Dubbo teachers stay connected with students in Covid lockdown
From fun online story time and fitness tips to funny TikToks and inspirational galleries, see how Dubbo teachers are staying connected to students in lockdown.
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Dedicated teachers who often appear at ease educating future generations in classrooms have had to step outside their comfort zones during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Learning from home is now, temporarily, the norm and our trusted teachers have been tasked with their biggest challenge yet. Keeping kids motivated and learning while they are in their homes.
It’s an unenviable and undesirable task, but teachers have risen to the challenge and remain committed to not only educating their students, but also making sure they’re mental health and wellbeing remain strong in times of unprecedented adversity.
Here’s just a few small samples of the ways Dubbo schools and their teachers are keeping kids informed and motivated during lockdown 2021.
Macquarie Anglican Grammar School teachers have shared self-care tips for students, along with entertaining videos which range from staff showcasing their juggling skills as part of a wellbeing challenge, to the littlest students explaining why their dads are the best.
At Dubbo College South Campus, teachers have harnessed the power of Instagram to teach students about the benefits of gratitude during lockdown times.
Dubbo Christian School principal Warren Melville gave isolated students and parents a much needed laugh when he featured in his own YouTube video about a principal’s life in lockdown.
The team at Buninyong Public School created a photo album to celebrate and recognise the success of students learning from home.
Many teachers invited students into their homes or offices to experience story time online during Book Week and Dubbo South Public School’s principal was no exception.
Dubbo College Senior Campus has rolled out a ‘remote learner of the week award’ system along with iso bake-off challenges and competitions designed to put students skills to use.
To highlight the link between exercise and improved mental health, the Dubbo School of Distance Education’s head physical education teacher Karin Morgan shares daily mood exerciser videos with students.
The NSW Department of Education’s Macquarie region educational leadership director, Adelia Fuller, said adapting to the lockdown challenges was not just about providing online materials.
“An important part of learning from home is providing families with hard copies of materials and activities both as a supplement to online work being undertaken and for families with limited technology,” she said.
“Schools in the Dubbo area are employing a range of innovative practices to make sure all students have access to the appropriate materials. This equitable approach to supporting our students has been appreciated by our families.”
Mrs Fuller said the wellbeing of staff and students was an “extremely important” priority for the Department of Education.
“We continue to encourage a balanced approach to completing school work, with all students being encouraged to exercise both their body and mind,” she said.
“The learning-from-home packs have included a range of activities and resources to support wellbeing and development across all curriculum areas.
“Parents and carers have expressed their appreciation for all the support they have received.”
For children who were unable to access appropriate technology needed to learn from home, Mrs Fuller said extra steps had been taken by schools and the Department of Education to provide the resources needed.
“Schools are working with their school communities to identify and determine the needs of their students and support remote learning from home, using their own devices and or requesting additional support from a centralised pool.
“To ensure education continuity and learning support for students, the Department and schools have sourced additional devices to supplement school supplies.
“Schools and P & Cs have also sourced devices using their own discretionary funding.”
According to plans unveiled by the NSW Government students in Kindergarten and year 1 will return to face-to-face learning from October 25.
Years 2, 6 and 11 will return from November 1, and all other years will return from November 8.
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