Term 2 Begins - Ako in Lockdown

Kia ora whanau,

Just like you, I am facing the start of Term 2 tomorrow with reluctance, semi-preparedness but also a bit of nervous excitement. The reality is that we are entering a new normal, and we wont know for how long we will be expected to facilitate distance learning as we move in and out of different COVID-19 Alert Levels.

Regardless of your level of prior knowledge and experience with distance learning, this year looks like it's going to be all about reciprocal AKO! We will all be learning as we go.

Like you, I have spent the last two weeks asking myself these questions:

How are we possibly going to be able to deliver our normal high quality teaching and learning programs from home?
How are we going to be able to make sure each of our students are receiving the necessary learning materials?
How can we be sure they understand the tasks?
How can we provide feedback in meaningful ways?
How will we be able to assess learning?

While I'd love to provide answers for all of these questions, I am afraid the next few weeks are going to feel a bit like treading water in the deep end. I'm hoping that the pages I have created on "Distance Learning During the Lockdown" and "Key Tips for Using Digital Technologies" will provide you with some flotation devices to keep you afloat.  Some of the resources will help you ask about strategies to use in your planning. Others will direct you to reflect on how you can deliver content and provide feedback to your students in different forms.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Please work with the common communication systems with which your students are already most familiar (using microsoft 365, imaths and email to name a few. But, I encourage you to try your luck at seeking new resources, creating new interactive content and checking in with your colleagues and students to see what's working for them. If you have any gems, send them my way and I will try to incorporate them here.