Time to Write

There’s no denying it: this is an unusual time.

Events cancelled: major and minor. Businesses and facilities closed. Precautions taken. Misinformation spread. Panic buying. Potential long-term school closures.

It’s been a far from typical week.

Let’s face it. Our students are hearing bits and pieces of the news. Their events and extracurricular activities have been cancelled. Many are watching their parents stock up on supplies. Some families are voicing fear and concern. And in Alberta, as of a few hours ago, classes have been cancelled indefinitely.

If this is a scary time for adults, imagine for our students.

I am putting together some language arts suggestions for remote learning. (Stay tuned…) One of the first things to consider is the opportunity for students to (continue to) write in a weekly journal: the opportunity to reflect and respond, to sort through their feelings, especially given these unprecedented and confusing circumstances.

The platform might be different, but the purpose remains the same.

Take the time to write short notes back to reassure your students. Respect the emotion and perspectives that emerge. We may not know what the upcoming weeks and months will bring, but this is certainly a way to stay in contact, and provide our students with authentic reasons to read and write.

2 thoughts on Time to Write

  1. I love this idea. The girls are so conflicted right now. Yes, thrilled they get to sleep in but also scared and sad. All the hard work going into earning awards, grades, planning yearbooks, graduations, plays ….
    I’ll be giving them each a journal to help them work through their feelings. Added bonus is it will be a great keepsake and something they can look back on in years to come and be able to say “I
    lived through that and came out stronger”. TFS Karen. Thanks for all you do <3

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