Support Your Child While Teachers Are Out On Picket Lines
If you live in Ontario you know the struggle students have been having in the schools. With all the strike days its been tough on teachers and students to keep up with academic demands. Here I’ll provide you with a list of web based and app learning tools you can use with your students while at home.
Picket Lines and Learning
These last few weeks in Ontario have been difficult for families, teacher and students. Teachers in Ontario are fighting hard to ensure that students are supported in the classroom. These supports include students with learning challenges or ensuring that class sizes aren’t huge.
If you are a parent of a child in the public education system in Ontario I hope you understand what teachers are fighting for. If you have a minute please tell your teacher you support them. It’s hard to make the choice to step away from the classroom, but in this case it’s so important for teachers to stand up for students.
Just a sample of some of the apps discussed to help your child continue to learn even during the strike.
So what can you do to support you child while they are off school?
It can be hard to know where to start when looking for web based learning supports for your child. There are so many too choose from and so many options. When looking for learning on-line making sure they are connected to the curriculum is one thing to look for.
There are a few benefits to using web based learning supports. As our society is becoming more and more internet based these types of resources tend to grab students attentions.
Students these days are often in need of instant feedback on how they are doing. They enjoy programs which move along quickly and provide them with instant feedback.
So in that vain I thought this week I’d give families some ideas of apps or web pages to check out. The ones I am posting today are mostly payed (I am not affiliated with them at all). I’ve tried many free ones but these are the most helpful and worth while.
Overall Learning App:
My favourite overall learning app is the TEACH ME app. There a number of different ones for different levels, from Preschool to Grade 3. This app is super engaging and has a reward system with stickers that I find both my kids and students really enjoy.
Another favourite overall is ENDLESS ALPHABET and/or ENDLESS NUMBERS. These ones don’t hold a reward system they are just plain fun! Even now my 10 and 8 year old enjoy interacting with the games.
Reading Web Pages:
Reading A-Z is my all time favourite. It’s based on levels but there are also books based on sound targets.
You can reading the books on line, print them or download the PDF version to project on a wall. There are a huge number of books from fiction, non-fiction and biographies.
If you go to Reading A-Z you’ll see there are number of other pages to test out. I have not tired them so can’t give much here. There is one section dedicated to science.
Starfall is another great one. Though be warned I find it be great for those in early Kindergarten and grade one or English as a Second Language Learners.
This site supports the understanding of letter sounds and understanding how the work together.
Math Apps/Web Pages:
The one I recommend the most is IXL Math.
What’s so great about IXL? Firstly, it follows the curriculum via grade level. Secondly, whether you’re in Canada or the United States, you’ll find your child’s expectations. This program has both an app and a web page and it also works in a reward system for users.
With membership you’ll have access to both. Best of all IXL takes you right from preschool all the way through university.
For my families who are French speak I have a site for you!
Take a look at NetMath for math work in French. It’s hard to find good access to French programs but this one really is great. Much like the IXL math page it starts in the early grades and goes through to university.
Just a few of the math based apps to check out for students while teachers are out on strike
It can be tough when the kids are out to feel like they might be falling behind. No one wants that and I hope that some of these can help you. There is no replacing a teacher, but at least finding something that’s easy and engaging might help.
Please remember I have zero affiliation with any of these products. They are just web pages and apps that I’ve used with my own kids. They each have their own learning challenges which I’ve talked about. It should also be noted that none of them are free.
If you haven’t checked out my previous posts, with regards to my own kids struggles check them out! I’ve written about how testing went for our middle child And the Testing Begins. As well as some of the struggles we’ve had with our eldest, Taking One Step Forward and One Step Back.
I’ve tried many free apps and web pages over my time teaching and working with my own kids. I just don’t find they offer much in the way of support. They are cluttered with adds and in my experience lead to greater frustration both for me and my child or students.
In all of this it’s hoped that one or all of these will help you find support in continue to foster a love and interest in learning for you children while they are out of school!
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