
Worryless Wednesdays
Working together to make the journey a little easier
November 2020
On to November! We have had to adapt to hybrid cohorts, live streaming, and then time at home again due to Cluster Action Zones. Through it all, our students have benefited from the consistency of the adults around them. The lesson to our children is that no matter the obstacles and roadblocks thrown into our path, we will work together to get through and come out stronger and more resilient. Moving from the childhood whimsy of Halloween, to the Grateful pause of Thanksgiving, may all your days be safe and healthy.
Remote Teaching Tips To Engage Students In Distance Learning Excerpts from Terry Heick July 21, 2020
- Start with students
- Consider their lives. Their day. Their well-being. You may also know that the majority of your students are fine and the ones who may not be are almost impossible to help and that makes it hard sometimes. But when the opportunity presents itself, check in with your students–really check in with them. If you must assess something, assess their well-being. Track that data. Address those needs. Be the teacher you would’ve needed during a pandemic when you were a child.” The idea here is to not get distracted that you’re at home and so are they and that everything is ‘different.’ Start instead with the student and their reality and needs and the new and urgent opportunities in front of them.
- Simplify
- Simplify what you teach and how you teach it and how students will show what they’ve learned. Prioritizing skills and concepts from your curriculum is more necessary now than ever.
- Work backward from the context of remote teaching
- Synchronous, ‘live’ teaching online to a group of children is very different than doing the same in-person–and neither are easy. When you plan backward from the context and characteristics of remote teaching and learning–where distractions are uncontrollable, bandwidth matters, and students are not with their friends but rather their family–the lesson or activity has a better chance to work. Think small, bite-sized learning activities with clear objectives and intentional transitions–all while planning for and necessitating student engagement and autonomy. Actually, that’s not as different from ‘good teaching’ in-person as it seems.
- Be the ‘lead learner’ as much as you are the ‘teacher’
- Put another way, model ‘caring’ about learning and the role it plays in well-being and growth. Show them what it means to be curious and active in this new learning environment.
7 Steps to Reduce Pandemic Fatigue
uclahealth • July 7, 2020
After months of dealing with the fallout from COVID-19, many people have pandemic fatigue. It’s a very real feeling of exhaustion stemming from the effects of the novel coronavirus on your life — from stay-at-home orders to the fear of getting ill to losing jobs.
It’s perfectly normal to feel burned out right now. It’s also important to stay the course and slow the spread of coronavirus. Read on to learn what you can do to feel better while staying safe.
Adapting to the increased uncertainty of the pandemic is challenging. To reduce the toll it takes, it’s essential to pay attention to your emotional and physical needs. Take these steps to renew your energy and feel more in control:
#1: Take care of your body
Make sure you’re getting enough sleep (at least seven hours a night) and maintaining a nutritious diet. Though it may be difficult to drum up the motivation, exercising every day is important too. Doing these things will boost your energy, lift your mood and strengthen your immune system.
#2: Limit your news intake
It’s good to stay up to date on the latest coronavirus information. But too much news can overload you with negative emotions and zap your energy. Take a break from the news for a day or two and see if you feel better.
You can also limit your news consumption to once a day for an hour or less. And be sure to choose an accurate source of information.
#3: Lower your stress
Focusing on activities that are calming or bring you joy can lower your stress level — whether that’s cooking a fancy meal or bird watching or practicing meditation for 15 minutes a day. Anything that offers you stress relief can be helpful. Activities to consider include:
- Breathing exercises
- Yoga
- Nature walks
- Reading
- Watching a comedy
#4: Connect with others
Humans are social creatures by nature. Being alone and feeling isolated can be stressful. So it’s crucial to connect with others during the pandemic. Although you should limit your physical contact with people outside your household, there are other ways to connect socially. You can:
- Make phone calls
- Arrange video meetings
- Chat on social media
- Write letters
- Take a live class online
- Attend online religious services
#5: Accept your feelings
Challenging situations stir up a mix of emotions. Stuffing feelings down and ignoring them doesn’t make them go away. Instead, acknowledge and name your feelings. Allow yourself to have them.
Then refocus your mind and energy on things you can do to feel better. If your feelings are overwhelming or all-consuming — and getting in the way of your daily activities — reach out to a health care provider. Protecting your emotional health is just as important as caring for yourself physically.
#6: Try positive self-talk
Sometimes fear and anxiety can make our minds leap to the worst scenario, even if it’s most unlikely. You might become plagued with “what if” thoughts. Try catching those negative thoughts and replacing them with more realistic statements. For example, replace thoughts about acquiring COVID-19 with what you’re doing to stay safe.
#7: Create new traditions
Usher more joy into your days by creating new traditions. You’ll have something fun to look forward to and you might even decide to keep it up once the pandemic has passed.
For instance, you might set aside Sunday nights for self-care. Do anything that makes you feel good physically, mentally, or emotionally. You might focus on a hobby such as playing guitar or scrapbooking or do something for your body such as giving yourself a facial or going for a long run.
To socialize, you might make Friday your family movie night or picnic in the backyard every Saturday. You can also organize a video call with friends as a mid-week check-in. Be creative and come up with ideas that work best for you.
Check out helpful resources including free guided meditations, sample meal plans and tips for starting an exercise program. If you have health concerns, consider scheduling a video visit with a doctor. And check with a doctor if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
Celebrating Thanksgiving in 2020
Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.
Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. If you must travel, be informed of the risks involved.
Lower risk activities
Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home
Moderate risk activities
Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
Attending a small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place
Higher risk activities
Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:
Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
Attending crowded parades
Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household