We’re entering that time of year when your kid’s school may have to close due to snow or adverse weather. While many of us cherish memories of snow days as children, there is increasing evidence that missing even one day of school can negatively impact overall education outcomes. Whilst no one wants to be the Grinch, some parents are starting to request work from school or set their own on snow days. If you feel conflicted, read the following advice to help you decide.
Does Your Child Need to Catch Up?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents have been more aware of where their child is compared with peers in their class, and whether there are areas of learning which their child needs to catch up on. If you know your child is finding Maths hard, or has a list of spellings set by their teacher to learn, why not use an hour or two of the snow day to help them practice? This does require input from you, so may not be an option if you’re working from home. Alternatively, set them up with an educational game on a device—after all, they can’t be out in the cold all day!
Has the School Set Work?
If your kid’s school has set work or even organized online lessons, it’s a good idea to make sure your kid does the work required. Otherwise, there is a risk that when they return, their peers will have been introduced to a topic that they know nothing about. Most schools won’t have the capacity to set an entire day’s worth of work, so you can bargain with your kid and agree on some time spent playing in the snow, in return for the work being completed.
Could You Set a Project?
Why not use your child’s interests to get them curious about an area of learning? For example, if they’re keen on science, get them to set up an experiment measuring how fast snow will melt in different circumstances. If they’re a budding writer, ask them to write a description of the snowy scene outside. This way, your child will be learning and developing without even realizing they’re doing work!