Dear Friend,
Last week Governor Desantis announced that all schools in Florida will remain closed through the end of the school year. This was the right decision in order to keep our students safe.
Now that we know students will not be returning to the classroom, I wanted to touch base with some helpful resources for parents and students alike.
Our household has slowly adapted to remote learning as our new normal. We have learned that it is important that we stay on a regular schedule and plan out our days.
I have found The Child Mind Institute to be an incredible resource to help us work out this schedule. They have tips on everything from managing stress and anxiety to educational resources for remote learning. You can check them out by clicking here.
I have also turned to the Wuf Shanti app and website which is full of great activities for young children, including yoga, puzzles, and games. Wuf Shanti, is a nonprofit that I have been an advisor to for the past six years. It teaches mindfulness, which is more important now than ever. If you have younger children, I encourage you to check it out.
Even with these great resources, as a working parent of 4 school-aged kids, I know keeping a regular schedule can be easier said than done. It’s important to know that you don’t have to be perfect. Give yourself some slack and remember that we are living in unprecedented and hard times.
Things are not normal. We can’t continue on with all things like we did before. We must adapt to our circumstances. This includes how schools assign grades for this semester.
Early on in this crisis, I called for Miami-Dade County Schools to make all K-8 classes pass/fail. For younger students, remote learning is particularly stressful and difficult.
We shouldn’t maintain the same grading format as when students are in the classroom with constant contact with a trained teacher. By moving their classes to a pass/fail grade, students will be able to focus on learning and teachers on teaching.
Thank You,
Rachel Saltzman Friedland