The good bits: The remote learning packs have been well received and we have had some wonderful responses from even our smallest students in Kinder right through to Year 2. Families have sent in photos of student’s proudly displaying their work, videos of students on task at home and there has even been a live singing performance, much to everyone’s delight. Teachers have also been honing their performance skills and creating video lessons to enhance the delivery of the curriculum. Some have started to do live sessions with the whole class and have loved the opportunity to connect with their students. Families have been contacted across the week and many meaningful conversations have been enjoyed. Parents have shown warmth and compassion by asking teachers how they’re coping with remote learning which makes me proud of this community. Teachers have been collaborating and teaching each other new skills as they prepare to make the learning more interactive.
Things we have learned: We know some families are struggling to adjust to the new routines and would have liked more interactive materials from the start of the week. Whilst we knew these were on the way it was hard to feel like we were disappointing some families. Many teachers were needing to be trained in new technologies and all the training had to take place online which was very challenging. We knew CANVAS would alleviate lots of the issues but we just had to wait until this could be set up and all the protocols put in place, as the planned rollout for Prep-2 was originally set for 2021.
What parents have been telling us: We have been overwhelmed by positive comments thanking us for the support, care and guidance being provided during this challenging time. Parents love the layout of our learning packs and find them easy to follow. Commenting that the activities are fun, engaging and not just hard work. Children have greatly enjoyed the individual conferences and loved seeing their teachers face-to-face. Others are saying that whilst the instructions are clear, it is very difficult to manage while working remotely themselves. Younger children require more supervision, and some parents are having to help their child after hours which is not ideal. Many recognise that teachers are working hard behind the scenes but hope there will be more interactive activities to engage the children for longer periods.
What the plan is for next week? We are really looking forward to being able to introduce our P-2 families to CANVAS, our Learning Management System. The CANVAS portal will enable families to log in and access their learning packs, video lessons and resources. Teachers have been preparing many wonderful videos explaining the lessons as well as some for the children’s entertainment. We know they are going to love these, and we hope that this will take some of the pressure off our working parents. Information will follow shortly, and teachers will contact each family next week to provide their login details. Teachers are also planning to offer more interactive lessons via Microsoft Teams and give students opportunities to do very important things like ‘Show and Tell.’ You might even see Mrs Ward sharing her ‘Show and Tell’ about a rather unusual pet. The Sports teacher also wants to make sure you keep active so watch for these videos and maybe the whole family can join in.