principal's message

A time for Reflection

So how did you help your children ‘bend the rules!’ this week? What did you learn?

So much emphasis during this period has been about student learning. We’ve used terms such as remote learning and flexible learning, however, the term that appears to be most relevant and inclusive of us all really is home learning. To a degree, I would argue that this time has provided children, families, and educators an immense opportunity to learn.

What have I learned or have been strengthened?

  • Little is more – we overdid the curriculum initially and have used feedback to reduce the quantity.
  • That connection is key to supporting learning and that there are many ways that connection to school can be supported.
  • That equity comes in all shapes and sizes, including for some children, technology aids learning and for others, hard copy materials are more effective.
  • Every child and every family is UNIQUE in so many ways including but not limited to:
    • Access to and experience with technology
    • English language skill levels
    • emphasis on academic learning
    • emphasis on emotional wellbeing
    • the physical environment
    • number of adults and children in each family
    • impact of physical, emotional, social and intellectual disabilities
    • adult mental health
    • financial hardship impacts.

Words of wisdom!

In order to learn more about what our children’s experiences are during this time of remote learning our JSC teachers, Nadia McComb and Jenny Wheatcroft surveyed our students.

Some positive comments:

I like Seesaw, because you can draw when the teachers tell you and add photos. I like getting love hearts from my teachers for my work.

Excited and I love being with my sisters.

Managing my time and work, having a bit more freedom while working.

 

Being able to wear Ugg boots all day.

 

My mum is teaching me how to cook as a subject.

You guys are doing an AMAZING job!

 

Some challenges:

I don't like it because I can't talk to my friends through. Its’ too hard to keep track of what to do. 

When I go back to school I might forget how to communicate properly.

Feeling isolated from the beautiful community of our school.

 

Definitely this one, for it has been in my mind ever since we started home learning. For people that have questions or are having a difficult time understanding a task or assignment, immediate help isn't there anymore. Of course, the teachers reply on Google Classroom as soon as it is possible, it messes with our time schedules and we don't particularly want that. Of course, there is little the teachers can do about this, but I reckon it still should be heard.

 

That since I am a grade six I was really excited about getting to do our jumpers, graduation, and stuff like that. Now that we are doing home learning I am scared that we won't be able to do all of that. 

 

Such words of wisdom and insights… Please go to the attached document, Student responses to Remote learning, for all students’ responses.  While much of the feedback was very positive, you’ll probably notice that we have already taken on board much of their feedback and have implemented changes, e.g. due dates, teleconferencing, etc.

Do your learnings match these comments? What have you learned in relation to how your child learns best? What motivates them? What disengages them? Have teachers’ previous comments made more sense now? What other questions do you have about your children’s learning? How can you find out the answers? Can you ask your children, observe them in action, and talk to another adult about their experiences?

 

Whole school Challenge

In the survey, the younger children were asked to consider some possible activities. Their suggestions included:

  • Design a game competition
  • Choose your own learning
  • Home helpers challenge where you get points for doing certain tasks
  • Pizza cooking competition
  • Cooking competition
Elijah, (LD), Tabitha (SJ), and Kayana (JB) all suggested a Lego building competition! Guess what? 

We’re having a whole school Lego competition, wow! Thank Elijah, Tabitha, and Kayana for this suggestion! Hopefully, you’ve all seen the Lego competition details and are getting ready to take photos of your creations – remember adults are consultants only!

 

Wellbeing Blog

One especially important aspect of your child's wellbeing is their mental health. As you have probably noticed we have launched the Wellbeing Blog. The Wellbeing Blog contains a resource link. This is divided up into resources for you and your children. Many of the articles have been shared previously, however hopefully now they may be more relevant.  Please contact me directly if you are at all worried that your child’s mental health is deteriorating and that you have already tried numerous things. I’m available to provide referrals and guidance regarding other supports.

