“On day 1, we establish a program worthy of a military academy. This confinement is an ordeal that we must transform into an opportunity. It’s a unique experience that will teach us a lot about ourselves and make us better.
And that goes through organization and discipline.
Schools are closed, we must take over from National Education at home. I am happy to share these moments with the Child. He’s in kindergarten, I should pretty much manage to follow the program. Especially since there is no program. The teacher briefed us: take it cool. Read stories, offer games that are not too stupid, that will do.
Of course, in this very special period, the important thing is not so much to consolidate learning as to create a routine, reassuring daily benchmarks for the child. But if we keep up a good pace, by the end of the month, he will master the multiplication tables, the past participle tuning and the History of European construction. If the confinement continues, we will attack the integrals and the theory of general relativity.
After consultation with the family council (mom + dad), the schedule and good resolutions are posted on the fridge.
School starts at 9:30 a.m.
Everyone should be showered, dressed, teeth brushed, breakfast table cleared. Containment doesn’t mean slacking off (well, technically it does, but you know what I mean).
Write the date on the school notebook created for the occasion. I make the call. The student is present.
A little reading, a little math, three English words, games (connecting dots, mazes, look for the seven differences).
10 h 30. Half-hour recreation. Free time. Which means that you play all alone and that you let go of the bunch please my darling son, I still have to answer my emails.
10:35. Okay okay, we’re going to play football in the alley at the bottom of the building.
Afternoon: uh, free time. And if you’re good, you can watch a cartoon because mom is doing video conferences and I haven’t finished writing my article.
We might as well say that our ambitious initial dynamic did not last three days.
At the time when I speak to you (J 24), the confined classroom notebook is lost, probably buried under a mountain of half-colored drawings, the apartment is a mess, the Child hangs out in his pajamas in front of his fourth episode of Power Rangers in a row, and when he goes to ask for some a fifth, I will say to him: “Ok but first you will get me a beer from the fridge”. “
I’m exaggerating, of course.
The reality: the school routine did not hold, but the Child is happy. He has his parents on hand all day. Too bad for the multiplication tables. This confinement will have reminded us of some obvious facts.
Teacher is a profession. And the holidays are funnier than school. “