Corner Co-op Parent-Staff Education Workshops 2019-20
TUESDAY APRIL 21, 2020 8:00-9:00PM ZOOM SESSION—Alex will send an invite to join
Parenting During the Coronavirus Pandemic
We all are going through a most challenging and uncertain time. Even though there are growing signs of stabilization, even hope for a return to some form of normalcy at some the point in the future, parenting is every day and all in the present. We love our children, want to be with them, and want them to feel safe. This is both a challenging and joyful task and we do this all the time. But with schools closed and everyone being locked down together at home every day, around the clock, this can understandably make parenting especially challenging, even stressful. Let’s join a nonjudgmental and supportive conversation about how we as parents are coping with this challenge in the most effective way possible, what understanding and tips we can share, at the same time being mindful of our own emotional and physical wellbeing.
If you have any questions, please contact Sajed [email protected] 617-247-1919
Corner Co-op Online: Spring/Summer 2020
Recognizing that this is a special time, we are finding some special ways of communicating and staying connected with each other. We are doing emails, phone calls to children and parents, and video chats. We call them and they call us when they want to. It has been a meaningful and fun way to be in touch with the children and to support our parents. We call children on their birthdays with special greetings.
One of our teachers set up a Zoom meeting for 30 minutes every morning, around the time when we would have had Meeting time at the Co-op. We begin with the morning meeting song, and then a teacher reads a story. Next, we call on the children one at a time, like we do at school, to ask if they have something to show or tell. They almost always do! We end our meeting with our school’s goodbye song.
Zoom has been a great way for our children to connect with each other, for the children to connect with their teachers, and for the teachers to interact with the children and each other. We are planning to expand our meetings to include special days, like Pajama Day and Sports Day, and who knows? Maybe there will be a puppet show or a dance party in the future. The possibilities are endless! What has been especially great is that one of our students, who moved to Argentina in the fall, is able to join us, too. We also sing our Happy Birthday songs to children on their birthdays.
Another teacher has offered to create a digital book each week from photos that children, their siblings, and families send in. The teacher collects the photos by Tuesday, creates a story from the variety of photos, and has the stories sent out by Friday. The children and families enjoy reading the stories together, seeing themselves, and especially seeing their friends. The titles so far: The Treasure, The Door, and The Party.
We have also been sharing helpful resources, like Tips for Activities, resources from parents and others, such as former Co-op parent Dr. Susan Linn’s video “Dr. Susan Linn and Audrey Duck Talking About the Coronavirus,” available at link to three COVID-19 resources and Teacher Tom’s Tips at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4-jU296s5g .
We know that this is a challenging time, but together we will get through this. For now, the important thing is to stay safe, take care, and reach out to each other in the ways we can!
