It’s time to adopt a little more rigidity to our days as we embark on the 2016 school year. Days spent in the paddock will be limited to week-ends and after school and I guess Rob’s mustering routine will have to become accustomed again to aligning with his crew’s timetable.
This year Andrew is in Year 8 and heads off into his second year of boarding away. We’re a little more blasé than last year in our preparedness with a pile of name tags waiting to be stitched on at the last minute.
In 2016 our little classroom, at the end of the verandah, will have students in Years 5, 3, 2 and eKindy.
With four in the schoolroom, I’ll be timetabling until my heart and head is content to fit everyone’s learning needs in each day. Past experience has taught me that 7.30 is a great time to start the formal school day for us and that a smoko break with coffee around 9.30 is non negotiable. The Independent writing, the reading, the spelling, the Maths warm ups, the Science and History lessons and the Literacy hours will be largely determined by the times of each child’s On Air classes which we will find out at our Induction in the first week.
I think I’ll make time today for software updates, testing headsets and phone lines so that our tech tools are prepared and sorted as best they can. Anyone who works with technology knows how exasperating it can be when it fails … in short technology failure does not equal happy home tutor days.
We will be establishing independence early on so that everyone get’s their turn …..
…. but at the same time encouraging team work so that learning is fun.
I’ve been compiling a bank of brain break activities to keep our minds fresh.
There’s meditation, jigsaws, swimming, drop everything and read, yoga and music planned.
In Kindy we will be incorporating all the learning opportunities that each day presents.
History has taught me that while rigidity and timetables are essential so is fluidity and flexibility and a willingness to change. Hence over the summer holidays I’ve been secretly planning a 2016 the will be Better than Before.
Distance Education is not easy and it certainly isn’t for everyone.
Some days are diamonds and some days are stones but I sure do believe I’m very lucky to be able to nurture and guide the learning, both formal and informal, of my little tribe.
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