Gold Coast principals urge stressing parents not to try to be teachers “just have fun” with kids at home

Gold Coast principals want stressed parents to know that they won’t fall behind as they finish week one of five weeks of learning at home

DON’T panic, your kids are not going to fall behind.

That’s the message to parents from principals across the Gold Coast as they complete the first of five weeks of learning at home, as schools remain open for children of essential workers only.

Park Lake State School principal Ursula Carty said she wanted stressed parents to remember that every little bit they were doing was making a difference.

“They’re trying to do an exemplary job and we really don’t have that expectation of them. Just give it a shot, do your best and we are right here alongside you,” she said.

“Most importantly, don’t panic, if it doesn’t work then walk away and come back to it, we all have those moments.”

Park Lake State School principal Ursula Carty says parents aren’t expected to be teachers as schools remain open for children of essential workers only. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

Open for children of essential workers only, Ms Carty said between 20 to 25 per cent of the

more than 1100 pupils are currently attending her school.

“When kids do return, teachers are experienced in being able to catch their students up, they’re not going to fall behind,” she said.

Next week the school is launching video conferencing and currently conducts Facebook live sessions to help struggling parents, with teachers making phone calls to help some parents.

“I’ve got a great team behind me, they often joke they're glad I am the captain steering the ship through the COVID-19 storm, we’ve even changed our school bell to I will survive”.

In a Facebook video, Pimpama State Primary College principal Donna Gosling implored mums and dads to “take the pressure off yourselves” telling them they didn’t have to do everything in the home-based learning resource kit they had.

“Just make sure you’re enjoying the time as a family and that you are having some fun in what you do with your learning from home,” she said.

Park Lake State School principal Ursula Carty, front, with her executive team (l-r) Martina Tramier, Sally Parahi, Helen Derrington, Erin Mitchell and Barb Tong. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

Burleigh Heads State School principal told his school community that research showed that the loss of schooling for children during the Christchurch Earthquakes (seven-weeks off) and Hurricane Katrina, had no impact educationally on student outcomes.

“In many cases the students statistically achieved better in the long-term. Please take care and look after yourself and your children during these times,” he said.

Saint Stephen’s College in Coomera has just employed Rick Machin as its director of marketing to help parents navigate their way through online learning at home.

He's put together a 20-page interactive PDF teaching parents how to get used to the home school environment, including wellbeing tips.

“It’s important parents know they are not alone in doing this, for those at home it’s a big learning curve and an additional pressure to deal with alongside social isolation,” he said.

“One of my main aims is just to reassure them that we are here to assist them, this is a whole thing way of learning for everyone.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said students, other than those of essential workers, will not return to school before May 22. The decision would be reviewed in mid-May and would be heavily dependent on the state’s coronavirus case numbers.