Fall 2020 Is Here.
Back-to-school 2020 certainly is not beginning as many of us had hoped. While many schools are starting their year entirely remotely, others are able to provide some in-person instruction with additional rules and restrictions in place. Either way, things are far from normal and even the youngest of learners know this year is different.

Here are a couple suggestions teachers and parents can use to make back-to-school more "normal" for young learners:
Parents
  • If you can, keep some of your normal back-to-school rituals in place (e.g., buying new school supplies, picking out an outfit for the first day of school, a labor day weekend BBQ).
  • When possible, collaborate with your child(ren) in their learning--as a mentor or partner rather than as an instructor. The CreositySpace Book of Ideas is a good starting place for this or our friends at PopSmartKids have a collaborative creative writing app if you're interested in a digital option.
Teachers
  • Now more than ever you are forming a collaborative teaching environment with your students' parents or guardians. Actively, and with specific instructions, include them in your teaching strategy.

Some examples include:
  • Have parents ask their child(ren) to teach them about something interesting they learned.
  • Have parents and children work collaboratively on an invention, a story, or a short research project.
  • Have parents work with their child(ren) to find real-world connections between what they are learning and what is happening in their neighborhood.
For more strategies on making the 2020-2021 school year fun and engaging, take a look at this straightforward infographic put together by Torrey Trust from UMass Amherst.


Let us know what your doing to kick off the new school year on Twitter or Facebook.

Kind regards,  
Peg Zokowski, CEO 


P.S. This summer CreositySpace put together a short 3-part series summarizing lessons learned from this Spring's school closures in the areas of technology, student engagement, and family & teacher support. If you missed it you can find in on our website under Remote Learning Insights.
Yes, there remains a lot of uncertainty around the 2020-2021 school year. And the search for good content and lesson materials that can shift easily between classroom and remote learning is challenging. Below is a list of available CreositySpace resources you might find helpful.
  • Open access portal available to teachers, parents, and students through the end of the 2020.
  • Available NOW -- Homeschool-sized versions of all curriculum units to accommodate groups of 2 or 5 students. Select desired option when making purchase in the online store. 
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