Online Parent Workshops: Supporting Children in Online Learning
As Shanghai and some other parts of China experience wide-spread lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19, parents are facing additional pressures. As well as continuing their work routines and parental duties, parents are also faced with the new challenge of supporting their children as they access online learning.
To support parents during this challenging time, Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi will be hosting a series of online Parent Workshops focused on supporting children during online learning. These workshops are part of the ongoing Parent Academy programme available to parents within the Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi community. We are proud to extend this valuable opportunity to the broader Shanghai community to support parents during this unique time in our lives.
The workshops will be led by the following members of the Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi Student Services team:
- Ms. Natasha Dennis
Well Families and Student Services Lead - Ms. Alex Yang
Social and Emotional Counsellor - Ms. Elliot Lu
Student Services Assistant Teacher
Natasha Dennis
Well Families and Student Services Lead
Natasha began her teaching career carrying out an undergraduate degree in Special Needs and Inclusion Studies at the University of Wolverhampton. She then went on to obtain her PGCE in Primary Education with Special Educational Needs through the University of Cumbria. In the UK, Natasha taught at a leading school for children with special needs. In her five years at the school she taught in the primary, secondary and further education departments. She developed extensive curriculum planning as a curriculum lead, and spent time demonstrating to colleagues how to be creative in teaching practice to engage learners as well as developing outstanding safeguarding practices. Natasha's philosophy is that all children have the right to the best possible education they can achieve. She believes in promoting independence and ensuring children have high expectations of themselves in their learning.
Alex Yang
Social and Emotional Counsellor
Alex Yang is a fully qualified mental health counsellor with four years of experience in Australia. She has completed two master’s degrees in Education and Counselling at Monash University. As a current member of the Australian Counselling Association, she has experience in supporting clients from various background and age groups, with diverse issues ranging from anxiety and depression to PTSD and psychosis. Alex enjoys undertaking continuous professional development and finds immense satisfaction in providing support to children as they develop over time.
Elliot Lu
Student Services Assistant Teacher
Elliot graduated with an honors bachelor degree in Primary and Secondary Education at Monash University, Australia, before being registered in the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Majoring in maths and studying French as a minor for four years, she has teaching experience across three public schools in suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. After gaining her Chinese teaching qualification certificate, Elliot joined Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi as a Student Service Assistant Teacher and dedicated her time to supporting the Parent Academy programme. She values the importance of building trustful and strong relationships with students.
The Parent Workshops will cover the following topics;
How to Support Behaviour at Home
How to Support Children’s Social, Emotional and Mental Health
How to Support and Promote Independence in Children
Workshop 1) How to Support Behaviour at Home
3:00pm - 4:00pm, Thursday, 31 March 2022
Behaviour is something we all have. It is the way we act and conduct ourselves, especially towards others. It is what a person does to make something happen, to make something change or to keep things the same. Behaviour is a response to things that are happening. Internally, this can be thoughts and feelings. Externally, this can be things in our environment, including other people. It is important that we, as parents and educators, are conscious of children’s behaviour and ensure we are supporting children to make good behavioural choices. During times of change, such as a sudden switch to online learning, it is more important than ever to support children to manage their own behaviour. This workshop will look at what we can observe and learn from a child’s behaviour, and how parents can support their child’s behaviour at home during online learning.
Workshop 2) How to Support Children’s Social, Emotional and Mental Health
3:00pm - 4:00pm, Thursday, 14 April 2022
Every child has milestones that they work towards; starting as a baby, right up to being a teenager. These milestones are categorised into different areas. In this lecture we will look at the social and emotional milestones children and young people go through. It is important that we, as parents and educators, are aware of these milestones so we have appropriate expectations and can set correct boundaries. If children have good social skills, emotional wellbeing and regulation and positive mental health, they are more likely to have successful outcomes. These can include better health, academic achievements, and friendships. In this lecture, we will explore the Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi approach to social, emotional and mental health, and offer advice on how to support children at home, particularly in relation to online learning.
Workshop 3) How to Support and Promote Independence in Children
3:00pm - 4:00pm, Thursday, April 21 2022
Independence is an important skill for children and young people to have. Children want to do things for themselves, and as parents and educators we need to foster this curiosity. It is imperative that children are independent, as it promotes confidence and self-esteem as well as motivation and perseverance in school. It also provides them with the belief that they are competent and capable of taking care of themselves which makes them resilient to external challenges. Being independent empowers children to become good decision-makers who have the freedom to consider various options before choosing the one they feel is best. Independence fosters confident and competent communicators, curious and resilient explorers, and creative thinkers.
Giving children and young people the gift of independence lets them know that we value them, so that they grow up with a strong sense of self-belief; knowing that they can do anything they put their mind to. This workshop will focus on what independence looks like at different ages and stages of growth, and how we can promote and facilitate independence as parents and educators.
The workshops will be led in English, however key content will be available bilingually, and Chinese speakers will be on hand to respond to questions and provide support for those with less proficiency in English.
To join any of these workshops, please scan the QR code below or click ‘Read More’ at the bottom of the article. Complete the attached registration form. The link to the Parent Workshop will be emailed to all registered parents ahead of the session.
