Staff On Working Remotely
- April 1, 2020
This is the first official week of remote learning and teaching for our staff and students. We asked staff to tell us how their first week has been. Here’s what they had to say.
Amber Price, Year 5 Teacher
I’ve been so impressed with my girls’ resilience and ability to adapt to such unprecedented times. They’ve embraced online learning so quickly and the way they are encouraging and helping each other online is beautiful. Every time someone posts their work at least four girls will comment saying how great it looks and what a good job they’ve done.
Emma Wood, Head of Sport
I can say from a PE point of view, whilst it’s been crazy and hectic and we’re missing the girls, there is a part of me that’s loving it. I’m learning so much about online learning platforms (my brain hurts) but I’m also loving the freedom to be super creative. There are really no limits or boundaries to what we can do and that’s exciting!!
Melissa Marshall, Head of Digital Learning | Head of Technology & Commerce
I have found a great deal of adaptability as students and staff have made the adjustment. In my classes on Teams, I have asked the girls to ‘check in’ each day with a ‘like’ on my morning message if they are on track and happy with their progress through the work. If they don’t ‘like’ the message, that is my cue to email them and find out how things are going. This is simple, but I have found it is really helping me see each girl who would normally be sitting in front of me in class.Â
Our Learning Area have started a WhatsApp chat for our office discussions and banter. This is one way we can keep in touch informally and look after one another. The photo sharing and comments have been great to look at throughout the day and helps me feel connected to the office. Time is a lot more flexible now, so we are all adapting to this.
Year 6 teacher, Bianca Stockden, setting up for a science experiment for Year 6 classes
Bianca Stockden, Year 6 Teacher (add photo)
It has been very strange and a little lonely ‘teaching’ from home, however, I look forward to seeing the girls’ faces during our daily Teams Meeting and hearing about their day. The girls have impressed me with their creativity, problem-solving skills and independence.  It has been an adjustment and a great learning experience for me, as well as the girls, as I have explored many online platforms and even created a science experiment in my kitchen for the girls to watch or re-create.
 Patrick Thomas, Year 7 Homeroom TeacherÂ
My Homeroom and I still do Homeroom together each morning and say the daily prayer. Today we sang Happy Birthday to Amelia, with my non-guitar playing skills. We all got to show off our pets and the boarders showcased ‘Spirit Day’, where they dress up in a different theme each day as part of an initiative to lift isolation spirits.
Lisa Taylor, Humanities & Social Sciences Teacher
My week so far is going well, I am making the most of a challenging situation by updating my ICT skills, recording lessons and using Teams to connect with my classes. My Year 12 History class are champions, adjusting to our new regime really well. We have even done an assessment online and all from the comfort of our loungerooms!
Working online from home has been really busy and while it is creating new opportunities for learning, if I’m really honest, I miss the classroom, the best part of teaching is being in the classroom with your students and I can’t wait to see them all again.
Lisa Winkler, Religious Education Teacher
My Year 9 Religious Education class has been looking at the different literary forms in the Bible. They were given the task to re-write one of the stories from Genesis, as a poem, to demonstrate the different forms of writing in the bible. Here are two from my students
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.