Children can’t catch up to someone else’s history. They have lived through something unique to their own particular childhood.
Our 3-year-olds have lived a third of their lives in lockdown.
Our 4-year-olds have lived a quarter of their lives in lockdown.
For most of these children, this has meant a narrowing of their world and social contacts.
No visits to soft plays, farms and swimming pools.
No family holidays, play dates, or days spent with grandparents.
Our children have their own history, individual to them.
They need time to reconnect with extended family, friends and adults outside their immediate bubble.
They need time to play and experience new things.
Their journey through childhood may be different from ours but that doesn’t mean they need to ‘catch up’.
As our children return to school we need to prioritise time for play and time to build relationships.
With these things at the heart of our practice, our children will show us what they need to navigate their own unique part in history.
Parents – thank you all for the care, commitment and courage you have shown in your homeschooling efforts – this has proved to be a particularly difficult period. The longest, darkest winter, perhaps? What is clear and totally transparent is how we all want the absolute best for these children in our care. You have done an incredible job as a parent AND as a teacher and I wanted to thank you deeply on behalf of everyone here at St Peter’s. If parents would like to consider being a supply teacher with us then do let me know; you are all now qualified!
I will end with a link that has had a profound effect on me (and other staff and parents) this week. Yemen: The nine-year-old war-zone school teacher.
I don’t know if you saw this BBC news report from Yemen about a 9-year-old blind boy. He stood in and taught his peers when there weren’t any teachers to do so. What a powerful report. How lucky we are. How we must reflect on this lockdown #3 and keep it all in perspective. Our blessings as a community are so rich and so many.
Finally; how it struck me (again) that LEARNING can take place anywhere at any time and in any way.
I am so excited to be typing – ‘SEE YOU ON MONDAY’!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lucy Ball, Deputy Head, Teaching & Learning
