Melbourne Grammar School entered a period of off-campus learning program on Monday 23 March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in Prep and in Years 1, 2, 11 and 12 returned to on-campus learning on Tuesday 26 May Students in Years 3 – 10 returned on Tuesday 9 June 2020.
It was important that School community members continued to feel connected to the School and to each other during this time. Here are just a sample of the new approaches to learning and engaging initiated for this purpose.
Cross Country challenge reaches New Zealand
The annual Grimwade House Cross Country Challenge looked a little different this year. With off-campus learning taking place, the entire Grimwade House community—students, parents and staff—took up the challenge to get outside and walk, ride or run with their families during Week 5 of Term II.
This new Cross Country format meant Junior Primary students could take part in the challenge for the first time. The challenge encouraged all participants to stay active, engage with their local communities, and above all have fun.
Over the week, participants measured and logged their distances online, with each House vying to get closest to the goal of 2,575km. This represents the distance between our community and the Head of Campus, Mr Helm, who was isolating in New Zealand with his family.
The community went well past that goal, with a combined total of 3,393km logged, and Austin House taking home the 2020 Cross Country Cup.
Centralising parent support and information
The online COVID-19 Resource Hub operated as a resource for parents during the pandemic, particularly in relation to off-campus learning.
In addition to weekly information updates, the Hub contains numerous resources aimed at supporting health and wellbeing, faith and spirituality, and engagement between School community members.
View the COVID-19 Resource Hub here.
A glittery greeting lands in Year 3 letterboxes
Year 3 students were thrilled to receive a hand-written note from their teacher in their letterbox while studying off-campus.
Year 3 teachers embarked on this initiative as a way of connecting and providing comfort during this isolating time.
“It is pretty unique for this generation to receive a personalised letter in the mail,” says Year 3 teacher, Mrs Shelley Faulds. “We imagined they would get a thrill opening their letter and having an explosion of glitter and sequins.”
“Most importantly, we wanted them to know that we cared about them beyond their academics,” Mrs Faulds added. “We definitely felt the bond between home and school strengthen through this simple action.”
Shakespearian analysis for the YouTube generation
Year 8 English teacher, Mr Dan Bevan, has captivated his off-campus students by challenging them to turn a written essay into a video essay.
Students were asked to learn a Shakespearean soliloquy and provide commentary on it, then find a creative way to present their ideas through video, using technology in a way that may have been new to them. In this way, a traditional task of Shakespearian analysis became something far more engaging.
“Typically, we’d break this down in class and use storyboarding on the whiteboard to help,” explains Mr Bevan. “With online learning, we had to invent another way for students to build on their written analysis.”
Continuing a vital classroom routine
For our youngest students, hearing a book read aloud is an important part of learning. To maintain this crucial classroom practice, Headmaster, Mr Philip Grutzner, created a library of online videos in which he read picture books to the girls and boys of Grimwade House. The videos, recorded prior to social distancing measures, presented stories of kindness, hope and optimism to lift children’s spirits.
Watch them here.
Wadhurst students create COVID-19 time capsule
When off-campus learning began, Wadhurst teacher Mr Paul Stewart seized the opportunity to create The Pandemonium—a weekly magazine filled with student articles, artwork, recipes, photographs, competitions, stories, crosswords and more.
For six weeks, staff and students enjoyed this celebration of all things Wadhurst. Each edition served as a reminder that while students are physically separate, they are still united.
“For me, it was important to find another avenue to connect students back to school each week,” Mr Stewart said. “This was something that all students and staff could participate in. It wasn’t formal or assessed, but it was a fun way to connect them as adolescents rather than students.”
“What I loved about it was it gave students who wouldn’t normally showcase their work the opportunity to submit written pieces, drawings or photographs,” Mr Stewart added.
Like so many other School publications, perhaps The Pandemonium will be pulled off the shelf in five, 20, or 50 years’ time, reflecting the magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis along with the responses of today’s Wadhurst students.
Making music as an isolated orchestra
Members of the Senior School Symphony Orchestra have continued their activities over the past few months by creating an ‘iso recording’. Students recorded their individual parts at home, then these recordings were knitted together to create a completed piece.
The orchestra is one of the largest School groups, connecting students from a variety of year levels and Houses. This project provided an opportunity to come together through music in a new, creative way.
“The boys felt it was important to create something for the wider school community,” says Director of Symphony Orchestra, Pat Miller. “They love making music for each other and thought this could contribute to cheering everyone up during this period. It was certainly challenging, but it taught students a new range of technical and musical skills. Learning in new ways like this is also great preparation for their futures.”
Video recipes offer another way to connect and learn
Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School, Mr Ben Hanisch, was busy in the kitchen during the COVID-19 lockdown, filming cooking demonstrations for his Senior School students.
Each week, Mr Hanisch shared videos showing how to make some of his favourite dishes. From linguine all’Amatriciana to chicken caccitore, students were encouraged to learn new skills and help out at home by making these dishes for their families.
This was another simple example of how students and teachers could stay connected while learning from home, even though activities that don’t fall strictly within the classroom curriculum. Hopefully, mum, dad and the family also benefited from a few meals taken care of by our home cooks!
VIA Committee provides support close to home
In any other year, the Values in Action (VIA) Committee would currently be reflecting on their trip to Vietnam, during which students spend the two-week Easter holiday engaged in community service in disadvantaged communities.
While those plans could not proceed this year, the VIA Committee still found ways to ensure students were able to help those in need. New initiatives included collecting and distributing second-hand technology to ensure students could access online learning, and distributing donated board games and sporting equipment to families. Students also created hampers of essentials and food and wrote letters to aged care residents.
Year 12 student, Ben Lipchin, and Year 11 student, William Flintoft, VIA Committee Chair and Secretary, respectively, said these local initiatives were meaningful to students as well as the people they supported. “Community service is an amazing way to not only stay involved in the life of the School while in isolation, but also to help support the most disadvantaged members of our community who, tragically, are the worst affected by this pandemic,” they said.
Finding time for reflection amid rapid change
Spirituality is part of our School’s everyday life, so while students and teachers were away from campus, it was still important to find time to reflect and consider our deeper need for meaning.
Responding to the challenge, the Senior School Chapel Committee took it upon themselves to create student-led Chapel services, constructing and uploading 10-minute reflections for students to access online. Each week covered a different theme, from fear of failure to loneliness and gratitude. These added to written reflections, prayers and readings from students and Rev’d Hans Christensen. While very different, the new format gave students a new way to consider these issues in their own time, at their own pace.
Senior School photography competition
Staff and students were invited to submit entries into a photography competition during the period of off-campus learning. Find out more, and view winning entries here.
