Welcoming New Learning Routines at Olivet School
When our teachers and students returned to school in person this week, it was like walking into an entirely new world. Their day-to-day experiences are drastically different than before. With social distancing rules and recommendations from public health authorities in place, our wonderful staff made it their priority to focus on ensuring comfort for every child in “the new normal” through activities such as free play and outdoor learning. Instead of picking up pencils and teaching new lessons right away, our teachers at Olivet School developed creative, open discussions and gave our students time for socialization and normalization. We know starting school can be frightening for children in general—and even more so this year with all of the protocols in place. That is why our staff really wanted to let everyone get comfortable in their new environment before we started school work. Since most of us have over 20 years of experience, we truly understand that children learn best when they feel safe and relaxed.