When Bad Things Happen

This book acknowledges God on a number of its pages, acknowledging a divine and loving entity who children can turn to in prayer. The book does not try to give trite answers to life's big questions and instead speaks to us all in our vulnerability. I felt vulnerable reading it aloud and had to edit it a number of times to complete the video. May the story bring hope and blessing to those who listen. You can hear the story by clicking here.

Great Finds for Remote Learning

I was shown a large number of online learning links that might prove helpful, especially around numeracy. I investigated them all and these four I thought the best, in that I thought these offered great learning interactivity with minimal “outside” intervention and/or cost. Some of these sites expect students (or teachers/parents) to register and that feels painless enough for most people. Below is my 'prize' group. Of course I may find other good sites at a later stage.

Geoboards online: https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/geoboard/?fbclid=IwAR1d2q6S42gDCeMh6nuYTEL1HPZWR3TMW-iP3BPy1WiNt1KdPUWjl8QP0Jo 
This is using virtual rubber bands on a nailed board with pencil support if it's needed. I was amazed that there was no advertising or requests for personal info.

Maths is Fun: https://www.mathsisfun.com/index.htm 
Jenny Cottle of https://jennycottle.wixsite.com/jennysmathslinks led me to this good site. Her own site was crowded with other tempting links. I thought “Maths is Fun” has the full range of maths disciplines and seems clear enough for students to engage with and learn unassisted.

Interactive maths tests like the example above: https://au.ixl.com/math/year-5/word-problems-with-extra-or-missing-information
Interactive maths challenges are provided to those who have the ability to read carefully. You can become a member for unlimited practice after a very brief 'trial' to get you in. It is good that there is immediate feedback and instruction when an error is made instead of waiting until the end and that makes it good in my eyes.

This final choice provides a finite number of maths challenges encouraging a growth mindset, labelled as brain teaser puzzles: https://illuminations.nctm.org/BrainTeasers.aspx 

'Lifetimes' reading

This book offers pastoral care wellbeing support for those who are facing questions coming out of grief and loss. It is sensitively written, helping us to face the reality of dying and to celebrate the living that goes on between beginning and ending. This book is to be used for those occasions. Click here to see and hear the reading of this book.

Story: The Three Robbers

This is my first story book video. I chose this book because it was a favourite with my own children and I have never seen any reprints of it. This means that few children will have ever heard the story and that is a shame because it speaks to our present age as well as having powerful visual illustrations that touch the emotions deeply. Click here to have me read this story to you.