Genazzano teachers and students reflect on remote learning in nature partner’s education blog

REFLECTIONS ON LEARNING AT A DISTANCE

It has been inspiring to work alongside dedicated Genazzano teachers who, over recent months, have been consistently focused on student wellbeing and learning as priorities in their work to continue to deliver quality learning programs. Genazzano was recently invited to share some insights into our experiences of remote learning through an opportunity to contribute to Nature Partner Journal: Science of Learning.

Mrs Pinto, Mrs Laussen (Science teachers) and Ms Beegan (Deputy Principal: Learning and Teaching) offered considered reflections of learning at a distance for the online journal. Facing a number of challenges was not unexpected with the need to rapidly change learning and teaching. One of most difficult aspects for teachers is the inability to connect face to face with students and to check on their progress and wellbeing, as they would normally do in a school day.  

Mrs Pinto and Mrs Laussen highlighted collegiality and collaboration, a sense of gratitude and a willingness to embrace new technology as examples of our teachers’ strengths and positive approach to LAAD. Ms Beegan wrote of the changing landscape, holding on to ‘good teaching’ and of the many opportunities that have been revealed.  She hopes that 2020 will be “remembered for all the right reasons –  a time to reassess, redirect, reimagine and redesign learning”.

Year 11 students, Prue Spencer and Lucie McLeod, contributed mature and thoughtful responses on learning lifelong skills, appreciating family, embracing adaptability and the importance of connecting with teachers and friends. 

These Genazzano student and teacher reflections are featured in a series of blog posts by Gabrielle Ahern, editor of Nature Partner Journal Science of Learning, which you can read in the links below.

How things Change– Lorna Beegan

School life in lockdown – Prue Spencer

Different and strange, but good.  – Lucie McLeod

Lessons Learnt – Jess Pinto and Bev Laussen

Director, Genazzano Institute of Learning and Brain Sciences