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Junior School
Renae, Eloise and classmates learn to become digital citizens using their notebooks. Junior School students in the 1990s enjoyed the school’s first one-to one-laptops.
Continuity and change
Some things have changed, and some things have stayed the same. For Head of Junior School, Louise Peyton, MLC’s ability to strike a balance between tradition and innovation has ensured students remain engaged, both in the classroom and in their co-curricular activities.
Louise Peyton joined MLC as Head of Junior School in 2020, two months prior to Victoria’s first lockdown. For this reason, Louise has a unique insight into how quickly MLC can adapt, and holds a special appreciation for the innovations of the past. For Louise, many of MLC’s early innovations continue to serve the College community. “MLC was a leader in the adoption of one-to-one notebook computers for student use in 1990. Today, all students from Prep to Year 12 have a personal device, used for schoolwork, socialising, general communication, co-curricular purposes and for having fun”, says Louise. Where would we have been during periods of remote learning due to the pandemic if we had not had access to electronic devices? “In Junior School, as it was across the entire College, lessons were facilitated through Microsoft Teams”, says Louise. “Continued wellbeing was a central focus, with our teaching staff maintaining regular contact with our learners. We were fortunate to have incredible resourcing, such as our students having access to over 2000 fiction books in our Digital Library. “Importantly, now that both students and families are familiar with online learning, we can continue to use online tools when and where they fit. It’s opened up a whole range of possibilities, but that wouldn’t have been there if we didn’t have our laptop program and extensive resourcing established in the first place.” MLC’s student clubs is one such area where online learning tools continue to assist student activities. “For students in Prep to Year 6, we have various Literature and Languages clubs, Art Club, Spark Jnr and Chess Club. Whether students are at home, on campus, or on campus but socially distancing, our technological systems allow their togetherness, socialising and fun to carry on, something we know to be integral to their learning and wellbeing.” More broadly, Louise recognises that the way we educate at MLC keeps pace with technological change. “How students learn to read has been largely based on theories for the past 120 years, but in the last 20 years, MRI scanning has enabled cognitive neuroscientists to actually see inside the brain and identify what happens when students read”, says Louise. “This has enabled us as educators to bridge the gap between research and practice. For example, the research into the benefits of handwriting has shown strong links between handwriting, reading and spelling. So, while we have reaped the benefits and convenience of our electronic devices, we will not be giving up on pen and paper too soon!”
