Dear Parents and Guardians,

I have attached some information and resources about this week’s learning.

Moneywise – The tasks listed below would have been homework under normal circumstances. Some families give pocket-money, others pay for chores and others decide when their child gets to handle money. I have attached a list of activities for your to choose from, hopefully at least one will match your approach to money.

One of my favourites is the jam jar approach a visual way to demonstrate saving and spending. The one explained below has two jars/containers one for long term and one for short term savings. The idea being that the children see the money going or building up. I have seen another approach which used 3 jars/containers. Long term, short-term and a giving jar. This may be something you wish to consider as we approach the season of Lent. The idea is the child divided their money into 3, one long term saving perhaps a computer game, the next for short term – buying sweets, comics etc and the  third to give to charity.

Parents Money Wise Information Sheet

Video link to talk about budgets

Recall Tasks

Some parents have asked about the inclusion of the daily Topmarks Hit the Button activity. The children have been taught the concepts of addition, multiplication and division of the the facts I am asking them to recall. By Primary 5 your child should not need to use their fingers to add or subtract within numbers to 20. If they are doing so, they need to spend time recalling/memorising these facts. Some of the children is the class have excellent recall of these basic facts and all multiplication tables and can answer questions accurately and quickly others still need to develop their memory skills.

“Learning key facts by heart enables learners to concentrate on the calculation which helps them to develop calculation strategies. Using and applying strategies to work out answers helps learners to acquire and so remember more facts. Many learners who are not able to recall key facts often treat each calculation as a new one and have to return to first principles to work out the answer again. Once they have a secure knowledge of some key facts, and by selecting problems carefully, learners can be supported in understanding that, from the answer to one problem, other answers can be generated.” (Mental Maths Strategies CfE D&G)

Mental Health Week 

This week it is national Mental Health Week.  Please make this a focus of your time at home and look after yourselves.  Please try to get outside with your family and go a long walk.  We have lots of terrific walks in our locality that can bring us close to nature.  There are a variety of routes and you never know you might meet a friend for a quick catch up outdoors.  Try to spend time doing fun things together such as a movie afternoon or den building indoors.

As a community of faith and learning please give time for prayer and reflection at this time.  Here is the link for Mass from our own Parish. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_XBWRznEyoko7s5gLNLhAhttp://

I really do appreciate the challenges you are experiencing at home and applaud your outstanding efforts to maintain a learning programme.  It is not easy, you are not a teacher and were not trained for this and your children may not have adapted easily to this new way of learning.  However, please remember to be kind to yourselves and congratulate yourself and your child daily on what you have managed to do and achieve and not want you didn’t do.

I have attached a link to some activities you may to explore

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/childrens-mental-health-week/zk37bdmhttp://

Ms Hutchison