While back to school may look different for kids across the country, it’s clear that Health and Safety will play a large and important role this year. Here are a few tips to keep in mind for students, whether their learning will take place virtually or in-person!
Going Back to School?
Remember to practice good hygiene: Now is a perfect time to stress good hand-washing skills. At home, remind little ones to practice handwashing for at least 20 seconds each time. They can sing happy birthday or another song verse that lasts 20 seconds to make it fun and memorable. While it may be difficult to teach kids not to touch their face, consistent reminders are a good way to help them remember as best they can. When they’re back in the classroom, they’ll take these lessons with them.
Physically distance when possible: Teaching kids that they have to stand two metres apart from each other is difficult, especially when they have friends they haven’t seen in months. Explaining that everyone is keeping their distance to keep their friends and families safe is key to helping young kids understand. Give them an example to visualize what two metres looks like, like a hockey stick or the height of a door. This way, when they return to classrooms, they’ll understand the guideline.
Be equipped with the right supplies: Students will need many unexpected essentials on their back-to-school list this year. In addition to a new backpack and pencil case, facemasks, hand sanitizers and cleaning supplies will also be on the shopping list. Make facemask shopping fun by choosing a trendy design that kids will be excited to sport. Equip them with multiple hand sanitizers, so they have quick access to another when one gets lost. Staples Canada has taken some of the work out of deciding the right health and safety items for back-to-school with their new school kit, which includes supplies like trendy facemasks and useful hand sanitizers.
Learning From Home?
It’s clear that technology can play a key role when it comes to remote learning, but it can be hard to know where to start and how to get what your kids need without adding a financial strain to your household. Fortunately, you can use these tips from the experts at The Mobile Shop to help:
Set a schedule: Balancing everyone’s needs can be tricky, especially when parents are working from home and kids are expected to keep up with a curriculum. Creating a schedule and setting clear expectations with family members will help to maximize connected tech, even with limited devices.
Leverage a mobile device you already have: Before you go out and buy something new, try your existing device and find out what works and what doesn’t. There may be an opportunity to repurpose before you replace it.
Consider a large screen: If you’re looking to add a device, consider a smartphone with a large screen that will deliver strong visual quality and touchscreen capabilities for the students in your home to engage with ease.
Review your apps: You may need to download or update apps like Google classroom to help navigate learning from mobile. Connect with your child’s teacher to understand the platforms they plan to use throughout the year to ensure you’re ready when the time comes. If your storage is limited, you can simply uninstall or put to sleep some apps that you’re not using to create space.
Find out what else you can do to return to school with confidence at staples.ca/backtoschool.
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