NURTURING OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS

Nurturing quality relationships and building confident, enthusiastic learners are goals that Prep teachers Carla Bond and Nadia Holding place at the heart of their work. In March 2020, with students only part way through Term 1, these principles held firm as they transitioned to distance learning.

‘Our students were only at the very beginnings of learning to read and write, and were still getting to know their teachers and their classmates when the transition occurred … This meant that strategies used to manage the shift to distance learning for older students were not necessarily appropriate for our girls.’ – Carla Bond

Focused on keeping their students feeling connected, a key part of Ruyton’s approach was to ensure Prep students could see and hear their teachers as much as possible: ‘We relied less on written instruction and instead used a lot of video and audio recordings to communicate with the girls, to set lessons, and to give feedback,’ noted Nadia Holding. Predictable routines are a significant part of any successful Prep classroom, so the teachers ensured a recognisable flow to the day. With the help of an app, the girls took turns to ‘show and tell’ by posting photos, making comments, and asking questions – this was great in that they not only developed oral language skills, but also nurtured new friendships.

The guided reading programme transitioned with the use of eBooks on students’ School iPads. Each student was provided with readers for her level, as part of Ruyton’s attention to personalised, differentiated learning. Ensuring the girls had a well-balanced day away from screens was also a priority, so lessons regularly included yoga, mindfulness, and craft activities with materials commonly found around the home. There have been some unexpected silver linings: ‘For their age group, the girls’ oral language skills have developed rapidly,’ explained Nadia Holding, ‘We’ve also seen some of our girls’ confidence grow much more quickly than we may have witnessed in the classroom setting.’ Moreover, some of the teaching tools and resources introduced during distance learning are going to find a permanent home in the classroom, such as the reading programme. The partnership between School and students’ families is something that Carla and Nadia reflected upon. According to Carla, ‘the parents and families have been absolutely amazing in the way they’ve supported their daughters during this time. We’ve really appreciated the positive feedback they’ve given us – it’s been an incredibly busy time and their support has meant a lot. We’re looking forward to continuing these relationships as we welcome the girls back into their classrooms. It’s really exciting.’ Interview with Carla Bond and Nadia Holding, Prep Teachers by Cathy Dodson, Community Relations