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February 5, 2021
Dear Families,
The Atlantic (online) had an article by B. Platzer & A. Freireich on January 26 about helping students with homework during remote learning:
Homeroom: My Child Is Near Tears Every Day—And So Am I
Our son needs structure, but he also needs to unwind. What should we prioritize?
These were the phrases that stood out for me - and honestly, I believe they stood out because they are strategies I use to manage my own work and pandemic life. I adapted them a bit for middle school:
set reasonable goals based on the age of the child
create a daily plan
children need a chance to unwind and spend time with other people—real people, not on a computer screen
children thrive on structure and benefit from enrichment
consistency between you and your partner will allow you to be a united front, so your child will know to expect the same responses from both of their parents
go easy on yourself: any day with a snuggle and a book is a good one
We just finished the last of 12 “casual chats” we hosted with 5th grade families applying to middle school. It is interesting to talk over and over again about 75 Morton. It is almost like a fact checking mission as we describe our school, community, mission, values and goals to different audiences. We had 12 opportunities to answer similar questions and to make our school come to life over Zoom. And, it doesn’t get easier. Our talks get more layered as we push ourselves to really dig deep to tell the truth.
It is a joy to talk about our school and all of the potential it holds for students, families, and staff. I do feel we are unique. The spirit and belief system of our school emanates a certain energy that is often hard to describe.
Thank you all for being part of our family and helping us get through these challenging times. It is really fun to brag about all of you!
With Respect,
Jacqui