Learning from Home - Episode 3 with Natalie Bigney

Welcome to the third episode of Learning from Home, where I speak to Natalie, a mother of four children of ranging ages from Utah, USA. She has a full-time job and is also studying part-time herself.

Natalie’s early experience of learning from home was overwhelming, not least of all because she received over 70 school-related emails in one week alone; even her kindergartener has five different websites where her learning is taking place. She has found that making the time to be together outside has made a really positive impact on their mental health as a family, but she worries that all the time being spent on computers is depleting her children’s love of learning.

Watch our full discussion here:

If anything Natalie and I discuss resonates with you, or inspires you to try something different at home, explore this list of related resources:

Pobble

A variety of articles with suggestions for keeping kids entertained as well hints and tips for both parents and teachers.Visit the website


Little House Kindergarten

Pay as you can home-school curriculum specifically for kindergarten aged kids, as well as free resources for little ones learning from…


Time Article

Suggestions for parents about how to build a strong timetable to help keep to a routine during school closures, and some ideas for creative…


LA Times Guide to the Internet

A really lovely collection of resources (mainly aimed at adults) with tips on self-care, learning, entertainment and navigating the…


Calm Zone

A variety of child-friendly activities, resources and tools to help kids deal with stress, especially during the pandemic.Visit the website


Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs is an incredibly popular website to help young children develop their phonics and reading skills.Best for younger kids who are…


Audible

Audible is a global story platform where you can listen to books. They are offering an extended free trial during the pandemic.There's…



Learning from Home - Episode 2 with Julie Lythcott-Haims and Kate Robinson

Nevergrey Director Kate Robinson speaks with Julie Lythcott-Haims about the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and how to address racism at home.

We are in the middle of one of the biggest global civil rights movement we have ever seen. Black Lives Matter protests, for the first time, have taken place in every US state, as well as across the UK and elsewhere in Europe. To better understand the role of how families of all races can address racism at home, Kate Robinson speaks with Julie Lythcott-Haims, a writer and speaker whose work focuses on the rise of helicopter parenting as well as on race. Throughout the conversation Julie offers incredible insight as well as tangible advice.

Watch the full discussion above, and for more resources on addressing racism at home you can explore the following links:

Hair Love

An Oscar-winning short film from Matthew A. Cherry of an African American father learning to style his daughter's hair for the first…


TED Talks

A collection of videos from TED to help understand racism in America.Watch the videos


Embrace Race

A platform of tools, resources and an online community to help parents raise anti-racist children.Visit the website


The Conscious Kid

An education, research and policy organisation encouraging parenting and education through a critical race lens.Visit the website


@inclusivestorytime

An Instagram account sharing recommendations of inclusive and diverse children's books.Visit their Instagram account


Explaining Racism and Protests

An article from the New York Times with guidance of how to talk to children about protests and racism, with some book suggestions to…


Using Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids

Guidance for how White parents and carers can use media to spark and support conversations on race, and tips on teaching your children to…


Black Lives Matter

Petitions, resources and ways to donate to the global Black Lives Matter movement.Visit the website


Books for Racial and Ethnic Socialisation

Books and resources for children of all ages, as well as parents and carers, curated by the American Psychological Association to help…


Talking to Kids about Race and Racism

Practical and tangible tips and advice on navigating conversations with children about race and racism.Read the article


Diverse Toys

Some ideas for increasing the diversity of the games, toys and puzzles your children play with.Read the article



Learning from Home - Episode 1 with Sonia Benavides and Kate Robinson

Sir Ken speaks to Sonia Benavides, an architect and mother of 4 from Monterrey, Mexico.

https://youtu.be/bWxhy_iUq2A

Thirty-seven and a half million learners in Mexico have had their education affected by Covid-19 (UNESCO, 2020). Four of these learners are Sonia’s children, aged 6, 9, 11 and 13. While the beginning of lockdown was particularly challenging for Sonia and her family, she has found the best way for them to cope during this time has been to delegate tasks and responsibilities to each member of her family, from household chores to schoolwork. Sonia has also found that adding a creative flair to assignments has made learning from home more exciting and interesting for her family. Please note that this discussion took place in April 2020 and so not all facts and figures relating to Covid-19 mentioned in the video are up to date.

Watch the full discussion above, and if anything Sonia and Sir Ken discuss resonates with you, or maybe inspired you to try something different at home, explore this list of online resources for arts and crafts, cooking and getting outside.

Art Resources

#MetKids from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/about
The Met's incredibly kid-friendly online portal offers plenty of resources (including videos) and an interactive walk through the world-famous museum.
Best for kids aged 7-12.

Firstsite
https://firstsite.uk/art-is-where-the-home-is-programme/
Free downloadable art packs curated by well-known UK artists which don't require any specialist materials, as well as a plethora of fun and creative activities under 'Create at Home.'
Recommended for kids 4 and up.

Cooking Resources

Food Literacy Center
https://www.foodliteracycenter.org/recipes
A variety of child-friendly recipes that will be popular with the whole family, designed to get kids involved in cooking at home.

Exercising 

The Body Coach - Joe Wicks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ
Joe Wicks is releasing daily exercise videos to encourage movement and promote health.
Great for all!

Getting Outside

NHM Dippy's Naturenauts
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/naturenauts.html
An immersive app designed to help children get outside and explore nature in the UK.
Good for school aged children.

National Geographic
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/
Activities, quizzes and facts to help kids discover animals, geography, science, nature and history.
Suitable for ages 5 and up.

More information

Montessori Schools
https://www.montessori.org.uk/about-us/what-is-montessori
Some information about Montessori schools and their approach to children's learning.

Learning by Teaching
https://effectiviology.com/protege-effect-learn-by-teaching/
Some information about why teaching others can be so powerful in children's education.

Supporting Yourself as a Parent or Carer
https://www.verywellfamily.com/self-care-for-parents-4178010
Many of these suggestions and tips are still something you are able to do from home or while socially distancing, and as Sir Ken and Sonia said, you must put on your own mask first.


The Call to Unite

Earlier this week I joined the Call to Unite - a 24 hour global live stream event where I shared my thoughts on how we can seize the opportunity to transform how we educate our children, and how we approach our relationship with the world we live in.

You can learn more at www.unite.us. #AnswerTheCall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU4Q17t4muY

 


NEW Podcast/Video Series: Learning from Home

Millions of parents and carers have suddenly found themselves responsible for overseeing their children’s education from home.

If you’re one of them, you may be finding this a daunting challenge to be facing on top of all of the other stresses of our current global situation. I am launching a podcast special to help bring you and your family resources and insight from around the world, and to give you the opportunity to share what is happening with your own family so that others can benefit from your experiences. No matter how isolated you may be feeling, the support you need is out there and my hope is that this podcast will connect you to it.

Please watch the video above to learn more, and then I invite you to be in touch with your stories, questions, concerns or insights by emailing LFH@nevergrey.org. With your permission some of these may be featured in the series and I may be in touch to arrange an interview so that we can share and exchange ideas.