Leadership In

Isolation Reflections

School Captain | Mikayla H.

Wow, I can’t believe we are nearly halfway through term 2! Time files when we are learning remotely! It has been such a surreal experience, but I am so proud of the WHSC community- students, teachers, staff and parents included- for the ways in which we have embraced every challenge and obstacle that comes our way and made the most of the situation. Working from home has had its challenges, but on the upside I am able to give my dog lots of love and attention and spend quality time with my family.

Although we need to be maintaining social distancing, I have ensured that I have been proactive in staying socially connected with my friends and extended family. To do this each day I video chat with a group of my friends for about an hour or so, we talk, we laugh and we complete some exercises together, helping us stay connected despite being physically apart and every Sunday my extended family video chat. But most importantly each day I have been taking notice of something I am grateful for, whether it’s big and small, to remind myself of how lucky we are to live where we do and to see the positives in each day. 

School Captain | Jemma F.

Remote learning has been a roller coaster experience! It was difficult to settle in and the start with only seeing icons stare back at you every day and not being able to ask your teacher questions as easily as before, but now I have really embraced it. To stay sane I try to get away from my computer during recess and lunch and do something for fun and not because I have to.

Remote learning has had its difficulties but the sleep ins, the eating whenever I want, the warmth of my heater, comfort of trackies and not having to spend hours preparing to go to school and get home is sure to be missed! It has been a great taste of the independent learning that uni requires and has taught me that if you are determined to do well, despite any circumstances, YOU CAN! but alas, it’s time to go back! I’m definitely looking forward to face to face teaching and learning and back to being able to converse freely with my friends and teachers! In light of going back to school, I want to remind everyone to keep working hard on your studies! Look after yourselves in these crazy times and know that the school is here to support you always!

Middle School Student Leaders | Reflections

Our Middle School Student Leaders were asked for their feedback about Remote Learning. We thank them for their honesty and reflective thoughts. They are awesome Year 9 students as leaders in this Learning environment.

"Some things I have found really good is the communication between students and teachers through Teams, it’s an easier way to contact teachers rather than emailing them because they respond quicker. I like the structure of ‘independent lessons’ and ‘interactive lessons’; the ability to catch up on work and complete the work set is really good because I find I’m not working after 3:30. This means I can spend more time with family." Tayla

"I like how Microsoft Teams is formatted; it’s very easy to navigate and I learnt how it all worked very quickly! I also like how easy it is to chat within a class and one on one."  Matilda  

"I've noticed is that the teachers have been prepared and have set-work ready for us and have explained what we need to have completed. Teachers are giving us work that matches with what we are learning." Jess

"I think Teams is working really well so far. I have only heard good things about it. Everyone seems to enjoy talking with the teachers and learning with the "share screen" feature. Some positive things about the students working on Teams is how everyone communicates with each other." Zienna

"I think Teams has been a great program for Wheelers Hill to use as it is easily understandable and the meetings/chats are easy to navigate and join. Teachers have been clear with the work they're setting and provide simple directions. The Remote Learning Handbook gave me a good initial understanding." Nich

"In my opinion, Teams is a very good program that gives teachers the chance to communicate with students whilst we are in class and assign us tasks/work to be completed. The interactive classes are going very well, with students engaging in the lessons and asking lots of questions regarding the topic we are doing that day. On the other hand, the independent lessons have really helped me with organisation and time management skills. The teachers are doing a great job at explaining any queries that we might have and overall the school is working really hard to assist students in this difficult time." Amineh 

Arts Captain | Reflections on Isolation Creation

With five weeks working remotely under our belts, our dedicated Arts Captains provide some insight into the importance of Art and Creativity in isolation:

"During isolation I have used art whether it be music, art or dancing as a way to relax and take my mind off things. By creating art during isolation, it has taught me that art is so easily accessible and can be done/used anywhere. A memory I have created with my friends was having an online party. No matter the circumstances something as simple as dancing can be used as a great stress reliever especially when done with friends. Production during isolation has been an important factor of staying active, it is something that forces you to get up and have some fun. A little tip from me is to have fun the arts is so broad and can cater to anyone. Be creative, find what makes you happy." Iliana S (Year 12

"During this struggling time of self isolation, art has been a safe haven and something that not only myself but other students, teachers and the wider community can go to and confide in. It’s been something to help take our minds off the struggles and issues that have overtaken the world today, whether it be practicing for production, listening to your favourite songs, dancing in your house like no one is watching (i have done this more times than i could say) and other outlets of art that are accessible to anyone and everyone. By being able to make art I have been able to feel a sense of normality while stuck at home and feel like not everything has changed too much, it has also helped me to relax during these trying times. One of many moments I have had is being able to still create memories with my friends via facetime thanks to music and dancing, being able to do this with my friends has been a great stress reliever and taken my mind off of anything i may have been preoccupied with. A tip from me is find something that you love or enjoy and stick to it, especially during times like these, the arts is for anybody and everybody! Can’t wait to make art with everyone in person soon." Austin A (Year 12) 

"Throughout my time isolated at home all forms of art have been a saving grace, not only for myself but for so many others. Over the time I’ve spent at home I’ve had so many creative ideas come to mind that I have the free time to pursue them straight away. I have discovered so much new music that I really love, I’ve created so many different sketches and drawings of anything and everything and feel that my creative abilities have really improved, I’ve also watched SO MANY movies that have provided me with creative inspiration and ideas (I definitely think you should all check out “Good Will Hunting” and “Ready Player One” if you haven’t already.) One of my most notable memories from throughout this time is playing the endless amount of board games we have in my house with my parents and my sister and just laughing and enjoying the time we are all spending together as a family. A tip from me to you for while we’re all isolated is: Learn something new, if anything comes to mind go for it because we now have the amazing freedom of “too much spare time,” so try something new whether it’s learning the guitar, teaching yourself how to paint or creating dances. Go for it!!" Lachlan P (Year 10) 

"During these difficult times it makes creating the many forms of art happen in a different and very unique way. Challenges pop up frequently, whether that be technological or otherwise, but working in isolation means we can take the time to work on them and overcome these roadblocks and continue to thrive in all areas of the arts. The arts give people some normality in these crazy times as they are something that you can take an hour or two out of your day and solely focus on to keep your mind off of these circumstances. Production is just one of those things to keep me preoccupied, to take a break from the studying to get up and sing and dance around my room. My favourite part is to see the amount of effort put in by teachers and students to continue the production while in isolation. A few words of wisdom: always make time for yourself no matter what. If you have annoying siblings, take some time to go have a chat to them and do something with them.  Strike a conversation with someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Go for a nice walk to catch some fresh air. Most importantly, keep busy and keep on creating." Jack T (Year 12) 

Ms. Genelle Lentini | Performing Arts Leader

Working remotely has had it’s challenges, sure – but I am proud of my students and my community for pulling together! I can see my students, and also my colleagues, working creatively and supporting each other in their learning. In my daily routine I make sure I’m not chained to my desk. I find time to stretch my legs, get fresh air and something healthy to eat. I also think it’s important that we find the time to smile and laugh – and have mandatory dance parties at the end of every lesson (and meeting)!

Ms. Claire Hanley | Literacy Specialist

It's important to have a defined remote working space, so at my house, we do Independent Study in the office, and Interactive Sessions on the Library's day bed. In my Interactive Sessions, students get to experience the three personalities of Ms. Hanley: 1) The Funky Fun Classroom Teacher; 2) The Homeschooling Wizard; and 3) The Muti-Tasking Master Mum. It's a lot of hats to wear, so it's important to take time to stop and recharge.