From the desk of Mrs Di Chiara
If your house is anything like my house, you are looking forward to Term 2 starting! Even though we will still be in Off-Campus Learning mode, at least we can return to some sort of structure and routine. But, I am sure there are some worries too and no doubt trying to juggle your own working lives in the background is not easy but we will get through this and there is definitely a light at the end of the Corona tunnel.
I cannot tell you how many times I have alternated between saying (OK … I guess you could call it shouting) ‘Get off that device!’ ‘I know you’re bored, go kick a ball’, ‘Yes, I’d love to take you for another bike ride’, and so on. I’ve rolled my eyes so many times in the last few weeks, I’m fairly certain I’ve pulled an eye muscle...either that or I now have the strongest eye muscles known to man. The last few weeks have been a challenge … but there have been some positives; more native birds back in the local parks, less aeroplane noise, less pollution in general, more family time, not to mention the canals in Venice … who knew there were fish down there?!? It is almost like Mother Nature has taken a big deep breath …… and the things we are seeing have not been seen in our lifetime …. let alone our children’s lifetime. I read yesterday that Los Angeles has the cleanest air in the world for a major city ….. I actually had to research that to make sure it was true.
And the number of people out exercising has been pretty phenomenal ...… except for the Bay Run! What a shamozzle! (Not that I’m speaking from first hand experience ….. all my exercise has been in the form of eye rolling). It certainly has been good to see people staying fit during isolation ….. And so with the return to Off-Campus Learning we want to remind you of the importance of keeping your son moving. Hopefully he has taken advantage of the incredible weather during the holidays to get out and exercise, even just a little bit. But it will be really easy for him to slip into the habit of staring at his screen for hours on end …... especially when he can blame school!
Without wanting to add more to your to-do-list, can we suggest that you encourage your son to take movement breaks. At school, the boys had built in movement breaks - the bell would ring and they would pack up and move to the next class, they could chat to their mates as they walked and grab themselves a drink. In Off-Campus Learning your son’s next class is right there on the computer, no movement required ..… but definitely still needed.
Our sensory system is a complex part of our body. It enables us to learn about the world around us, process what we have learned and use this knowledge effectively. The vestibular sense is the part of our sensory system that produces and controls movement. It enables us to develop a sense of balance and spatial awareness, which then leads to us being able to coordinate movement and balance ….. sort of like our body’s control panel.
When your son sits for extended periods of time, the vestibular sense, which is activated by movement, disengages and as it does, so too does his mind. His attention wanders and he finds himself unable to concentrate …. cue the fidgeting and wriggling …... because his body wants to move to reactivate the vestibular sense. Our need for movement is biological and natural and if we don't move enough we cannot concentrate effectively …. the same happens for our children. Sadly, our boys are getting better at ignoring this need to move as they spend more and more time online, whether it be for learning, gaming, etc. They need us to remind them to move.
When they do move, the rush of blood and nutrients that follows, revitalizes the vestibular system, improving clarity, energy levels, and the ability to remain focused. The bottom line is that moving is important …. So please, encourage your son to move. He might want you to join him in a 30 second dance party (with Zoom closed of course!).
Some suggestions would be to encourage him in between each Zoom lesson to stand up, stretch, go out in the fresh air if he can, maybe talk to someone at home or quickly (and we emphasise the word quickly) call his mates or cousin or Aunty and say hi. Encourage him to get himself a glass of water and take time away from his screen. Our periods have been made shorter to enable him to have this time …. Remind him to use it wisely!
For those of you also working from home, you may find these tips help you as well!
(actual image of my desk…. Well not really, but maybe not a bad idea!)
As always, we are only an email away if you would like a chat or have any concerns about your son.
Until next time…. please take care,
Mrs Di Chiara and Ms Adams
School Counsellors