Principal's report
Dear Parents, Carers,Guardians and students of Moonee Ponds West PS
Dear Parent, Carers, Students and staff of MPWPS,
Well there isn’t much news from this end as there isn’t much happening!
Last week the Education Minister acknowledged, in a letter to all staff, the learning and planning that staff have been involved in from the end of last term to now. The detail of the planning and the learning to be part of this virtual world, has been immense for all schools and our school is included. Many of you have already acknowledged this effort as you can see it. Our thanks for your continued support and encouragement via feedback and discussion for further opportunities.
This week we are moving to small group instruction to provide further support to the weekly timetable. I have been into some of the small group work and I must say I am seeing much more confidence being displayed by our students in the virtual space. Yesterday one student in a year 1/2 class was speaking up muting and un muting her mic writing in her maths book and then displaying for the rest as if in a classroom. I was really impressed. More importantly she displayed real learning behaviours like, having a go, risking herself with what she thought, and she didn’t ‘pass’ or say I don’t know or don’t remember, when asked to contribute by the teacher. These behaviours provide a point of support or intervention when heard by the teacher as having a go is the important behavior.
I am including a diagram to help you see that the teacher is now moving closer to the student and task, moving you as parent to an outside circle still of support but not being needed as much as instructor. The small groups will develop and be structured a little differently at each year level. The Foundation and Year 1 students will still need assistance with logging on but I am sure this is getting better. (I hope). At times they will need assistance in coming to the task. Just let the teacher know and they will have this front of mind in the small group.
I don’t know about your child but sometimes when I ask a student a question in a group or sometimes individually, they want to pass rather than risk being wrong or having their friend hear they may be incorrect.
Here at MPWPS we are building classroom environments where children are confident to take risks and be wrong, building effort for learning and contributing to their resilience and wellbeing. The ability to ‘bounce back’ from adversity is a skill that is learnt and we are working through learning to develop and strengthen what you have started in your child. Teachers will always correct the student whose behaviour could be inappropriate, so as I have said in the past to be right you have to be wrong sometimes. Whilst with your child at home encourage mistakes, foster independence by ‘having a go’ first then working out the way forward, and reinforcing the effort more than correctness. Persistence and resilience are two behaviours so essential in our today.
Remote Learning Support
With the transition to remote learning, you may have experienced some settling in and technical issues. With that in mind, we have launched a Remote Learning Support section on our website to provide information and support for both parents and students.
This area of the website contains:
- Help Videos
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Tips For Remote Learning
- Student Expectations
- Our Communication Policy
- Information on Video Conferencing
We will continue to update this section with new resources and information as new questions and issues arise around delivering your child's learning.
https://www.mooneewestps.vic.edu.au/page/247/Remote-Learning-Support
Transition
Transition 6-7 and K-Foundation: Our K-F Transitions planning has had to be redeveloped! At present we are about to build a ‘Virtual Tour’ of the school to include in our Enrolment Information package. This year we will be taking 60 Foundation students into our school for 2021. We will have some places for students outside our school boundary, as we have a big group (73) of Year 6 students departing and so we will have space. It is important that siblings are enrolled within the time frame. Sometimes parents think that we know your child has a brother or sister when really, we don’t! When schools return we will conduct specific K-Foundation Information Sessions prior to starting our extensive transition program for students and parents.
For Year 6-7 transition our advice is to contact the secondary schools directly as many are also doing ‘virtual tours’. Our school is in the zones for Maribyrnong Secondary College and Mt Alexander College. Other schools out of our zone but maybe close to where you live are Buckley Park, Essendon East Keilor, and Strathmore Secondary Colleges. The 6-7 transition forms have been sent to the relevant families and are due to be returned by the 29th May. The General Office can answer any of your questions re the forms and dates etc.
Well that’s about it from me. I hope you have been enjoying the Monday Assemblies hosted by Barb. The input from our students has been amazing! I am wondering if you have contemplated the idea of the Marathon presented by the Sports Report last week? Not me I must say; the Mother’s Day 4 km will be sufficient I would think.
I hope you receive the push re Mother’s Day (also referred to as significant female person in your family) which had a range of things for children to consider for their person. It is just an idea shared between schools to keep us all connected.
The tale of a mum in ISO… maybe a teacher or a mum/carer at home
Man things are tough. I know you know what I mean. Trying to maintain my own sanity and that of my family’s. Trying to ‘teach’ my child at a time of remote learning, while trying to not turn my two year old into a Paw Patrol obsessed couch potato. Trying to juggle the demands of my own work on the dining room table along with the constant craft and demands for more food. Trying to support my partner as he works from home and is busier than ever hidden upstairs in a bedroom on zoom after zoom call.
Man things are tough. I know you know what I mean. Picking my battles each day on lessons for my ‘used to be’ independent child who now seems to need me to read every word, and I pass out bribes and rewards like band aids on yard duty. Trying not to feel guilty when I hide in the toilet, just for two minutes of quiet (before they find me!)
Man things are tough. I know you know what I mean.
I just wanted you to know that I understand and you are not alone.
As your Principal I would like to recognise that this could be you, your teacher, your nurse or any other worker, so when I say we are all in this together, please know that we understand; our homes are just like yours.
Courtesy of a teaching colleague.
Until next time
Sincerely
Kerri Simpson
Principal