While learners are at home during the lockdown, remote teachers could use some tips.
Illovo resident Michelle Lissoos who heads up an education technology company, Think Ahead Education Solutions, shared some remote learning tips, particularly when dealing with children with disabilities.
Tip 1:
In these uncertain times, most children with disabilities struggle to identify and express emotions. How you react to the situations will ultimately affect how they react. Stay calm when addressing your learners and reassure them. Use social stories to clearly explain the situation.
Tip 2:
You are not a therapist but learners won’t have access to their regular therapy. Provide the learners with any therapeutic apps they might need and clearly communicate these to the parents.
Tip 3:
Communicate with the parents, and create a space for them to ask questions. They are in a really difficult situation. Most of them don’t know how to deal with their children’s disabilities, a sad but true fact. They won’t know what to do, or how to handle their children for such a long period of time without any breaks. Provide them with as much resource as possible and reassure them that they don’t have to be a teacher or therapist. In fact, the most important thing they can do in the coming weeks is to provide their children with love.
Tip 4:
Join online special needs education groups and share your resources with them. This will keep you up to date with what is happening and allow you to see global trends. It will also give you a space to be a part of a community of people in the same situation as you.
Tip 5:
Stay calm. Do the best you can. Everyone is being thrown in the deep end and no one was prepared for it. No one expects you to be perfect.
Lissoos also shared, “To support teachers through this uncertain period, we have set up a teacher support Facebook group Think Ahead ‘CouchtoClass’ offering guidance on tools, inspiration and curricula to help teachers continue to teaching during this uncertain time.”
Details: You can join Think Ahead’s CouchtoClass on Facebook bit.ly/couchtoclass
Share how you are remotely assisting fellow residents during lockdown by email to naidines@caxton.co.za
Related Articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/259640/value-creation-not-profit-is-human-nature/
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/268780/children-better-equipped-for-4th-industrial-revolution/
