Dear Parents,
We hope that you are all well and that your families are coping and thriving during this unusual and challenging time. The circumstances that we find ourselves in have certainly brought the opportunity of reflection and learning for everyone. Many parents have come to know their children in new ways and also discovered different capacities in themselves as they have partnered up with us in the teaching.
As a school, we, too, have been discovering much about educating in these remote-learning circumstances. A significant part of our work has been to determine how best to convey curriculum to every age group and how to engage the use of technology and screens most healthily. Based on much research and consultation, we determined that our middle school screen time had to be limited to a maximum of three hours per day to accommodate academic content. Our lower grades began with short recorded audio and video and now have a few very brief Zoom sessions to keep them connected to their teachers and share their work. After having a few weeks of practical experience with it, many parents are expressing concern over the effects of the virtual medium, including screen fatigue, overstimulation, and exhaustion. As we are navigating these highly unusual circumstances, we are continually reviewing and readjusting, but the one thing that is a constant is the desire to put the child at the center and serve them in the best way we can.
For our early childhood, we determined that life is very much the curriculum—it is mirrored in what we bring to our EC students under normal circumstances in our classrooms. Lucky for them, in most circumstances, that is relatively easy to accommodate at home, and we are happy to hear that most of our EC students are currently thriving. These observations and reflections educate and guide our offerings to you, our EC families. Our teachers will continue to design a daily sharing to support you as parents in implementing the curriculum at home. While it is not the customary rhythm in our classroom to tell new stories each week or to do as many activities and crafts, teachers are providing these resources as an additional resources to help you in holding your children during these times. Curriculum may also include audio of songs and stories and perhaps videos of fingerplays that you can learn and bring to your child. As extra support during this time, you will continue to receive the Wellspring blog, and teachers will stay available to you and reach out weekly to check-in.
So many weeks into our remote schooling, it has become clear that curriculum is only one part of the learning experience. Especially in early childhood, it is the connection with the teacher that brings the curriculum alive and imbues it with the warmth that makes school such a pleasurable and healthy experience. We know that your children are missing their friends and teachers, and we are actively looking for ways to support these relationships. At our school, teachers will not be using Zoom or Facetime technology to connect with EC children virtually or to hold any group gatherings with EC children. To facilitate connection, we have set up weekly pickups during a 1-hour window at each of our campuses. These pickups will allow for you to collect children’s belongings, materials as needed, and perhaps most importantly, create opportunities for your child to say hello and receive some warmth from their teacher. In this way, we attempt to support the living connection that we believe is far healthier and necessary for the youngsters.
You might like to know that our Early Childhood teachers are in regular contact and exchange with colleagues from all over North America. As they shared before, they stand committed to providing young children with the essentials of a healthy childhood:
1. Close, loving relationships with responsible adults.
2. Outdoor activity, nature exploration, gardening, and other direct encounters with nature.
3. Time for unstructured play, especially make-believe play.
4. Music, drama, puppetry, dance, painting, and the other arts.
5. Hands-on experiences and handicrafts and other physically engaging activities.
6. Conversation, poetry, storytelling, and books read aloud by beloved adults.
We are grateful for the dedication we are witnessing as you join us in this endeavor to provide a modified version of our EC curriculum. We encourage you to continue partnering with your teacher to receive support and guidance. It brings us much joy to witness how our youngest students are continuing to receive stories, songs, movement, and lots of opportunity for meaningful work alongside you and, most of all, how you all strive to provide a steady and supportive rhythm for them. We very much look forward to the time when coming to school can be part of that once again. Please know that you can always turn to your class teacher or Leadership Council should you have any questions.
With Warmth,
Leadership Council and Early Childhood Faculty
