Teacher Reflections

After an unusual, yet strangely comforting Easter, I had some trepidation leading into remote teaching and learning. Not so much regarding the ability to deliver engaging content, but instead, the students' capacity to contact me for guidance or feedback. Like so many, having my wife and three children working and studying from home was going to be challenging enough, let alone trying to respond to up to 100 students on some days. Would my computer explode?! Thankfully, this has not occurred. Delivering the curriculum and assisting students has been pleasingly achievable. There are several ways to deliver feedback, that is timely and meaningful. I have certainly learnt to appreciate precision of language. The patience and support of parents, plus the teamwork of Girton staff is allowing us to cope well through an approach of collaboration and encouragement.

The most challenging aspect of my remote teaching experience is not being able to see and interact with the students tangibly. The general discussions and banter that occurs via ZOOM lessons are enjoyable, but there is nothing to compare with the energy of a face-to-face classroom.

At home, my preference is to set up my workstation on my outside deck so that I can feel the day. At this time of the year, the crisp mornings move into pleasant midday sun before the temperature begins to wane again.

Small things like not being guided by a school bell breed a sense of unfamiliarity, which I'm sure the students also feel. Being mindful of the time and the need to move is so important, and we remind students often to do so.

At the start of each day, it has been an unexpected and welcome relief not having the same sense of urgency that is typically associated with 'getting to school'. The calmness of the house is something that could go unnoticed. What has not gone unnoticed, is the vacuum effect of three hungry mouths on our pantry and fridge! However, lunchtimes have often been pleasantly spent with a trip down to the local oval for a run-around, kick of the football or shot of netball.

It is gratifying to see the level of student commitment and their desire to achieve success and engage in this new type of learning. I have gained an appreciation of those who engage in distance teaching and learning, all over our country, and I feel confident that we are doing more than just enduring; that we are striving.

Mr Clint Whitsed

Assistant Head of Riley

The opportunity to teach purely online has been both positive and enlightening in the sense that it forces one to consider their value in the classroom carefully and how they get information into students’ heads. It must be said that being in the classroom affords one an opportunity to teach and learn above and beyond what can be achieved in an online environment. However, by being forced to teach online, I have thought carefully about the nature of feedback, have pushed students to work more independently and changed the structure of my lesson to shape students’ learning. In this sense, technology is used to support education, rather than driving how we educate. For example, in Sociology students have lost the ability to discuss matters in a face to face manner, which is typically more organic than online; but in place of this, they have spent much more time writing and receiving specific and targeted feedback. I have also shortened the time in which I instruct students directly, and lengthened the time in which they research, write and analyse information. Lastly, the opportunity to teach online has sharpened my ability to use technology to help educate students. It has forced me to adapt my curriculum and classroom style to a new method of delivery, and in this sense, I have probably learnt more about teaching and learning in the past six weeks than I had in the past six months. In both the short term and long term, I hope the students will be in a better place as they learnt to adapt, analyse and reflect on their learning.

Mr Patrick Chin-Dahler

Director of Teaching and Learning