Starting April 13, Chicago Public Schools will provide remote learning while schools remain closed due to the viral pandemic. Their plans for remote learning sound very reasonable given the huge challenges ahead.
Tag: COVID-19
We at Chicago Unheard and the brightbeam network are deeply concerned for the children, families and educators being affected by the coronavirus. Here we are collecting resources and stories to help all of us in the Chicago area pull together to make it through this challenging time.
Chicago Public Schools offers its complete list of K-12 enrichment learning resources here.
Chicago Beyond offers a wealth of learning, financial and mental health resources for Chicagoans affected by COVID-19.
Para recursos en español, haz clic aquí.
Check back as we add resources, especially related to education and remote learning.
COVID-19 Resources for Families and Educators.
A Letter From Brightbeam in Response to Coronavirus.
Unschooling Is Not Always Easy, But It’s Always Worth It to Us
Unschooling offers Tiana Kubik’s family a chance to stay connected while learning. “It’s about creating a culture in our home that allows us all to thrive and learn together.”
Rebuilding Classroom Communities Means Getting Connected in Every Way Possible
This is what my classroom looks like now: Twenty video squares light up my screen, Brady Bunch style. Each vignette holds a teenage student, encapsulated in their own world. One strokes a golden retriever, one lounges in pink-spotted pajamas, another chases a little brother out of frame. At the end of our meeting time, the girl in the pink pajamas…
My COVID-19 Homeschool Doesn’t Look Like This, And That’s OK
A friend of mine–who, not surprisingly, is a teacher–planned this daily COVID-19 homeschool schedule for her kids. I’m impressed by her ability to develop such a well-planned daily routine. And, my days working from home with my 10-year-old in tow will never look exactly like this. Fellow COVID-19 homeschool parents, fear not if you don’t have your kids’ days planned…
When This Crisis Is Over, You Can Count on Me for Free Hugs
“This next assignment may be challenging for some of you,” said Laurie Mulvey, one of my favorite college professors. “What I want you to do is create a sign that says ‘Free Hugs’ and then go to a safe location and hold it up. Give wholehearted hugs to those who take you up on it. But, most importantly… notice. Notice…
What’s Happening to School Nurses Not Directly Hired by CPS? A Nurse Tells Her Story
For many years, the issue of school nurses in Chicago Public Schools has been a sore point for kids, parents and the nurses themselves. Last year, according to WBEZ, the district had only directly hired 300 school nurses, though it operates more than 500 schools. Since the mid-1990s, CPS has been contracting with private nurse staffing agencies to fill the…
High School Students: Codecademy Offers Free Scholarships Now
For a motivated high school student who wants to learn job-ready skills related to computer programming or data science, online boot camp Codecademy is offering 10,000 scholarships for high school and college students. Codecademy offers free courses all the time, but its paid Pro level comes with live help from advisers via chat. It relies more on text than on…
Learning Differently From Home: One Mother’s Story
Diana Chacon, of Chicago’s McKinley Park neighborhood, is the mom of 6-year-old Leo, an active, curious boy who happens to have ADHD. I spoke with her yesterday about how she and Leo are learning and managing from home. Being home all day is tough, especially for a child as sociable and physically active as Leo. “He misses his friends. He…