ISY Elementary Blog
Elementary Update – April 3rd, 2020
Sandy Sheppard, Elementary School Principal
Dear all,
I hope your week of virtual learning has gone well in your household. Please see below for feedback from the last survey that went out.
I also hope you enjoyed the music video put together by some of the faculty, you can find the link below.
I am sure you will all join me in thanking our super star teachers for the amazing job they are doing. If you would like to email me a message for our faculty I would be happy to share it with them. My email address is below.
Enjoy your weekend wherever you may be. Virtual Learning will start again on Monday.
We are thinking of you all. We miss our students so much.
Take care
Sandy Sheppard
SURVEY RESULTS
- make more personal contact with students and to ensure regular feedback through Seesaw
- to add more creative activities that do not require screen time
- to make sure our instructions are clear
- to adjust our pacing as needed
- let the teacher know if a link does not work so that this can be fixed
- email or send Seesaw messages whenever you have a comment on any of the tasks, especially if you or your child does not understand the requirements. The teachers are more than willing to communicate with families and support understanding
- encourage your child/ren to take regular breaks when working on virtual learning
UPCOMING DATES
13th – 17th April – no school
23rd April – Progress Messages will be sent out via Seesaw.
24th April – No Virtual Learning – this day is set for an opportunity for parents to talk to teachers – more information to come
Principal – ssheppard@isyedu.org
Counselor – escounselor@isyedu.org
Office – office@isyedu.org
COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Mindfulness: What is it?
In recent weeks, I have found many moments in which mindfulness has helped me through the difficult and often fluctuating emotions associated with a world with Covid-19. I have asked my students to be mindful and gentle with themselves as they struggle with the many changes that surround them. Many parents may have a deep understanding of what it means to be mindful but I thought a short description may enlighten some to the topic.
Mindfulness is a quality of being fully present and aware of ourselves. It has many forms, a state, a trait and a practice. Being in the moment, an accumulation of moments and a skill to be rehearsed. It is acknowledging ourselves in what we are doing and how we are feeling. Fortunately, it is also a basic ability we all possess but not always acknowledge. So how can parents use mindfulness practices to help our children during difficult times?
- Acknowledge their feelings without judgement. Accept their feelings. Teach them that uncomfortable feelings are just a part of who we are and can learn to not only endure them but accept them as a part of ourselves.
- Practice deep breathing. When your child is having a strong emotion, try counting from one to five and back down five to one, asking your child to focus only on the air filling the lungs.
- Mindfulness can cultivate curiosity. Allow children to ask questions as they come and try to be fully present as you respond.
- Model mindfulness. In this fast paced world, it can be difficult for parents to be in the moment and nonjudgmentally acknowledge feelings but children need examples to follow. So when you are stressed or having a strong emotion, verbalize it and articulate how you are going to respond to that emotion. For example: I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the noise. I need to take a few deep breaths, calm my body, so I can make a proper choice.
Obviously, this article only begins to articulate mindfulness and fails in many ways to explore mindfulnesses complexities but I hope I have sparked some curiosity and ideas to support your family.
As always, I am available for further discussion or questions. I can be reached at escounselor@isyedu.org.
Patty Amundson-Geisel
Elementary School Counselor
Sources for Article
Mindful schools: Mindfulness Fundamental Course https://www.mindfulschools.org/ March 2020
The Greater Good Magazine: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition April 2, 2020
What is Mindfulness? By Mindful Staff at Mindful, healthy mind, healthy life October 8, 2014 https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/
Resources for Helping your Children
Headspace Meditation for Kids
Mind Yeti Mindfulness for Kids and Their Adults
Virtual Learning
Please feel free to send in virtual learning photos that I can put in this blog. See Nway Ei from Grade 2below working hard at home.
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The International School Yangon
20 Shwe Taungyar Street
Bahan Township
Yangon, Myanmar
+95 (0) 9 880 441 040