As of this writing, 90% of children worldwide are out of school, making at-home learning the new normal. To meet this challenge head-on, an amazing number of education organizations and advocates have stepped up, sharing robust resources in support of families and teachers. A simple internet search can quickly become overwhelming, though, so Springboard Collaborative has aggregated a few of our favorite links.
One-stop shops!
Amazing Educational Resources is a site on which Springboard Collaborative is featured! This collection is in table form, contains a myriad of resources, and best of all is updated every few hours!
Springboard Collaborative is also present on our partner First Book’s mega-list of resources. Take a look! Some of what makes this a stand-out collection: professional development resources and links to help get all learners and families online.
Wide Open School has a ton of well-organized resources from such heavy-hitters as Time for Kids, Amplify, and Noggin. Of particular interest is a comprehensive section just for English Language Learners. More reasons to love Wide Open School: it’s easily navigable for teachers and families and searchable by subject matter and grade level/age band.
We Are Teachers is–you guessed it–a teacher-driven website. They’ve been around for quite a while and have managed to collect a substantial set of go-to websites and online learning experiences. Recommended collection: Online Educational Games.
Kids Lit Online (audio and ebooks)
Check out these always- or temporarily-free ebook and audiobook sources:
International Children’s Digital Library
*Bonus tip for educators who serve low income populations: check out the First Book Marketplace for Open eBooks. Sign up for free membership to First Book, get codes and letters to send families, and they’ll have a huge, free digital library at their fingertips!
Other Resources
The School Library Journal details a great many of our favorite children’s book writers and how they are lending a hand (and often, a voice!) in this great listicle: Kid Lit Authors Step Up. Note that if you are an educator looking to share digital content, in normal circumstances many children’s publishers have very strict terms regarding usage of their titles; so keep an eye on those when you can.
Finally, Springboard Collaborative recognizes that right now, our families and scholars need most of all to take care of their emotional well being. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has put together a comprehensive list of Resources for Helping Kids and Parents Cope Amidst COVID-19. Teachers, if your families are struggling, you’re likely to find some tool on this site to send their way.
Follow Springboard Collaborative on social media for more links and tips! @SpringboardNTL on Twitter, @springboard_collaborative on Instagram, or @SpringboardCollaborative on Facebook (Teachers, check out our new Facebook page just for you–Springboard Collaborative Teachers!). Tag us when you find a resource you’d like us to share, too!
Fine print: Note that at the time of this writing, a few resources are temporarily free that usually come with a fee. If you choose to use a resource that requires a credit card for a free trial, we recommend setting a calendar reminder for yourself to revisit the subscription status when that trial is nearing its end. Links do not equal endorsements.
