Dear Ordway Families,
We have a busy month ahead of us as staff prepare for a hybrid learning model to be implemented in January and families adjust to changes in winter traditions. December will be a time for us to practice flexibility with schedules and promote cooperation at school and at home.
Schedule Shift
Starting December 4th, Fridays will be an asynchronous learning day for all students across the District grades K-6. This is a part of the hybrid schedule that we are implementing now so that staff can prepare for the in-person hybrid instruction that is planned to take place in January. The schedule change will be implemented for all classes including 100% online and hybrid model classes as each class shares the same daily schedule and specialist rotation.
You will be hearing from your child’s teacher about the schedule and menu details for remote learning that will be offered on Fridays. Teachers are still planning to have a morning message or class meeting to kick off the day. They will also have office hours posted so that families will know in advance when a teacher is available to support students if they have questions about their remote tasks during the day.
Giving Choices to Promote Cooperation
As we say goodbye to November and hello to December, we can feel good about our focus on gratitude and turn to our new trait of the month - Cooperation. With remote learning, we understand that it can be difficult to motivate and engage your child. Here are some tips from sources we have shared at parent nights that help to promote cooperation at home and avoid power struggles.
In this unpredictable time, there are many things beyond our control. Just like us, children don’t like feeling out of control. They like to have a say and to make decisions about their lives. They want some power and when they are feeling powerless, they will fight for it. This is when power struggles happen.
When you give a child choices, you give them a sense of power. When you give a child a few choices that you are okay with, then they are more likely to comply with your request. They feel good about feeling in control and you feel good because your child is doing what you want them to. It’s a win win. In doing this, keep in mind that there are 4 basic types of choices:
Concrete Choices: “Do you want apple juice or milk for dinner?”
Playful Choices: “Do you want to run up the stairs to bed or do you want a piggyback ride?”
Choices with Incentives: “If you choose to clean your toys quickly, then you can have some play time on the tablet.”
Choices with Consequences: “You can choose to brush your teeth, or I can brush them for you.”
Each household has different parenting styles and expectations so make sure that you are okay with the choices you give. What if a child keeps asking for something that’s not one of your choices? Be a broken record and tell her the two choices over and over again and don’t give in. If a child really won’t make a choice, then make it for her..
If you find that you are constantly having to make choices for your kids, then make sure that you give more choices throughout the day…even on stuff that doesn’t really matter. The shorter days and changes in winter traditions make this a difficult time for us all. Now is a good time to try giving lots and lots of choices and see what happens. May December be a month of less power struggles, more cooperation, and a happier family! (Faye, 2016)
Kind regards,
Melinda Reynvaan
