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Guidelines on the reopening of schools in September remain at the draft stage and social distancing will prevent all children from returning five days a week.
Education Minister Mr Joe McHugh left teachers and parents with more questions than answers after yesterday’s post cabinet press briefing.
Minister McHugh stated that the optimal objective was to have all students back to school in late August and early September. He then drew on a few statistics to illustrate that a programme of social distancing, if implemented in schools, would prevent all children returning.
He spoke about the need to look at other countries’ experiences and the importance of engaging with stakeholders, as well as the need to open schools safely, but also ensure that keeping them closed does not cause more damage in terms of educational regression or neglect.
Despite the indication that social distancing will not apply in schools in September, Minister for Health, Simon Harris, emphasised that public health advice on social distancing is still a strict adherence to the two-metre rule.
In concluding remarks, Minister McHugh envisaged that guidelines on returning to school in September will issue sometime this month. Hopefully, they will bring greater clarity on how school’s will return in September. Whilst everyone would agree that having all pupils return to school is the optimal objective, the safety of our children, families, communities and school staff cannot be compromised.
The report to government presented yesterday, 12th June 2020, on the planning for reopening schools in line with the roadmap for reopening society and business can be accessed HERE.
Newly published National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) Guidance Materials provide helpful information on supporting 6th class pupils transitioning to secondary school during these unprecedented times.
Transitioning to secondary school is a big milestone in everyone’s life, but for this year’s sixth class finishing primary school and moving onto secondary school has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 school closures.
In response to this, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has published guidance material for supporting 6th class in their transition to post-primary education (to access guidelines view HERE).
The NEPS guidance materials outline how supporting resilience during this time is important and is helped by: –
(1) Promoting a sense of safety.
(2) Promoting a sense of calm.
(3) Promoting a sense of self-efficacy (belief in one’s own ability to do something) and of community-efficacy.
(4) Promoting a sense of connectedness.
(5) Promoting a sense of hope.
The NEPS guidance materials provide further information and ideas on how these five areas can be promoted. Parents, teachers and schools are sure to find these guidance materials helpful and informative.
Improve mental wellbeing during these challenging times with the help of the HSCHI’s and HSE’s free online ‘Stress Control’ programme, starting today, June 8th, 2020.
The HSE’s ‘Stress Control’ programme is an evidenced based programme that teaches individuals practical skills to deal with stress.
This highly successful programme has already been completed by over 10,000 people here in Ireland.
The programme covers topics including:-
- how stress affects our bodies and our thoughts.
- skills to overcome panicky feelings.
- tips to getting a good night’s sleep.
The programme includes six modules which will be broadcast at scheduled times for 3 weeks. Modules will be broadcast on Mondays (repeated Tuesdays) and Thursdays (repeated Fridays), with each module running at 2:00pm and again at 8:30pm.
Go to stresscontrol.org and subscribe, at no cost, to the YouTube channel, so that you will be updated when the next module will be broadcast.
Go on a “Virtual School Tour” of the following famous international destinations.
Once you have finished your virtual school tour of famous Irish places (see earlier post by viewing HERE), why not cross the continents and visit some of these famous international destinations.
NASA, USA.
Learn about space by visiting the NASA Glen Research Centre (View HERE) or the Langley Research Centre (View HERE). Take a tour of inside a space shuttle by viewing HERE. If you are feeling really adventurous why not take a tour of Mars (View HERE)?
The Anne Frank Museum, Amsterdam.
Learn about the life of Anne Frank and discover the stories behind a collection of original items that are connected to her history. To visit this museum and the secret annex where she lived during WWII, view HERE.
Clearwater Aquarium, Florida, USA.
Clearwater Aquarium in Florida, is not your typical aquarium. They are committed to environmental preservation and the aquarium is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life. Why not visit some of the animals currently under their care including pelicans, dolphins, turtles and clownfish (View HERE).
Pompeii, Italy.
In 79AD the ancient Italian city of Pompeii was buried under volcanic ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted. Rediscovered in the mid-18th century, the city was perfectly preserved and is nothing short of a historical marvel. (View HERE)
The Great Wall of China.
The Great Wall of China is an ancient wall built between 1368-1644 to protect the north of the empire of China from enemy attacks. It is the longest structure ever built by humans measuring an estimated 21,196 kilometres long. To visit this incredible structure view HERE.
Rainforests of Borneo.
Go HERE to visit the rainforests of Borneo, along with other wonders of nature including coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean and the diverse ecosystems of Columbia and Peru.
Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia.
Take a virtual tour of Western Australia’s parks and wildlife by viewing HERE.
Some of the amazing places to visit include Granite Skywalk, Danguu Geikie Gorge, Yanchep National Park and Black Rock Falls.
Go on a “Virtual School Tour” of famous Irish places.
The annual school tour is always a much loved end-of-year activity for pupils from all primary schools. Now with home schooling while schools remain closed and with travel restrictions in place, why not take pupils and indeed the whole family on a virtual school tour to some of these famous Irish tourist destinations named hereunder.
Dublin Zoo.
Children will love watching the elephants (View HERE); penguins (View HERE) and animals of the African Savanna (View HERE) with the help of Dublin Zoo’s Webcam.
No. 29 Fitzwillian Street Lower.
Take a step back in time and experience life in a Georgian house in Dublin [Georgian era: 1714–1837], with the help of the No. 29 virtual experience, by visiting HERE.
Long Room Trinity College, Dublin.
The Long Room at Trinity College Dublin is considered one of the world’s greatest and most beautiful libraries, built between 1712 and 1732. Visit HERE and see why.
Some 65 metres in length, it is filled with 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books, including the Book of Kells. Did you know it also served as the inspiration for the Jedi Library in Star Wars?
National Gallery of Ireland.
The National Gallery of Ireland houses the national collection of historic Irish and European fine art and is a must visit for art lovers. (View HERE.)
National Museum of Ireland.
Travel across Ireland, with the help of the National Museum of Ireland, explore natural history (View HERE); the history of country life (View HERE); archaeology (View HERE), or decorative arts and history (View HERE).
The Titanic Experience.
Take a trip to Cobh and experience the last port of call for the tragic Titanic ocean liner. (View HERE).
Enjoy your armchair travelling
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