 

Some practical tools

Any tool or strategy which we feel are potentially helpful, are added to the Wellbeing Blog. For instance, a few new additions include:

  • Smiling Mind has created an excellent online resource called Thrive Inside to support good mental health while our movements and activities are restricted.
  • Yarra Me, a school that targets meeting the social and emotional learning needs of students, has set up a hotline. The purpose of this service is to provide parents and carers with the opportunity to discuss your child's behaviours, which may be impeding their ability to learn at home. http://www.yarrame.vic.edu.au/help-desk.html
  • Autism Partnership in the US has developed some outstanding and practical resources which align with our whole school approach to student wellbeing, engagement, and management. Please see the attached document entitled, Remote Learning Visual.
  • Homegrown parent legend! – Deb Wood’s Age interview – Deb felt it important that I include the following: “Often my whiteboard belies the chaos of our average day. Things get shuffled, some subjects go out the window, sometimes Mum or Dad’s meetings run overtime so our daily walk happens later… it does look like I’m really organised, but that was just because the newspaper was coming around to take our picture! (Also – the whiteboard is India Wood’s dad’s whiteboard – I borrowed it because he was more impressive than my little one!) Thanks,

Student responses to home learning:

Some positives…

  • I like Seesaw, because you can draw when the teachers tell you and add photos. I like getting love hearts from my teachers for my work.
  • I like Seesaw because the teacher can see what I’m up to and what I need to practice and what I’m good at.
  • I like that we can write comments to the class.
  • Learning games
  • Excited and I love being with my sisters
  • Long recess
  • Happy that my mum and I are together
  • I feeling happy because I’m doing lots of learning
  • At home I like to do my school work on my iPad and I am proud
  • Managing my time and work, having a bit more freedom while working.
  • Trying something new.
  • Staying home and learning at the same time. 
  • Being able to wear Ugg boots all-day

 

Some feedback to improve:

  • More breaks, help to get into the virtual assembly, be able to see other kids
  • I don't like it because I can't talk to my friends through. Its’ too hard to keep track of what to do. 
  • A zoom meeting would be good
  • I am finding it hard sometimes to use seesaw because there are so many things to do
  • Don’t get to play with friends
  • Confusing because I don’t know what to do
  • Maybe in the morning we can have quiet time and sing the national anthem
  • Uhhh...I am usually done my school before 3:30, is that ok?
 
  • That we don’t get the stuff done that we need to, e.g. on our timetables it doesn’t give us time to do optional tasks, and we only do the essential.
 
  • I'm worried when I'm doing interland when I don't know if I'm supposed to. There has been a lot going wrong when I'm trying to work the computer
 
  • We won’t learn the same amount
 
  • Maybe we will need to stay at home for a long time.
 
  • Miscommunication about tasks
 
  • When I go back to school I might forget how to communicate properly.
 
  • I worry that I won't get much work done. I also want to see my friends.
 
  • Not seeing friends and doing school differently
 
  • Not accessing what I need to complete my learning tasks.
 
  • Worried that we will be stuck like this for the whole year
 
  • Feeling isolated from the beautiful community of our school
 
  • That sometimes I think I may not be doing things right
 
  • That since I am a grade six I was really excited about getting to do our jumpers, graduation, and stuff like that. Now that we are doing home learning I am scared that we won't be able to do all of that. 
 
  • It’s not as much fun
 
  • Definitely this one, for it has been in my mind ever since we started home learning.

For people that have questions or are having a difficult time understanding a task or assignment,

immediate help isn't there anymore. Of course,  the teachers reply on Google Classroom as soon as it is possible, it messes with our time schedules and we don't particularly want that.

Of course, there is little the teachers can do about this, but I reckon it still should be heard.

 
  • Worried that social connections will break
 

That we won’t get to do leadership activities as well because we can't work in groups.

  • I think we should be really specific with what work we put out and that is for teachers and students when they ask questions on google classroom to the teachers

 

 

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