Homeschooling: Maroondah’s Melba College and Tintern Grammar students start fun learning at home challenges

Students at two Melbourne high schools have been messing around with toilet paper, showing off bad hair and ‘running to the other side of the country’ as they learn from home.

Bad hair days, online games and plenty of hurling of toilet paper — welcome to the lighter side of learning at home for two Maroondah schools.

Student leaders at Croydon’s Melba College have created fun challenges to keep their peers engaged outside of online tutorials and study during the coronavirus lockdown.

They’ve been filming their best trick shots using rolls of toilet paper and bins at home, taking part in online bake-offs and doing random acts of kindness to earn house points from teachers.

The college’s students and staff have stayed connected in group conversations on Google Meet, including a ‘Student Voice Hangout’ for all the fun challenges.

Melba College students have been keeping in touch and completing fun challenges through Google Meet. Picture: Supplied.

Student leader Ben Atwell Clifford said students from all year levels used the online space for drawing and art competitions and games including Celebrity Head and Hangman.

“During these difficult times we are finding that the lack of interaction and fun is getting to some people, so what we have set out to do is get people talking again,” he said.

“It ensures that people are still staying in touch and not isolating themselves socially.”

Principal Aaron Sykes said he was delighted with the creativity and engagement being displayed as the school adjusted to online learning.

“I’m continuously amazed and buoyed by the things the teachers and the kids are coming up with to provide learning continuity and wellbeing support,” he said.

“We’re really making the best of it, we’re staying connected and supporting each other and things are going really well.”

Meanwhile, Tintern Grammar principal Brad Fry also said his students had been doing “lots of PE involving toilet rolls” as they adapted to online learning.

Mr Fry said students had playing games and quizzes on Kahoot, filming videos for the school community and also organised an online Anzac Day service.

He said they were also staying active as part of a cross-country challenge with Perth’s Hale School.

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Mr Fry said students were aiming to collectively walk or run 4000km to reach the school, and were logging their efforts on an online platform.

“They’ve filmed a video to greet us when we get there,” he said.

“Teaching online is difficult to cover the curriculum at the same speed, but it does provide an opportunity to offer more depth.

“We’ve been really pleased with the way students embraced it, they’ve shown an admirable commitment to it, and the staff have never worked harder.”

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