Murrumbeena P.S. Newsletter

From the Acting Principal

LEARNING IN LOCKDOWN

Let’s face it, the 6th time around in lockdown with students in remote learning… and parents as partners in teaching is testing the limits of many. The novelty has definitely worn off. 

Whether we like it or not, we can all see that there will likely be further lockdowns before life truly gets back to a new normal. The question for each of us is ‘what do we all need to do together to continue to motivate, engage and make sure the students’ educational and wellbeing needs are met?’ 

WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY

Last Friday’s online assembly was a testament to the wonderful job that students and parents are doing at home. 

We saw photos of art works, videos of students participating in music and physical activity, an array of incredibly interesting photos capturing ‘joy in precious moments’ and reflections of the Olympics. 

I’d like to thank the school captains, Calvin, Audrey, Bimal and Monako for creating the assembly, and Miss Seares and Miss Callanan for their mentoring and technical support. Watching the assembly made me feel proud of our families and I’m sure, like me, you felt glad to be a member of our connected community. 

STAFF MEETING FOCUS

Our staff meeting on Wednesday was focussed on the question: ‘how can we reinvigorate ‘learning in lockdown?’ 

When considering possibilities for change, it was important to analyse the responses from a recent parent survey in order to understand the challenges parents and students are facing at home. 

An article further in this newsletter will summarise the key responses from that survey, along with strategies that, are and will, continue to be implemented back at school along with new ideas you’ve suggested. 

While we remain in a ‘Remote Learning’ model, the following key points raised by parents were noted:

  • Students need opportunities to work together (collaborate) on shared learning tasks (to increase that peer connectedness and social interaction)
  • More time ‘online’ with the teacher
  • Learning tasks to be differentiated
  • More opportunities for ‘fun’ (dress ups, themes, active games etc)
  • Feedback from the teacher about the students’ work
  • Increase the child’s motivation

Just as it’s important to obtain parent perspectives, it’s also valuable to share the following points that have been noted by the teachers:

  • Students are losing focus and motivation, with many having less assistance from their parents
  • A higher number of students are not doing any of the learning tasks set
  • Higher number absences of from Webex lessons
  • Higher number of parent requests to the teacher to help their child.

Let’s clarify what’s already happening:

Differentiated learning and teaching

Each teacher currently runs 4 small groups (in addition to the whole class lesson) every day. The teaching and learning for each of those groups is different, in order to address the needs of the students in each group. Teachers take notes during the lesson about the learning each student has demonstrated and they plan for that child’s next teaching step for the following lesson. 

The daily lesson guides shared with parents have very clear learning intentions and success criteria. The learning intention tells parents what the purpose of that lesson is and the success criteria highlights what teachers (and parents) are looking for within that piece of work. 

Differentiated learning activities are also provided through the various online platforms such as Essential Assessment, Reading Eggs, Study Ladder etc.

 

Feedback

Teachers are providing feedback to students within the small group lessons. Teachers have noted the success indicator the child needs to continue to work on and they use the small group lesson to show the child how to develop the skill. 

In addition to individualised feedback to the students online, students have been encouraged to upload their work to either Class Dojo or to Google classroom where written feedback is then provided. 

 

So What Do Teachers Do During Remote Learning?

9:00am- whole class lesson

9:30 – 10:40 – small group lessons

10:40 – 11:10 – recess

11:10 – 12:30 – small group lessons

12:30 – teachers available to provide additional support as needed

1:00 – 2:00 – lunch

2:00 – 4:00 – administration, which includes but not limited to: 

  • Preparing differentiated lessons for small groups based on notes from the day’s webex lesson and the learning tasks that have been uploaded.
  • Correcting work uploaded and providing feedback
  • Creating differentiated resources for the small group lessons
  • Checking students’ use and progress with online platforms (eg Essential Assessment, Wuskka, Reading Eggs etc)
  • Attending team meetings – where teachers share ideas and plan together
  • Meeting with teacher assistants/ tutors and visiting teachers to plan for students with specialised needs
  • Providing support to struggling students (and parents)
  • Responding to emails
  • Wednesdays – whole class webex lesson followed by: staff meetings, continuing the work of professional learning teams (maths. Literacy, wellbeing) updating ‘evidence of learning’ records and collaborating with colleagues to plan for the following week.

Taking Further Action

At the staff meeting, teachers at each year level discussed and planned how they might put the fun back into learning and increase engagement. 

I’m sure you will see slight changes to the way we will run our remote learning program. The way each year level addresses this will naturally depend on the age and capability of the students. 

