Educational institutions, be they kindergartens, private or state schools, have switched to online learning. Children access certain platforms with the help of their parents and follow the instructions there more or less independently.
About how the parent can keep the use of reason read here: How do I work from home with my child without strangling them?
How to prepare the child for individual or group work via Whatsapp or other video call? It’s an unusual way of working with children.
Because at the German kindergarten I work with I have reacted quickly in trying to keep the children with active information, I already have useful feedback so that the parents are reassured, the child gets the most out of the interaction with the teacher and the teacher can move forward with the subject.
- Phone or laptop to be ready 15 minutes before the scheduled time, battery charged, headphones ready if necessary.
- The time of the discussion should be the same, children like routine, their brains adapt well to a rhythm and thus perform better.
- The space where the child will stay should already be chosen and clean. It is useful to have the same space for discussion, so the child will connect more quickly to the activity at subsequent meetings. I recommend a desk of your child’s own or a corner of a table so that the child’s position is comfortable but upright, not lounging on a sofa.
- Your phone, tablet or laptop should be on a flat and stable surface. The child needs to see the teacher the same way and vice versa, so they won’t be holding their phone and walking around the house with it.
- The child should be dressed decently for a night out, clothing can be a topic of discussion.
- The child should go to the toilet before the meeting, have already eaten lunch and have a glass of water next to him/her.
- If she had materials to prepare, have them already on hand, as well as the notebooks and pencils she needs.
- Pets, younger or older siblings, grandparents to retreat somewhere where they won ‘t distract the child . The TV is off, the music is off.
- The child’s facilitator should step back, give the child space to learn, discreetly supervise the child if help is needed, without putting the child or teacher under pressure.
You can find the programme of online courses on self-confidence, social-emotional development, bullying and body science here. Signing up and participating helps your child learn useful information about themselves, helps us survive, and helps you feel like you’re contributing what you can in a crisis. We look forward to seeing you! 🙂