Getting the Best out of Home Learning

At home I appear to be caught in strange eddies of emotions. Like a series of slow moving collisions – a Lava lamp of feeling. We have wonderful family moments like watching Mary Poppins on the couch, or playing poo bingo at dinner, or a walk in the park. Then, periodically, and without a discernible trigger, stress or despondency would settle and a family member would go to have a bit of a cry or melt in their bedroom. Basic life has become more complex. Maybe this is what happens when you streamline existence.

As a school leader, it is tricky to know how to play it. I remember when I was involved in a café church. Its nature was that the structure was loose, primarily based around meals, an introduction to a Bible passage or theological application and then discussion at your table. It had its strengths and weaknesses but one of the criticisms we received from ‘mainstream’ churches was that the conversations around the table were unmoderated.

It was decentralised, there was no sermon so how could I be sure that the theology being developed in those settings was sufficiently orthodox? My counter argument at the time was that mainstream churches had the same issue – it was just less visible. Sitting politely in front of a preacher was no guarantee that we are all reforming our theology toward Christ. I know there was the occasional time I was thinking about the Carlton backline as the words washed over me…

When it comes to distance learning, teachers globally are continuing to grow in their understanding of what works best. I am aware that for some families more structure, more live screen time and more work would be better. I am also aware of calls for less pressure. 

I am aware that trying to work from home and look after kids is incredibly tough - many teachers are in the same boat. There are real fears of kids falling behind academically and then the completely understandable desire that the kids be kept engaged.

I am also aware of students struggling to engage through a screen, the broader sense of loss (trauma) of social connection, sport and other activities and the psychological impact longer lockdowns have on a child’s ability to focus and engage. What we do know is that more structures, screen time and busy work doesn’t equate to more learning. Explicit instruction has its place but there are times when deeper learning happens when the teacher shuts up and the kids do the work.

And whilst I don’t want to be that guy, I can’t help but view our situation against the backdrop of the  loss of all educational opportunities for girls in Afghanistan and the crisis that is continuing to swell in Ethiopia.

It is all very tough but as I see our German students competing in online poetry competitions and the roll out of new electives like ‘Justice & Citizenship’, ‘Sustainable Futures’, and the project-based  ‘Innovate’, or simply seeing ‘my’ Year 8 maths class master new skills, despite everything, I feel extraordinarily fortunate about what we can achieve.

As a colleague said to me this morning, whilst I am not sure God will eradicate the storms, let’s continue to pray that we know more of his presence whilst in them.