I have started to see PE related videos come over our Facebook and YouTube. I think this is great for those student who can access them. We have many, 300 or half of my students, to be exact, who do not have access to the internet. I offer some low pressure alternative to structured PE during time away from school. 

I see many parents walking to the store with their little ones. Many of the parents in my school community do not have cars and rely on vanpools to get them to their places of employment. As I drive through my attendance area I see that my kiddos are getting exercise. They are walking to and from the corner markets. On the way home they carry a gallon of milk or a bag full of essential groceries. I see kids at the park running, swinging, playing with pets, while parents watch on. Right now, we do not need to worry about pushing PE curriculum. Districts should be encouraging our kids to get outside in the fresh air. Being outside is allowed by the mandates brought by the State. We need to give our parents and students some compassion and know that they are doing the best they can during these difficult times.

As a small kid I can remember walking to and from the store. I remember riding bikes around the neighborhood. I ran with my mom starting around third grade. I still run and do CrossFit on a regular basis. Parents can be a great example of how to stay physically fit during this time while schools are closed. 

Packets of math worksheets. Drill and kill math fact worksheets. That is exactly what they are doing, killing our student's love of math.

Now, I am a reading teacher at heart. My M.ED. is in Reading and Language Arts with a Specialist Credential in Reading and Language Arts and an additional Credential in Teacher Librarianship. What I do know about math education is, drill and kill does not work, just like teaching sight words or phonics in isolation do not work. 

Think about this:
​During this time of quarantine I know our children are learning math while at home. They watch or help their parents pay for needed groceries. They sit and listen to their parents add the dollars while trying to figure out how to pay all of their bills. During this difficult time, our children are learning how to budget, how to pay bills, and how to count money through real-world application. I hope that parents are teaching students to count change at the grocery store as they pay. I wish this type of learning was being encouraged instead of having parents try to figure out how to use a school assigned computer with their young children. I wish these authentic math lessons were being supported instead of sending home page after page of math facts and math worksheets. What a way to kill a love of math!

I remember my mom had a desk drawer with files for each bill. In each file she had cash money to pay those bills. I learned about money and budgeting by watching my parents. During this time where we are forced to slow down, lets encourage parents to teach their children math through real life financial situations and let's stop stressing parents out!

Our districts are handing out Chromebooks to any student who does not have access to a computer at home. Well that is all fine and dandy if you have internet access or electricity for that fact. 

Our districts are requiring teachers to hand out 3 weeks worth of worksheet packets. Great for busy work. This is all review work and will not be graded. No better way to kill a students enthusiasm for school. 

How about this?
​In your "all call" to parents, tell them to use the pencils, crayons, and notebooks given them to document history.

Parents, instead of trying to figure out how to operate a computer, tell stories. Tell your little ones about the "good ol' days." Tell them about when your people came to America. Stories you remember from your ancestors: parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. 

How did your family come to live in America? Who are your people? Where did you come from? What do you remember about where you came from or where your ancestors came from? How did you or your forefathers live? Were they rich with love? Where they rich with money? Did they come from a city, country, mountain region? 

I remember sitting around my grammie's table with my folks and hearing stories of times past. These are precious memories of family history that will remain with me forever. 

Instead of packets of worksheets and random writing assignments, why don't we ask students to write down what they remember about their family stories? Their stories are important, authentic history to their family.

And, boom, writing and history are taken care of!