Nannies Can Help with Distance Learning
“As the pandemic caseload in communities increases, educators and doctors worry how this will affect classrooms and what it could mean for the academic year.
Nova Scotia, Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec have all taken some measures to temporarily suspend in-person classes for some, if not all, of their students. Meanwhile, Windsor-Essex County’s Local Medical Officer of Health ordered all schools in the Southwestern Ontario region to close this week and students to learn remotely as concern deepens about rising COVID-19 infections.” Caroline Alphonso, Education Reporter for the Globe and Mail
For families in Quebec, elementary schools will not reopen, as originally planned, on Jan. 4, but Premier Legault said schools would supply students with homework and some distance learning. All students, from elementary and high schools, should be back in class Jan. 11, according to a recent story from the CBC
The corona virus pandemic continues to complicate issues for families with school age children all across Canada. Depending on where you live, there are on-going decisions about how safe it is for children and teachers to have in-person learning and how far behind children are getting in their education.
Families with nannies that have already worked out their basic infection risk mitigation strategies have some options that could make a difference in the academic success of their children this school year.
At the most basic levels, most nannies are already equipped to provide homework help and supervision. Your nanny may also be able to help create distraction-free space for your school age children to work on assignments, projects, and participate in online discussions with teachers and classmates. Helping the family create and stick to different scheduling is likely to already be in your nanny’s purview.
Here are some tips from a former elementary school teacher
- Clean Workspace
- It is important to have an area, similar to a desk at school, that students know is their official workspace
- Take Breaks
- If you notice your child is struggling to stay focused or losing motivation, encourage a break from their school work but make sure it does not go too long. I love using a kitchen timer, so students can have ownership of their own break and the freedom to do as they please until the timer goes off.
- Less is More
- Teachers are not looking for perfection. They are looking for the best effort. Online learning will never replace the feel and productivity of the classroom, so just encourage your littles to do their absolute best, as that is all anyone can ask for during this time.
There is a distinct difference however in expanding a nanny’s responsibilities beyond what is mentioned above. Their level of education, training, and experience with teaching and childhood development need to be taken into account. And expanding a nanny’s responsibilities should also be reflected in a change in their employment contract to cover more working hours and a raise in rates commensurate to the expansion of responsibilities.
If your nanny is interested in helping with distance learning, here are a few options to consider:
- Adding accountability and learning assistance – This would be along the lines of enhanced homework help where the nanny is actively engaged in helping with assignments and projects throughout the day and not just checking to make sure homework is completed.
- Tutoring – This would include reviewing teacher instruction and making sure that children understand the lessons and can demonstrate competence in the concept taught.
- Teaching – This would be in addition to online instruction form their teachers and should be aligned with the curriculum and projected outcomes.
As you can see, each level becomes more involved and would require more and more advanced education skills and experience. Depending on your needs, you may need to consider hiring someone with advanced skills as a tutor or private educator. Whether you need to update the employment agreement with your current nanny or you need to hire additional help for your children, we are here to help you through the process.
