Std 7 New Normal

Std 7 New Normal

We started off the second term in a completely different way.  It was a learning experience for all!  But clearly, once we had all settled in and got used to the whole online teaching platform, came all the positives. This type of learning is definitely the way of the future. For our Std 7 children, Google Classroom proved a way to develop independence and responsibility. They had to learn to work by themselves and take the initiative to do all the required tasks. It required a lot of discipline and self-motivation, but the rewards were there for all to see.

There was a development of a new type of creativity. Poems and songs were written about new experiences that all the children were experiencing. Personal writing and sharing feelings became part of the lockdown way of living. Children, who in a classroom setting had sometimes struggled to find relevance to writing, suddenly found themselves freely able to write in a new way. Characters from much loved books were given an update and the pupils wrote on how they were able to deal with Covid-19.

There was a new expression in Art lessons. Children had to use items from home as their stimuli. Their whole grocery cupboard took on a new look with some up to date labels. Dressing up as a famous work of art. The Mona Lisa, was something that could not have been done at school.

Without distractions from others, new levels of concentration were found and Maths exercises were often done with ease. Practical work in Science took on a new meaning. Instead of laboratory work, bread, yoghurt and cheese making was done in the kitchen and we hope that families enjoyed the final products. Growing mould on bread might not have been for the whole family, but this kind of hands on work in Science makes for much better understanding. Parallels were made between the Corona pandemic and Spanish flu.

Coming back to the physical school building has not been the end of Google Classroom as much homework is now done using it. At school, the pupils have adapted very well to the new rules and regulations and they now automatically follow most things – the new normal! The whole focus on hygiene has been good and many of the usual winter coughs and sniffles have not materialised. The children are learning to be prepared and the skill of advanced planning is a worthwhile life skill. Classroom assemblies have taken place and once again this has offered new opportunities for far greater pupil participation.

Whilst at the beginning of the year we certainly did not anticipate the way we would now be learning, we can say that the children have benefited from attaining a whole host of new life skills.