mom and pop schools - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

We run our mom and pop school out of what was once a cafe, and so on the weekends and evenings our volunteers open it up to serve the community, raising funds for our students. We have enough in the bank now to pay for what we need plus several scholarships.

Homeschool could be challenging for many people for many reasons, and so we started the government "mom and pop" schools. They were run by a pair of teachers (one male, one female where possible) out of local cafes and restaurants. The teachers were good role models and emotional anchors in the storm that was rocking the world. The renting of the space was a much needed boost to local business and the kids were fed a full days worth of good food in a relaxed learning environment. We did it in the homeschool way with siblings together, with time to relax and socialise built in. The teachers took on a loving parent approach combined with teaching tailored to each child's ability and interests. Homeschool has better results than private school, so the educational outcomes were optimal. Kids who feel loved develop healthier brains and bodies, and so the social and health outcomes were great too. It was a big reorganisation, for sure, but these bubbles were needed in the pandemic and once we tried it, why go back? It was far better for everyone.

In the "Mom and Pop" schools the teenagers could earn pocket money by helping the younger children in their "learning pod" with their education. It gave them a sense of pride in themselves and parenting skills at the same time. They young kids got a lot of individualised attention and a new "hero" to look up to. The teenagers were needed more than ever, and we appreciated them more than ever. They stepped up and showed who they really are, who they always were.

In many cases there wasn't the local capacity in cafe's and restaurants for all of the school's population, and so we made the most needy families our priority for access to the "mom and pop" cafe schools. The kids got more individualised attention, great food, a chance to relax and socialise, a chance to feel special and appreciated. It started to erase the social imbalances lockdown had caused and create a more peaceful, cohesive society.

The advent of the "mom and pop" schools gave the regular schools the much needed reduced student numbers to operate with real social distancing and a safer environment for everyone.

Because the mom and pop schools were primarily for the vulnerable kids and the children of key workers, they went some way to erasing their disadvantages. The vulnerable kids got better stability, more love, great food and a tailored education. The key worker children got that too, but the lower risk of transmission in the tiny schools went some way to offset their higher risk from the parent's occupations.