Motherhood & Parenting

Teaching Mummy

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, all schools have been closed.  The last 2 weeks, prior to the confirmed closure, were very tense.  So much unease amongst parents.  My daughters school closed on Friday 20th March.  Every day I would second guess my decision to send her to school.  Her education is important but her safety was all I could think about.  I was relieved when those gates finally closed.  Truth be told, I didn’t take her to school for her last morning. I kept her home with me.  The school has been wonderful, during the lead up to the closure and since.  

My daughter is in pre-school so there were no work packs given or any guidance, as to what us parents should cover at home.  I found the curriculum online.  They had planned a rather comprehensive syllabus:

  • Set 1 Sounds
  • Super Sounds
  • Name Writing
  • CVC words
  • Themed role play
  • Story books and Show and Tell
  • Matching objects to numerals
  • Patterns
  • Addition and Subtraction
  • Problem Solving Easter, Pentecost and Mission Sacraments
  • Castles
  • Family Traditions
  • Caring for the Environment

Needless to say, I felt overwhelmed.  The assumption that preschool children can just chill out and learn as they play, seems a little off.  Play is a wonderful learning tool but how do I, as a mother, teach my child all this?  First thing I had to do was educate myself.

Phonics, CVC (Consonant Vowel Consonant) words and Set 1 Sounds are all alien concepts to me.  My eyes were drawn to one specific target – Name Writing.

As I watched my child scribbling away in her colouring book, I wondered what the first steps would be, to turn her pen control into letters.  My daughter then proceeded to take a crayon and sketch a little abstract mess on the wall.  How am I going to do this?  I know these things but I have no idea how to break them down and teach it.

I was prepared to help my child practice her skills and strengthen her understanding but now it would appear; I will need to teach her those skills as I learn right beside her.

No one knows how long the schools will be closed for.  It could be a couple of weeks after the Easter break.  It could be a couple of months.  Some news reports have hinted that school will only return to some level of normal in September.  This means I will be responsible, for completing my child’s Preschool education and preparing her for Reception (Year R) alone.

I have a wonderful friend who is a Primary School Teacher; she helped me sift through the jargon and find some online resources to help.  I will need to be a fast learning student, before I can become a decent home school teacher.  

I created a school work area in our kitchen.  Put colourful learning posters above the table.  Prepared lots of materials to cover counting, matching, shapes and colours.  So far my daughter loves her new routine with me.  We read together and practice her days of the week and alphabet every day. Sometimes she will ask after her friends or where her teacher is.  It’s hard to know what to say but for now, she is satisfied knowing that her school is closed at the moment and mummy is standing in.

My little girl is blissfully unaware of how different the outside world has become over the last few weeks.  I’m hoping that continues.  I live in a nice Disney bubble with my girl during the day.  Keeping active with school work, craft, play and garden fun.  After she is in bed I turn on the news for the daily update. The distraction of home schooling is actually working wonders for my mental health.  It’s giving me a focus and a project to devote myself to.

I love preparing activities and lessons for her.  I wish I had that special teacher clout though.  I doubt my daughter gives her teachers as much sass as she gives me.  The eye rolls and foot stomping are delightful.  I look at her some times, midway through an activity, I can see her mood.  If she could, she would tell me to just bugger off and flounce back to the TV.

I will persevere.  Lots of parents all around the world, are in the exact same boat, with varying degrees of success.  I am grateful for so many things right now.  One of which is not having to revisit algebra.  I didn’t understand that the first time around, I definitely won’t be able to wing that.  For now I will focus on phonics.  They do say that it’s always good to learn something new!

 

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