re really getting to see how much she’s progressed since starting secondary school last year. What’s struck me the most is the maturity of her work – most days she’ll show or tell me something that completely blows me away!
  
  
• Easy mornings! Oh the joy of not having to rush around to empty the dog, get ready for work, pretend to listen to elaborate stories about why bags weren’t packed the night before while hastily ironing a PLEATED skirt, run to the bus stop with the thing that’s been forgotten (you get the picture).

• Lunchtime. I love spending every lunch hour with my family, squashed together on the sofa watching The Big Bang Theory.

How are you coping with the challenge of home learning? What are your best bits? Please get in touch and share your story.

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