From the Head of Wahroonga Prep - Thriving through remote learning

Each teacher and assistant at Wahroonga Prep displayed courage and tenacity as they quickly upskilled in using new learning platforms. Lessons were redesigned to suit an online delivery, iPads were issued to children across K-6, resource packs were developed for our youngest children in Pre-Kindergarten and additional resources for sport and art were sent home.

Change of this magnitude would usually take a year to prepare but without the luxury of time the teachers were outstanding in managing to continue to deliver a high quality learning program meeting the NSW syllabus outcomes with a new method of delivery.

With a high level of optimism and wonderful support from the School and local community, Term 1 concluded with children, teachers and parents having learnt a great deal of the school curriculum as well as learning about themselves. Being isolated at home and spending more time with family suited many children who thrived, while for others the change brought challenges; but this too was a learning opportunity.

Videos and support material were developed for parents by the School psychologists and wellbeing team. IT coordinators reached out to support parents, students and teachers and focussed on the pedagogy as well as the technology. The Chaplains continued with weekly chapel services. Specialist teachers, including our strings program and extensive peripatetic music program, were all delivered remotely.

Teachers found new ways to engage with the students, introducing interactive quizzes and real time tutorials. Others started pre-recording lessons so that children could replay the direct instruction several times to ensure complete understanding.

Children gave us honest feedback and teachers reported that they felt less reserved in the online environment and their acting skills blossomed!

In the last few weeks of Term 1, iPads were distributed to Pre-Kindergarten children ready to use in Term 2 to supplement the resource packages already produced. Teachers made videos to send to the parents outlining how the delivery of online learning would be managed with our youngest children. We were delighted that all teachers were upskilled to use Seesaw, Zoom, Google Classroom and NearPod for lesson preparation. New teams flourished as teachers reached out to support one another and new leaders emerged, demonstrating patience and kindness and understanding.

As we move forward delivering high quality learning, the teachers are demonstrating the Knox values of Faith, Integrity, Wisdom, Compassion and Courage. They have been role models to the students and the community displaying resilience, agility and optimism. We can look back on this time period as Wahroonga Prep being a part of history in the way we teach and learn.

Mrs Julie Wiseman
Head of Wahroonga Prep

This article was originally published in the June 2020 edition of The Thistle magazine.