Our VCE students have settled back into campus life and our Year 7-10s are back at work in Remote Learning 2.0. Thank you to all the staff who have worked very hard to make this a reality. We are also very grateful for the support and encouragement we have received from parents as we’ve again rapidly transitioned for a new term online.
We have incorporated feedback from our previous remote learning experience and there are at least three key changes that we’ve made:
- A better definition and understanding of subject workloads for each year level to try to provide students with a more manageable and balanced experience.
- More live classes with the inclusion of additional conferences for more subjects.
- Shifting from optional Year Level meetings in the mornings to live homeroom sessions for all students at 8:40 to help students be more connected and better organised.
I have been very encouraged to see the way our students have approached this second round of remote learning with greater confidence and having a stronger idea of how to organise themselves.
Three tips I think can make a real impact in student’s learning are:
1. Following the normal school timetable as a way to structure each day. It helps students to not get ‘stuck’ in one subject for too long, ensures that every subject is getting the right amount of attention and works in conjunction with the online live conferences. Sometimes just having a plan for ‘what should I do now’ can help a student stay on task and get things done.
2. Communicate with teachers when you are struggling or unsure. The disconnection of not seeing your teacher in the room can mean some students forget that their teachers are still available and willing to help. Students are welcome to email their teachers any time.
3. Keeping a list of things to do. Whether this is a paper list, a whiteboard or just learning to use the To-Do list on Canvas really well, a list to keep on track makes a big difference. And crossing something off your list is so satisfying! Students could also consider using their school diary to track what’s due each day – that ensures the list is all in one place and easy to find.
Obviously, these are ideas that work best when the student themselves sees the value in them. And it is pretty normal for adolescents to be rather sceptical when presented with new ideas for self-improvement. For many students, this year has involved climbing some very tall mountains in terms of personal organisation and taking responsibility for their own learning. Changes like that take time and don’t come in an instant package. But when those valuable lessons are learnt, the rewards in terms of developing maturity and responsibility are worth the growing pains!
If you have concerns about your child’s progress or attention to work, please contact their Year Level Coordinator. There are a number of ways we can be encouraging students to better organise themselves and stay on-task, including asking them to come on to campus to study for a period of time until we are sure they have the skills to study reliably at home.
Mask Crusaders
It’s not just superheroes and neurosurgeons who wear masks to be awesome. All staff and students in secondary are now required to wear masks all day at campus. During teaching, teachers may take off their masks temporarily to be better understood and while continuing to maintain physical distance. Students may temporarily take off their masks to eat and drink. We will be continuing to educate our students on safe mask use as well as reinforcing other measures such as physical distancing and hand hygiene. We would encourage students to wear their own masks to school each day but will have some supplies on hand to make sure everyone is covered who needs one each day.