Dear parents,
We are living in unprecedented times. The school has provided homework activities for all classes. However, home and homework cannot replace school, nor do I pretend it can. If you can get your child to do a little work every day, that is all that is required. When we return to school, we will ensure the curriculum is covered. In these worrying times, keeping healthy and content is far more important.
Routine is very important but it is also necessary to remind you all that you will not be able to replicate a school day at home. There is a wealth of resources out there to help with school work at home but it can be overwhelming as we are being bombarded with apps, sites and suggestions on social media and elsewhere. Many of you will be trying to juggle working from home with looking after your children. Try not to be hard on yourself or hard on your child. Please stick to what your child's teacher sets. Don't worry about your child regressing in school as all children are in the same boat. When we return to school, teachers will reassess where they are at and start from there.
- Keep an eye on the school Twitter account ´@BallybrownNS as I regularly retweet interesting resources.
- Dublin Zoo has made Animal Activities available online for this period - https://www.dublinzoo.ie/news/dublinzoofun/
- RTÉ has confirmed that a one-hour school programme will begin on Monday, March 30. Running from 11 am to 12 pm, Monday to Friday on RTÉ 2, with a shorter "catch-up" segment later in the afternoon. It will be aimed particularly at children in 1st to 6th class.
- https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0320/1124439-homeschooling-parents-resources/
Manga High is an online, game based Maths platform for children.The school pays for all children in Ballybrown NS from First to Sixth classes to have access to this website during Maths week.All children are given passwords to access the site. These should still work. If not, Manga High is giving 30 days free trail for the duration of Covid 19 Crisis.
Follow this link:
https://www.mangahigh.com/en/for-home#home-pricing Manga High also has lots of suggestions for parents with additional resources. : https://www.mangahigh.com/en-gb/blog/2020-03-12-support-maths-education-coronavirus-school-closures
Homework for this week and last week for all classes was posted on the website www.ballybrownns.ie on the day we closed, March 12th. Please check the home page.
At the bottom right hand side of the home page, you'll find 'older posts'. Click on that and keep going back over the pages. All the homework for all classes for the first two weeks is up. There's a link to the school Twitter under the school crest on the left. I have posted details of additional resources on the Twitter page.
Here are some resources your child (and you!) might enjoy
www.worldofdavid walliams.......every day at 11 a.m.
Joe Wicks every day at 9 a.m. via You Tube
Twinkl.... free for a month
Bua na Cainte is very popular with children in all classes...... free for a month on https://www.edcolearning.ie/
www. CJ Fallon has given parents free access to its online resources
www.MathsWeek.ie has a variety of Maths activities
www.PDST.ie has activities in Maths, STEM, PE
This blog post written by Irish Primary Teacher has some great advice for parents with lots of educational activities to do at home also.
https://irishprimaryteacher.ie/advice-for-parents-covid19/
Irish: check out a lovely website called "Duolingo". It gives a quick test at the start to find out the level users are at and then has mini interactive lessons that they can do each day.
I will post homework for next week on Monday. Enjoy the weekend
Joe Lyons
Principal
