We are in unprecedented times.
Like everyone else, my normal schedule is out the window. I'm lawyering from home. All six of my classes have been cancelled or postponed for the foreseeable future. I miss my students, and I miss seeing their families before and after classes.
Most of my students have not attended their regular schools in nearly a month, and they have not had any formal online learning through the public school system. Some students have fallen into the habit of gaming or watching Tik Tok videos for hours on end and, to some degree, I'm ok with that. This new normal is a lot for all of us to handle, and kids need to process in their own ways.
At a certain point, however, we need to encourage our children to engage in some intellectually enriching activities. Many of you are doing that already, and you are amazing! However, if you haven't been able to make that happen on top of finding toilet paper, avoiding humans while obtaining grocery items, pushing down the panic, and working from home (if you're lucky enough to still have a job), don't beat yourself up. No judgment on this end.
I want to help, and I want to connect with my students. Starting this week, I will be posting Ms. Jennifer's Just Use Your Brain Challenges for my students or for any kids anywhere who want to participate. What does that mean? Every day or so, I will post activities for students, including contests. What are the prizes? I have no idea; we'll figure that out when we aren't all hoping the prizes are Chlorox Wipes and a better stock portfolio.
I will post the challenges on this blog every few days. I plan to post activities spanning many different subjects and ages.
Stay safe, and I look forward to hearing from your wonderful children soon.
"You create your life, and you can recreate it, too. In times of economic downtown and uncertainty, it's more important than ever to look deep inside yourself to fathom the sort of life you really want to lead and the talents and passions that can make that possible."
-Sir Ken Robinson
