Most people think of drawing as a creative outlet. It’s an extra activity for the “creative types”. But that is not true. Drawing has very little to do with creativity. It is about seeing, thinking and sharing oneself. Drawing is a way to explore our thoughts, build our brain and understand the world more effectively.
Most of the kids are back to school by now and you may have noticed a bit of chaos has ensued. Have no fear, I have some simple hacks to get things running more smoothly and save your sanity this school year.
Teachers teach the subjects and curriculum dictated by their district, but the way it’s implemented can vary teacher to teacher. Conference time can be a great time to work together to find ways for your child to thrive.
Homework is going to be a part of your child’s school experience for many years. Whether you have a right brain thinker just starting school or an older right brain student, I have found lots of great ways to make homework time easier through the years.
At Young Rembrandts we’ve been interviewing kids that have been drawing with us this past year. For some kids, drawing was a way to continue the classes they were used to at school. For others, it was a way to keep their minds off the stress they were feeling around them.
One big loss from last year was writing. The literal act of writing letters and numbers on paper. This is going to affect all our learners, but especially our kindergarteners and early primary grades. A solid foundation in the early years is essential to learning.
It takes as little as 15 minutes a day in each of the core subject areas, reading, drawing, writing and math, to maintain learning all summer long. And, to help you keep track of how well you are doing with that hour a day, I have created a weekly tracker.
Under normal circumstances, summer can amount to a significant learning loss, as much as 2 1/2 months per student, with the biggest losses in math and reading. However, a year spent distance learning, has created additional concerns about the potential losses that lie ahead.
What our kids have done this past year is INCREDIBLE. I can’t imagine myself as a child sitting in my kitchen every day, all day, doing school. But they’re doing it. We’re all doing it because we have to. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences.
While technology and culture are goading them to work faster and more intensely, tasks such as writing can help right brain thinkers find a healthy balance in their learning and play.
