Site logo
Sticky header logo
Site logo
  • Home
  • About us
  • Publications
  • Podcasts
  • Our team
  • Contact
  • Submissions
PrevLook Up!18 January 2021NextHeart’s ease and school free: lessons from David Jones16 February 2021
  • Creativity
  • Learning

Lockdown Learning from a Family’s Perspective

4 February 2021in Creativity

 

We value the structure that Liverpool College’s home school is providing.

Last lockdown, our child from year 7 Howson’s, was still in primary and school started vaguely during the single digits (mostly). Oak Academy was a godsend, but during the unusually sunny days of the first lockdown it was way too easy to heed the call of the back garden first. We even tried to do some schooling at our allotment on one of those days…

I can’t imagine trying to home-school now in winter with no set timetable, only basic topics to cover, and a soaked and soggy garden to avoid. We feel so blessed that he actually knows his online teachers and has quite a few actual, real-time interactions with them and his classmates! Another very tiny bonus to this lockdown’s home-schooling is the occasional (shhh…) surprise snack during a lesson, a chocolate Hero or a piece of toast every now and then, but no drinks near the Chromebook.

Lockdown is very, very, very boring and we are all looking a little like pale scarecrows, Worzel Gummage hair, hollow eyes, dodgy smudges on our jeans. I think we look like that after a long day at the allotment anyways, so not too much change then? There are charger wires everywhere, yet nothing is ever charged up all the way. Luckily, we usually have enough screens available when we need them though.  I have to admit that lessons are a very welcome distraction from the long repetitive cycle of a day in lockdown, when the day seems to pass too quickly as one long hour. One morning cup of coffee later it’s already noon and nobody made lunch. Some days though lunch prep starts at 10 and we end up with a taco buffet that would feed 10 or 8 feet of foot long hot dogs and a vat of pickled beetroot salad. There’s only just the four of us.

Our child and his sister have been stars, and so have Liverpool College. Home-schooling our kids is not ideal, but we couldn’t do anything less than our best in the face of this pandemic. In that context, patiently plugging away at lessons and being as enthusiastic as possible in our support is just basic heroism.

 

 

 

I’ve found lockdown learning pretty rubbish.

I can’t see any of my friends properly, only by Microsoft Teams and video calls. I would much rather go to school in real-life because I would be able to chat to my friends at break and at lunch and properly interact with my teachers. I feel like I’m not learning as much at home as I would in school but I probably am. Although, my mom sometimes brings me snacks while I’m doing lessons! I don’t have to get up as early as usual, I don’t have to change into my uniform every morning and I can see my family more. I want lockdown to end as soon as possible so I can go back into school, so whenever I go out, I wear my mask and wash my hands.

 

1,210
Hans Broekman
+ posts

Hans van Mourik Broekman is Principal of Liverpool College, an outstanding all through boarding and day school in Liverpool

  • Hans Broekman
    #molongui-disabled-link
    LC Press: A short manifesto
  • Hans Broekman
    #molongui-disabled-link
    The Algorithm Must be Obeyed
  • Hans Broekman
    #molongui-disabled-link
    School without Parties
  • Hans Broekman
    #molongui-disabled-link
    A Good Lockdown Trend

Follow and Subscribe

Podcasts

Listen to all podcasts

Publications

Icon
Confessions of a Headteacher: Ruminations in Lockdown – Hans Broekman | 0.00 KB
Download
Icon
Full Life: Letters to My Students Paperback – Hans Broekman | 0.00 KB
Download

Recent Posts

From Traditional Highlife to Cosmic-Funk: Ghana’s Rich History of Music
From Traditional Highlife to Cosmic-Funk: Ghana’s Rich History of Music
29.03.2021
A Crisis of Confidence
A Crisis of Confidence
5.03.2021
LC Press Publishes: The Experience of Christianity
LC Press Publishes: The Experience of Christianity
4.03.2021
A greener look at the past? Teaching environmental history at Key Stage 4 and 5
A greener look at the past? Teaching environmental history at Key Stage 4 and 5
2.03.2021

Categories

  • Architecture (1)
  • Creativity (12)
  • Innovation (7)
  • Leadership (5)
  • Learning (23)
  • Philosophy of Education (16)
  • Publications (3)
  • Travel (1)
Image module
  • Home
  • About us
  • Publications
  • Podcasts
  • Our team
  • Contact
  • Submissions
CONTACT

Liverpool College
Queens Drive
Liverpool
L18 8BG

0151 724 4000

Tags

blog creativity education learning Philosophy of Education
© 2020 Liverpool College   site Arthouse Design
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.