Good morning, Prep School!
It is Wednesday morning and the sun isn’t shining again today! I don’t know about where you live but here in Nottingham it rained all day yesterday! It was a mix between little showers and very light rain to downpours that lasted for hours! I didn’t mind it though as it was still warm and the windows were open where possible. I enjoy the sound of the rain is something magical, especially at night and at the moment, with not as much other ‘extra’ noise in our world, it seems even more so.
It occurred to me last night that we are in week six of lockdown, I knew it had been a long time and I know what day it is each week as we are all still working hard but I genuinely didn’t realise it had been for six weeks. I’m not sure why I hadn’t computed this fact! Six weeks is a long time in our lives – so much can change and happen in that time frame. I know that when we all get back to school, you will have all changed in some way and that I and your teachers will have missed out on it but I know also I will see some really positive changes in you all as well.
You will (hopefully) be more independent in your learning – you have learnt a new skill in lockdown – you have learnt remotely. We have never done this before either so this is a new skill for your teachers and parents too! You will be able to navigate the VLE like the back of your hand, you will know how to upload tasks and you will have seen feedback that isn’t handwritten in your books but typed on screen! You have had Zoom meetings with your teachers – who would have thought this was going to happen at the beginning of March?
You have extended your skill set outside the ‘classroom’ as well – I have loved seeing all the things that you get up to with your families! The amazing baking, gardening, exercising, your imaginative play, reading, bike riding, looking after your pets, learning your daily life skills, cleaning, cooking activities that you have done are wonderful. They also have so many skills linked to them that will help you when you are back at school! Baking is maths! Gardening is science! Reading is English! You are learning without knowing it!
We very rarely get chance to do these ‘other’ things and enjoy them. I know in my house we are always rushing from one activity to another but at the moment, we are actually enjoying doing the simple things like baking scones or going on a walk. These six weeks has given us all some time to spend with our loved ones that many generations have never experienced.
Please don’t misunderstand me, I want lockdown to end soon and for life to start returning to normal, but I am also beginning to see many more positives than I could before. I want to be back at school more than anything but this time in lockdown has made me very grateful for many things I have, I am very blessed – it is just a times, when life is ‘normal’, I have been too busy to realise it.
Today is my first virtual Merit Assembly at Highclare Prep: St Paul’s – I have to say, I am very nervous! I have no idea why! I have done assemblies week in, week out for 20 years! I shouldn’t be nervous but it is something new and I don’t like the unknown. I am sure though, as soon as I see all your smiling faces, it will be like we are back in the hall, sat on the floor, legs crossed, waiting politely for me to say “Good morning, everybody” and for you all to reply “Good morning, Mrs Bennett”. . .now that, I am looking forward to!
So each day I promised I would be sending you a life skill task to complete and also a joke, poem, picture, fact or reflection. Here we go for Wednesday 29th April 2020:
Life skill of the day: You have had a go and cleaned out a cupboard in your bedroom – can you now tackle another area? Maybe your toy box or your sock drawer?
Day of the year themes: ‘International Dance Day’, ‘Stop Food Waste Day’, ‘We Jump the World Day’, ‘World Wish Day’, ‘Zipper Day’ and one for the Yr6W girls. . . ‘Guide Dogs Day’!
An interesting selection of weird days today – please send me lots of photos of whatever you do today!
Thunk of the day: Remember, Thunks are unusual questions that are designed to make you think. There are no right or wrong answers -just your answer. The only rule is that you must be able to justify and explain your answer. You cannot just say the first thing that comes into your head. Really think about the question and discuss with your family!
Question: Is it ever right to bully a bully?
TOPS activity of the week: To link in with ‘Tell a Story Day’, please can you record or video yourself reading a short story or an extract from a book and send it to me? Be as imaginative as possible!
I would love to share these with your teachers – please keep sending these in!
Quote of the day: “You always pass failure on the way to success”
And we cannot forget a very important countdown. . .
Sleeps til Santa: 239
Have a wonderful Wednesday, still missing you all like crazy,
Lots of love
Mrs Bennett 😊
