04 May 2020
Learning support staff at Telopea Park School use technology to bring the classroom to students
The support staff at Telopea Park School have been utilising technology to connect with their students and support families during remote learning.
Learning Support Assistants have been working in pairs video conferencing with their primary and secondary school students. They work from the classroom, sometimes dressing up for the occasion, to teach French to students at home.
Telopea Park School’s Business Manager, Mary Ryan, provided more information on how the learning has been operating and how this has benefited the students, particularly in their learning of French.
“For primary students, our Learning Support Assistants have been reading stories in both French and English and have been doing videos in the classroom where they will go around and say what objects are in both languages.
“Because a lot of our students are learning language through a national program, their parents may not necessarily have French as a language. This is why it’s really important we keep their French up as best as we can while they’re not in school,” Mary said.
For younger students, seeing their school classroom helps them feel connected to their class and teachers and helps with continuity of their learning.
“We think it’s really important to have videos in classrooms, for them to see a familiar space, particularly for the younger children in kindergarten and year 1.
“Despite the fact they are not in their actual classroom, we can video their classroom and let the children see that it is waiting and ready for them to come back to.”
Learning Support Assistants have also been working with vulnerable and special needs secondary students, going through their timetables and helping them with lessons.
Video conferencing has been particularly helpful to students with autism, while they learn from home.
“We’ve got a couple of little ones in primary who have autism and they really need that continuity with their Learning Support Assistants and teachers,” Mary said.
“The Learning Support Assistants have been doing a fantastic job. When they ring the students, the kids respond so well with stories. They feel like they have that routine of still being able to do their schooling.”
Library Assistants have also been incredibly helpful to families, keeping in touch and helping to solve any issues that students and parents may have with technology. Mary mentioned that for parents, this can come as a welcome support as they navigate remote learning with their children.
“It’s a big thing for parents to be able to do schooling at home with their children. The more that we can do from a school perspective to support them, the better for everyone involved in that child’s learning.”
As Business Manager of Telopea Park School, Mary remarked on the incredible job being done by teaching and non-teaching staff both at the school and across the country to continue children’s education.
“Teachers and staff are doing an amazing job. They’ve taken everything in their stride, especially with all the recent changes. They’re fantastic and such a dedicated staff.