Thread by @MyaCubitt

Dear anyone with authority who will listen - it isn’t feasible to mandate school attendance for children in a system that is now entirely reliant delivery from parents, working from home or away from the home in essential services (me).

The following is more realistic

A friend of mine sent me the email they recieved from their school principle - I share it with you, because I think it is a sentiment sorely missing;

Dear parent

“You might be inclined to create a minute by minute schedule for your kids. You have high hopes of hours of learning, including online activities, science experiments, and book reports. You'll limit technology until everything is done. But here's the thing.....

Our kids are just as scared as we are right now. Our kids not only can hear everything that is going on around them, but they feel our constant tension and anxiety. They have never experienced anything like this before.

Although the idea of being off school for weeks sounds awesome, they are probably picturing a fun time like going camping, not the reality of being trapped at home and not seeing their friends.

Over the coming weeks, you may see ⬆️ behaviour issues. Whether anxiety, anger or protest that they can’t do things normal - it will happen. You'll see more meltdowns, tantrums, and oppositional behaviour in the coming weeks. This is normal & expected under these circumstances.

What kids need right now is to feel comforted and loved. To feel like it's all going to be okay. And that might mean that you tear up your perfect schedule and show more love to your kids.

Play outside and go for walks. Bake cookies and paint pictures. Play board games and watch movies. Do a science experiment together or learn a new skill. Start a book and read together as a family. Snuggle under warm blankets and do nothing.

Don't worry about them regressing in school. Every single student is in the same boat and they will all be okay. When we are back in the classroom, we will address this and teach to their individual point of need, as we always do. Teachers are experts at this!

Don't pick fights with your kids because they don't want to do the maths we have set them. Don't scream at your kids for not following the schedule. Don't mandate 2 hours of learning time if they are resisting it.

If I can leave you with one thing, it's this: at the end of all this, your kids' mental health is more important than their academic skills. How they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what they did during these weeks is long gone.

So keep that in mind every single day..."

To any government educator listening - distance learning protocols being replicated by teachers throughout every school in Australia - should be centralised by educators skilled in the practice of distance learning.
@JamesMerlinoMP