Independence and Engagement – Even from a Distance

It’s hard to believe that we are now completing the sixth week of our remote learning experience together. It is truly admirable to see how well our students have adapted and progressed on this new learning platform.

Each day, we virtually congregate and have our morning meetings. The students have been guided and encouraged to spend their time completing an agreement for the week and planning the work they aim to complete each day. We have included some examples below of some of the wonderful, independent work our students have been completing and sharing with us.

In Language, there is a focus on novel studies: reading chapters and preparing key notes each week, which are discussed and analysed in our live sessions together. The students have also been capturing their understanding of these novels in a range of writing and creative tasks. The photos reflect some of the dioramas students completed, helping to bring our novels to life and capture their imagination.

With the reliance on computers as a primary communication tool, it is important for students to balance their use of devices with work that gives them a break from the screen. Just as some students have been completing presentations on the History of Math, they have also been encouraged to go outside and independently build accurate sundials in the garden or outdoor space, applying their knowledge of Geography and Geometry in the process. In Science and Culture, students are completing individual experiments, and the understanding of the Scientific Method has been developed more deeply through their work at home and guided lesson sessions. 

It is so wonderful to see the engagement from the students in their online learning, through real-time replies and individual feedback, and by taking the time to develop their work further and supporting each other with helpful suggestions. The students are encouraged to keep developing key social skills as best they can in the world we are currently in, by responsibly collaborating through work-focused chat groups and offering positive and considerate support to each other. This becomes especially evident in our weekly class council meeting, where students have the chance to gather together online to express gratitude and important news, communicate issues or concerns that affect the class, and collectively formulate solutions. It is a lovely and familiar way to end our week together, that allows the children the opportunity to gather as a team.

While this truly unusual time in our history is one that the students will never forget, we do look forward to being back together again at school in the future, in our classroom by the sea.