How we are checking in with our students without being face to face
In what has been an extremely difficult time for all Autstralian’s, our students have also been heavily affected with the instant change of routine, change of learning environment, uncertainty of when they will see their friends and teachers next and increased stress of what is happening with the outside world.
Toorak Primary teachers have acted quickly to be a beacon of support for students in these times. With classes instantly moving to an online platform, staff were very quick to introduce strategies and activities to ensure students’ wellbeing needs were met, they felt comfortable in their new environment and citizenship values were still addressed.
Teachers at TPS have done this by:
- Online check in circles – google classroom and compass emails have been used to allow students to connect with their feelings and get support from their classmates or teacher.
- Affective statements – teachers are still using affective statements to communicate with students and give feedback on student work. Adding an emotion to feedback, has allowed our students to feel a personal connection with their teacher while off campus.
- Respectful Relationships – lessons have been adapted to suit home learning. Students have completed some activities to look deeper at personal strengths, before we move onto positive coping and problem solving in term 2.
- TPS Citizenship focus – During March our citizenship value of the month was respect. Students ended the month by completing a respect task at home. We saw some great respect posters students made for local shopping centres and respect rules students made for school at home.
- For the first 4 weeks of term 2, our citizenship value of the month is kindness. Again, we have been inundated with responses from students random acts of kindness. Toorak citizens are doing our part to make the world a happier place to be.
- Weekly Wellbeing Newsletter – our Wellbeing officer, Sara, is sending out a weekly newsletter and video to give students and parents tips about how to look after themselves while off campus.
We thank the hard work of all staff to make this transition as smooth as possible.