 

Generally changes may include:

  • A variation in online lessons (eg. different groups of students meeting together, perhaps longer lessons with a larger group, perhaps special guest presenters/ incursions)
  • The use of ‘breakout’ rooms, so students can work together (collaborate) on learning tasks within the webex lesson
  • A greater focus on inquiry tasks (students are loving their units of inquiry) where students have greater choice (to follow their passions and strengths) and choose how they will demonstrate that learning
  • Literacy and numeracy skills encompassed within the unit of inquiry activity
  • More follow up with students (and parents) for students to upload the requested pieces of work.

NOTE: explicit literacy and numeracy lessons will still be evident as it is the core of everything we do. 

 

Specialist Choice Boards- Learning in Lockdown Exhibition

The range of activities provided by specialists has been well received. However, in order to increase student engagement and provide motivational purpose, we will be holding a ‘Learning in Lockdown Exhibition’ later in the year (November or December). 

Each child is encouraged to choose an activity and to do it well. It can be from the Specialist Choice Board or the boards can be used to inspire your child’s own ideas. For example, for those who enjoy visual arts- spend quality time on the activity – not to simply ‘get it done’, but to have it framed and included in a whole school exhibition. 

It is our hope that each child will submit at least a couple of quality creative pieces that the child is truly proud of.

 

‘Learning in Lockdown’ Exhibition

The Choice Boards from specialist teachers provide the opportunity for students to explore different aspects of those disciplines. The activities are only a starting point. We hope that the choice boards inspire each child to identify a strength, develop it and achieve something that may not have been possible without the benefit of this time. 

 

The exhibition could include:

  • paintings, drawings, sculptures etc
  • informative posters, photos with explanatory captions
  • Japanese arts (eg. origami, calligraphy, flower arranging etc)
  • musical instruments made by students
  • Photos of ‘Finding Joy in Everyday Moments’ from the photo competition currently being held.
  • Technology related products (eg. websites, blogs, interactive games, apps etc)

What will your child create?

BEENA AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

With the theme ‘Finding Joy in Everyday Moments’, students are encouraged to explore photography and have some fun learning new techniques. Anyone can take a quick photo, but how can you apply effects, explore the subject and background in a different way or capture a specific moment? 

Take a look at the photos on the school’s Instagram page for inspiration. The most creative photos have all been taken by the students! 

A generous parent has donated a voucher for the winner of the photo competition at each year level. Photos will also be displayed in the ‘Learning in Lockdown Exhibition.’

SCHOOL CONCERT

Due to current restrictions, our school concert at the Palais Theatre has been postponed. We have now rescheduled the concert for Wednesday 24 November (although we’ve placed a preference for Thurs 25).  Dance classes that commenced this term will also be placed on hold and will resume in Term 4.

SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY

Some families are doing it really tough and do not have the funds for food, clothing and school supplies. There is help for those who are feeling financial stress right now. We are able to connect you to a community service which has received a grant to support those who may have slipped through the cracks for government assistance supports. 

If you need some help, please contact the school. 

OPEN DAY CANCELLED- SCHOOL VIRTUAL TOURS AVAILABLE

The School Open Day that was planned for last Saturday had to be cancelled due to lockdown. Those who made a booking have been contacted and invited to an online ‘Virtual Tour’. Virtual tours will be conducted on Fridays for prospective parents. For further details, please contact the school. 

PARENT OPINION SURVEY

Every year DET requests schools to randomly select parents to complete the ‘Parent Opinion Survey.’ The random selection list is generated though the CASES software. 

If you have received survey information, it would be appreciated if you could please complete the survey prior to 3 September. 

DET INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FUNDING

Murrumbeena Primary is receiving a grant from the Disability Inclusion Funding. This is part of the almost $1.6 billion Disability Inclusion Package to make schools more inclusive for students. 

Throughout terms 3 and 4, there will be a range of webinars to explain the inclusion tiered intervention system, how the current PSD (Program for Students with a Disability) funding will change, and to provide guidelines about how schools can utilise the grant. 

Murrumbeena will join with three other schools from our network to engage a speech pathologist to work exclusively with our schools, combining some of the funds from each of our schools. In this way we will have the services of a speech pathologist one day a week every week until the end of 2022. This will supplement the On Psych services we will have to support our students. 

We are hopeful these services will be in place for Term 4. 

HANG IN THERE

Thank you to our wonderful students and parents who are doing their best in these challenging times. Thank you also to the staff who are constantly considering and making adjustments to engage our students and monitoring their learning. 

Please make sure you take some time each day to ‘find joy in everyday moments.’ 

 

Warm regards

Chellee Plumb