A guide for parents and pupils

They can&apos;t go out into the yard or into the woods to play.

They do not learn through discussion and co-operation.

They can&apos;t ask for help in the same way.

They cannot see their teachers for immediate reassurance and support.

We do our utmost to maintain the kind and supportive atmosphere of Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin.

Some aspects may take longer to complete at home. Your child will need a lot of encouragement to complete tasks without the help of a teacher or friend.

Here at Bro Myrddin we are trying our best to maintain some sort of routine or normality through the work and support of Google Classroom.

But we must remember: • Some learners enjoy the daily tasks set and following a set timetable • Some learners will find the school timetable approach overwhelming • Some learners will find the work easy and fly through tasks without hesitation • Some will feel it is too challenging and will be disheartened.

At school everything works to a timetable and there are specific deadlines for each task. The tempo of life in general has changed in what they call a new &apos;normal&apos; and we as teachers and you as parents have to bear this in mind when placing expectations on pupils for work.

When it comes to school work on Google pupils have to remember: • We&apos;re still here • If there is a problem, ask • If they don&apos;t understand, seek help • If they want more time to finish a task they need to send a comment to the teacher - no one will be angry • Ask a friend for help

Teachers are trying to set tasks for your children on a daily basis, but this is not always possible, and it is not expected that every pupil will complete every piece of work.

All of these strategies support and facilitate learning. This is the way your child is used to being taught. This is quite different from working independently at home. It is impossible to recreate the experience of being in a school lesson in the home. 

Congratulations. You&apos;ve just survived your seventh week of lockdown.

There is no expectation that your child should work independently and quietly for 5 hours a day.

They can no longer talk to their friend between lessons.

I would like to emphasise that we understand the pressures our pupils and you as parents face. This is certainly a very challenging and unusual time for us all. None of us have worked in such a situation before and it has certainly been a steep learning curve.

We as staff are very proud of our pupils and the effort that everyone has made so far. We ask our pupils to do two important things: 1. To keep themselves and their families safe 2. To do their best and not to worry.

The pupils are engaging with Google Classrooms, the teachers are busy creating tasks and assessing work, we are in constant communication with pupils who need support and we have had a short chat with each pupil. We use the school’s social media accounts to raise spirits through our daily messages.

I&apos;ve already told you as parents - we don&apos;t expect you to recreate Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin on your kitchen table! Your child&apos;s &apos;school&apos; life has changed completely.

The school&apos;s top ten &apos;tip-ups&apos; to look after your mental health as a family: • Contact people • Share your feelings • Get some routine • Eat well • Drink plenty of water • Try to keep active • Make the most of sunlight and fresh air • Stay active with physical exercise • Be careful with what news and information you pay attention to • Relax

As a school we can only do our best and continue to set sensible, challenging and realistic amount of work for our pupils.

During the average lesson at school, pupils would often be given an initial task to engage their interest, they would recall previous learning, use mini white boards, use ICT resources, discuss with classmates, listen and learn from others.

Certainly - school work needs to be attempted Certainly - there is a need to try to follow some sort of routine and timetable Certainly - reading is a must Certainly – they should switch off the Xbox or Playstation .. But we also need to be kind and not criticise ourselves if tasks take longer and need more motivation and effort than before. Setting the perfect amount of work for everyone is impossible!

We would like to emphasise that you should encourage your child to try and complete the work. But at the same time, we want to make certain that a child should not worry too much about work. We understand the situation, we understand that everyone is doing their best - and that is more than enough!

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