STAFF REFLECTIONS
Mr Dale Marshall
What was teaching like during the 2020 pandemic? This is a question we will be asking in 10-20 years time, but today we are living it. So here is a list of what ‘pandemic teaching’ is all about:
- Self teaching how to use different ICT tools and resources to engage students.
- Getting up 30 minutes later each morning, as I don’t need to drive into work. However, going to sleep later, due to an increased demand to prepare work and increased marking.
- The positivity and resilience of our students to stay on task and focus.
- Hosting and attending staff meetings via online platforms e.g. Google Hangout Meet.
- Juggling between teaching my CRC kids and having to attend to teaching my own two daughters.
- Increased opportunity to exercise, but a struggle to stay motivated at times.
- Trying to find challenging ways to engage students in Physical Activity.
- Having to think outside the box and come up with new and fun ways to teach students.
- The excitement when a staff member shares an innovative idea or way to teach students online.
- Sore eyes from looking at a screen for too long.
- Sore back from working from a laptop (or maybe it’s just old age).
- Having to relocate into another room (or even going outside) to attend an online meeting in order to avoid disruptions from my wife or daughters.
- The great support from staff within our school.
- Student polite replies of “thank you” when you provide feedback in Google Classroom.
- Students creativity in presenting work.
My top 5 things I am not looking forward to when we return to school:
⁃ reminding students to wear the correct school uniform.
⁃ Yard duty in the cold.
⁃ Asking students to stay behind to finish off work.
⁃ Getting an extra on a busy day.
⁃ Waiting in line to use the photocopier.
Like all our teachers; I love teaching face-to-face!!! We love the personal connections we get to form with our students and we look forward to the day when our school will reopen and ‘Learning from Home’ will be a thing of the past.
Mrs Josephine Lowe
Initially, I thought working from home was going to be great. No rushing around moving from classroom to classroom, not being dictated to by the regular ringing of the school bell. I thought I would be able to sneak in a load of washing, here and there, watch that TV program recorded days before. I was looking forward to being in the comfort of my own home.
Then reality hit! All of those small things we take for granted: the smile of our colleagues as we rush past each other on our way to class, the constant rumblings in the classroom; the regular interruptions by students; the face to face contact with other human beings. How I miss all of that! The hours in the day all seem to blend into each other. We have to keep reminding ourselves to take a break! A brain break!
The last couple of weeks have certainly been a challenge. The extra planning that is involved, ensuring that we have explained each instruction with clarity, providing pages of information but knowing that students don’t want to read it all. The challenges faced by students knowing how to access the right resources and knowing what to do without the support of their teacher to call upon. Yes, it has been challenging and not everything has gone to plan at times. However, I am confident that everyone, staff and students alike will come out the other side of this with new skills and a greater appreciation for all the good things school provides. Bring on the familiar sound of the school bell.
Mrs Mariella Pannunzio
There it is, my teaching space, my lounge room, no colleagues, not many resources and definitely no students. While it’s a comfortable space and has a pretty view out to the front garden, it simply isn’t room 16. I miss the welcoming faces of the staff, and dearly miss the noisy, smiling faces of students. My front room is far too quiet for my liking, but while this style of teaching might be lonely at times, I’m happy to know that we’re all safe, healthy and looking forward to be greeted by friends and loud, happy teenagers once again soon.
Mr Justin Mead
Remote teaching and learning has been the ultimate professional development opportunity. For many, it has been similar to being thrown into the deep end of a pool with limited to no swimming experience. Even for those who are comfortable in a pool, it can feel like you are suddenly trying to keep your head above the open ocean waters, with calmer moments being followed by a series of giant waves making things feel a little scary at times.
I think that everyone, students, staff and families are experiencing challenges that can feel overwhelming at times. The important thing to remember is that we are all learning so much and it's ok to reach out and ask for some help when it's needed. The support is there and we can all empathise with the situation because we are all going through this together. We are all trying new things, upskilling in certain programs and processes, and positioning ourselves to be stronger and better equipped to deal with the deeper water.
Mr Daniele Zarosinski