Weekly Update: Secondary Advisory/PSE Lessons

Now that the students have settled into distance learning, we want to make sure that we're continuing to meet their social and emotional needs through our Advisory and PSE (Personal and Social Education) program.  We are offering synchronous lessons on Friday afternoons, Lusaka time.

The Advisory and PSE lessons are optional for students; students will be provided with the video link in case they cannot attend, but would like to.

The upcoming Advisory and PSE lesson themes are as follows:

• May 8: Nurturing Virtual Friendships (led by Grade 6-10 Counselor Driekie Smith)
• May 15: Developing Technology Skills (led by Primary Assistant Principal and K-12 Tech Integration Coach Tony Potts)

The lesson themes were selected based on student, teacher, and parent feedback through our ongoing surveys.  While the lessons may cover the same theme, there will be differences in content and delivery based on student grade levels.  For example, the technology skills needed for a Grade 6 student to be successful might be different from those a Grade 10 student might need, so the lessons on technology skills will be changed for each grade level.  Our team is using student and teacher surveys to help us plan grade-specific content for each Advisory and PSE lesson.

Future topics for these lessons include Self-Care while Social Distancing and Managing Stress During Uncertainty.

Advisory and PSE lessons will take place on Google Meets on Fridays at the following times (Lusaka time zone).

• Grade 6: 14:00-14:30
• Grade 7: 14:30-15:00
• Grade 8: 15:00-15:30
• Grade 9: 15:30-16:00
• Grade 10: 16:00-16:30

The lessons are for Grades 6-10, as the students in Grade 11 have asked their teachers not to schedule more synchronous meetings for them at this time.  We will continue communicating with the Grade 11 students to determine if we need to facilitate Advisory and PSE lessons for them at a later date.
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Image source: https://studybreaks.com/tvfilm/positive-negative-sides-online-friendships-relationships/

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