Sheffield primary school teacher live streaming bedtime stories to help children during lockdown

A thoughtful primary school teacher from Sheffield is live streaming bedtime stories to help children cope during lockdown.
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Jessica Galvani is a teacher at Mosborough Primary School and, like others in her profession, is not able to see the majority of her class as schools are closed due to Covid-19.

She has now come up with an ingenious way to stay in touch with her pupils by using the power of social media to read them a story before bed.

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Jessica Galvani is a teacher at Mosborough Primary SchoolJessica Galvani is a teacher at Mosborough Primary School
Jessica Galvani is a teacher at Mosborough Primary School
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The 29-year-old loves reading and hopes the stories will help reassure some children who may be worried or anxious about the huge change to their daily routine.

Jessica said: “Reading has always been one of my passions and, for small children, reading a bedtime story every night increases their vocabulary, it increases their concentration. If they’re reading with a parent it’s a form of bonding and it’s a really nice way to wind down each evening.

“For those children that perhaps don’t have that opportunity to have a story every night, it is just a nice way for them to relax a little bit before bedtime.

“Teaching is a stressful job but the coronavirus has made me realise how much I value that connection with those children because I really miss it. I’d go back tomorrow if we were allowed just to connect with them all again, I miss them ever so much.”

Jessica Galvani, pictured with her children, is reading bedtime stories to youngsters using the power of social mediaJessica Galvani, pictured with her children, is reading bedtime stories to youngsters using the power of social media
Jessica Galvani, pictured with her children, is reading bedtime stories to youngsters using the power of social media
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Going live on Facebook at 6:30pm every night, Jessica reads two stories – picture books catering for younger children – with many of her students tuning in.

She has also reached children further afield with around 50,000 people having watched so far.

“It’s just lovely,” she added. “I get messages every day saying that the children are upset, they’re worried, and they’re stressed because their routine has been turned upside down. Hearing their teacher, seeing their teacher, and being able to chat with me is quite reassuring to them.

“There are children on there I’ve never met, children from outside of Sheffield are watching me read stories every night. I just can’t believe how many people have seen the videos.”

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View the stream on the ‘Bedtime stories with Miss Galvani’ Facebook page.

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