Southeast schools reveal tips and tricks to conquering the at-home classroom
From funky dress-up parties to online cooking masterclasses, teachers and students from Mentone to Frankston have been shaking things up to add joy to home schooling. Here’s how they have brought laughter into learning.
Inner South
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Schools and their resilient young students have been making the best of lockdown learning – with DIY carnivals, feel-good street posters and delightful teacher-students home-life video shares.
With funky dress-up parties, online cooking masterclasses and positivity messages, students and teachers from Mentone to Frankston have been shaking things up.
And they have sent pictures to the Leader sharing how they are keeping learning fresh and fun behind the screen.
In Mentone, Kilbreda College Year 7 student Evie plastered piles of positivity posters across the streets, with each sheet carrying a number of tear-off messages to brighten the day of passer-bys.
“Within a few days, all of the messages were taken,” development and community relations director Andrea Halliday said.
“Our ‘Walk in Solidarity’ project will also see students create letters, colouring, posters and anything that will spark joy for elderly citizens in aged care and for younger children through St Vincent DePaul Mentone.”
The girls have also been participating in ‘cafe culture’ virtual cooking classes- with their most recent creation being a batch of mouth-watering melting moment biscuits.
A short walk away at Mentone Girls’ Secondary College, communications liaison Jane Garrow said the students already had a leg-up before lockdown restrictions and were familiar with remote learning thanks to an innovative online platform which had been rolled out over the past five years.
“Our director of innovation Jonathon Hall has been working with our staff to embed online learning practices in our school,” she said.
“Jonathan may be too modest to say anything about the huge number of hours he has invested in supporting our teachers through this next stage of the e-learning journey.
“We have been running a ‘digital delivery day’ for our students for the past two years and so our students are also familiar with flexible and remote learning.”
The school’s SRC group also launched a calendar of themed dress-up days where the craziest and coolest costume-wearing girls can win house points — most recently, the group donned their best Australian music T-shirts.
In Parkdale, kids at St John Vianney’s Primary School unfortunately had their school sports carnival cancelled — but that didn’t stop the school community from continuing the fun at home, with even parents getting in on the action.
“The school sent home five activities for each child to complete and the points earned for their team will go towards their team at our sports carnival later in the year,” principal Shane Regan said.
“As a school we agree with the restrictions. The online comments that we get from children is that they miss seeing their friends — this is what I believe will be the biggest impact for primary school aged children.”
In Dingley Village, Kingswood Primary School assistant principal Patrick Halpin said students got an inside-look into their teacher’s lives outside of the classroom through a ‘From our home to Yours’ video segment — which also encouraged kids to take their mentors on a walk through their new 9-3.30pm life in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom.
“We’ve also been sending out daily videos with puzzles, wellbeing tips, conversational games, etc. for everybody to try,” Mr Halpin said.
“We understand that there is a lot going on for our school community and there are many stressors for families and have been supporting families to make remote learning work for them.
“Individualisation at this time is very important so the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of students, parents and staff is of utmost importance.”
Edithvale Primary teachers jumped in their cars on Monday to drive around the area to say “g’day” to children home schooling.
In a video shared by the Chelsea’s SES unit. students and their parents were excited to see their teachers in the drive by procession.
Over at Chelsea Heights Primary, the school’s $4.5m capital building works project has not been impacted by the virus outbreak, with state-of-the art facilities expected to be ready in 2021.
“The school has faith in the Department of Education and will continue to follow advice around school closure and providing onsite learning, for as long as the State Government recommends that schools should remain closed,” Parent communication and marketing leader Kate Atkins said.
“(The virus) will present new challenges as children return to their previous routines … wellbeing will be our focus in addition to maintaining the high standards and high expectations we pride ourselves on.”
Teachers at the school made a video to show their lockdown home life to their young students.
In Carrum, Patterson River Secondary College principal Daniel Dew said students were kept busy and entertained with virtual physical workouts, challenges and special isolation birthday recognitions.
“We have attempted to provide a balance between live interaction and flexibility for students for when they complete their work, particularly for junior students,” he said.
“Many households have the entire family working from home which can present a challenge for quiet space and internet bandwidth.”
Mr Dew said Year 12 students were coping well and were keeping connected through online level assemblies on Microsoft Teams and that attendance was even better compared to in-person meetings pre-isolation.
“Our VCE students are engaged in live lessons throughout the week, with Microsoft Teams also allowing for students to receive excellence access to their teachers for feedback and explicit instruction … attendance has been better than normal,” he said.
“We have set up systems to monitor the completion of learning activities which to date has been exceptional.
“We are immensely proud of the way in which the whole school community has responded to working remotely.”
Frankston’s Rowellyn Park Primary School has been inundated with letters of support from parents, proud principal Caleb Peterson said.
“We have received an unprecedented amount of positive feedback received from parents,” he said.
“We are in high spirits and are making the most of the situation. The Department of Education has done a remarkable job of putting together guidance notes and a comprehensive Q&A that supports schools to thrive during this time.
“Remote learning at Rowellyn Park Primary School is best described through the lens of our vision, empowering students in a caring community where learning is everywhere, opportunities are varied and character is developed.”
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