Five ways to help you during online learning

Hello everyone, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, my name is Jessica Ferguson. I virtually joined the Dulwich family as the Middle School Counselor at the beginning of this school year. I am so happy to be here and be a part of such a wonderful school and community! I have been in education since 2013. Beginning out as a second-grade teacher, afterschool tutor, and middle school mentor. Prior to joining the DCSZ staff, I worked as a School Psychologist at an elementary and high school.

My grounding in child and adolescent development coupled with my competencies in assessment, school-home relationships, and educational/behavioral preventions and interventions influences my work with students. I work from an ecological lens, where I help combat learning, behavioral, and socio-emotional problems by looking at the interaction between the students’ characteristics and their multilayer environment. Below are some facts about me and 5 tips to help with Online Learning.

• Help your child establish and stick to a routine. Even though school has gone to an online learning format, treat school days just like you would if your child was attending school as usual. This includes having them get up at the same time everyday, get properly dressed, and eat a healthy breakfast.
• Check in with your child’s teachers. Teachers are usually more than happy to connect with parents via emails or learning platforms from each school. Check in if your child is having difficulty managing the online learning platform or staying on task. Be on the lookout for any communications from teachers indicating that they are having trouble connecting with your child during this time.
• Encourage physical activity and exercise. Your child will be sitting in front of their computer for long stretches of time. Encourage them to use the breaks in the day to stretch, walk the dog, or do jumping jacks — any movement helps!

• Resist the urge to sit in on class with your child. While it may certainly be tempting to “pop in” on your child’s classes, please respect their privacy and that of other students. Connect with faculty and staff through email or other communication channels before or after school hours.
• Take care of you. This one is extra important, and we hear it often, but take care of you. If you’re not taking care of your own physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs, you will have less energy, space, and patience to connect with and take care of your children. Even 10-15 minutes of scheduled “me” time during the day is beneficial.