It is important to check about how your children feel about learning away from their classroom. Daily conversations allow you to talk about your children’s learning and the support that they may need to adjust to learning at home.
Your children may require additional structure or guidance with their learning. Depending on their ages, they may require a structured routine to continue their learning. Parents are encouraged to print a copy of their child’s timetable (secondary) or weekly schedule (primary) so that they and their child can follow along with the regular structure of the routine. Please keep in mind that teachers incorporate movement breaks and mini fun interactions throughout their lessons.
You can help your children continue their learning away from their classroom by asking questions that will assist their child to take responsibility for their own learning such as:
- What are you learning today?
- How will you plan your day?
- Do you need support to create a timetable? What materials do you need today?
- How can I help you today?
- What was one thing that was difficult today? What could you do if this difficulty comes up again? What strategies could we put in place?
- What went well today? Why? How can you make sure these successes happen again?
- How are you feeling? Do you need help planning tomorrow to make sure it is successful? Is there anything you need to check-in with your teachers about?
You may need to adapt these questions, depending on the age of your child and their level of independence. It is important to keep communication lines open with your child to ensure their learning is continuing and that they are coping with the alternate learning environment.
Setting up a learning space
To support your children to continue their learning away from their classroom, establish routines and expectations and ensure they have access to equipment and stationery required for learning at home. This includes pens, paper, devices (including internet access), printers, etc.
While it is possible that reduced school days may apply, you can support your children’s learning by setting up or following a timetable to give structure to their day.
- School-provided timetable: This will include lesson times, and breaks.
- Home-developed timetable: This can be similar to the hours and times of your children’s typical school day. High school students can follow their school timetable. Primary school aged children may benefit from working in roughly one hour long blocks of time, so that they can concentrate and complete tasks.
Create a quiet and comfortable learning space. A space for extended learning should be a family space, rather than a bedroom. Your children may have a regular place for doing homework under normal circumstances, but this space may not be suitable for working in for an extended period of time. It should be a place that can be quiet at times and if possible have internet access.
Accessing digital devices and the internet
Most students already have experience in working online, although the virtual classroom environment will be new for some. Our school has been working with teachers and students to help build the skills needed to work in an online learning space. This will mean children will know how to use the online learning platform they will need to access should schools close or traditional learning is disrupted. This will also be helpful for students who are absent to prolonged illness or injury.
At all times we wish for students to be safe when working online. Parents and caregivers can access resources which support students to use technology appropriately and responsibly and behave in ways that keep them safe online is available at www.esafety.gov.au
Communicating with teachers
Teachers may communicate with your children using video chat applications. They may also be emailing or communicating within a learning management system or a virtual classroom. We will work with students to ensure they are able to access and use these digital resources.
It is important to remember that teachers will be communicating with many families and that you may need to remind your children to be patient when waiting for support or feedback.
How to communicate with teachers – If your child requires academic support, please contact their teacher via email.
Our teachers use many great strategies to support your children to focus throughout the school day. We have collated some of these strategies for your use at home.
Classroom specific strategies (Link to article in folder)
Stay-At-Home care package by big life journal (Link to article in folder)
Age appropriate behaviours (Link to article in folder)
Free time activities to do at home
- Play a game: cards, board games, outside games
- Create an obstacle course and or/fitness course
- Online dance: happy feet @ home
- Create a drama or dance performance for your family
- Find an easy origami video on YouTube and play some relaxing music while following the process
- Make a ‘blanket cave’. Fill it with cushions and stuffed friends to cuddle and read to
- Print out your child’s favourite characters and images for them to create their own personalised colouring book.