Learning At Home
Mercury Bay Area School, is providing quality learning for students at home during periods of lockdown.
We learned a lot from our last experience of distance learning. Teachers and students gave fantastic feedback and reflections, and we have had space to reflect.
Primary School (Year 1-6)
Some of the key messages we have heard and have taken into account:
- Wellbeing is our most important priority, if you are not feeling ok please reach out.
- Go slow and be kind.
- Students like structure and familiarity.
- Students appreciated the opportunity to see their teacher and their classmates on a regular basis through Zoom.
Teachers in Years 1-6 will continue to deliver the learning programme through Dojo and students will be able to share their work through Dojo or the Google platform.
Your child’s teacher will be communicating directly with you in regards to how they will run their programme and the hours they will be available. As an overall structure, they will be available for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, including zoom sessions. In order to help maintain their well-being we have asked them not to answer emails and dojo messages outside of those times.
The learning programme that will be provided is a suggestion. You may have other plans for lockdown learning and that is awesome. Whatever you choose to do, please share it with your child’s teacher through Dojo so they can maintain that relationship and connection to their class.
As a general rule, reading something, writing something, playing games and being engaged in whānau activities are great ways to learn through lockdown. We’ll be sending out some ideas but please remember that these are not compulsory, they are suggestions.
Anne-Maree McDougall
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Middle and Senior School (Year 7-13)
Some of the key messages we have heard and have taken into account:
- Wellbeing is our most important priority, if you are not feeling ok please reach out.
- Go slow and be kind.
- Students like structure and familiarity.
- For Y 9 - 13 classes, Hāpara Workspace is the platform and students asked for a singular platform. Year 7 & 8 classes will continue to use the platforms they use in class.
- Emails were difficult to manage, especially volume.
- Students need support with using Calendar, for keeping up with Zoom meetings and managing workshops.
- Office hours and opportunities for quick check-ins and clarification conversations were valued.
- Students have more to do than spend all their time on school work. (A large majority had a lot of extra responsibility at home - especially at Level 3)
- Students needed space for mahi in their sessions, rather than spending the allotted time talking and then being given lots of mahi to complete afterwards.
- Many students enjoyed the autonomy of prioritising their work streams and engagement.
Zoom meetings/classes:
When starting a class in Zoom, teachers will use the waiting room and wait for more than one or two to log in before letting you in.
Teachers may also use the waiting room as an office door for one on one drop in sessions or office hours.
Timetable structure for distance learning at MBAS for SY and MY classes:
Your online school begins at 10am every day and follows your actual timetabled classes for each day. The classes are shorter and there is time to take a break as well as time to do class work during the rest of the day.
|
TIMES |
MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
|
10am - 10.25am |
Block 1 |
Block 1 |
Block 1 |
Block 1 |
Block 1 |
|
10.30am - 10.55am |
Block 2 |
Block 2 |
Block 2 |
Block 2 |
Block 2 |
|
11am - 11.55am |
Break and Study time |
Break and Study time |
Break and Study time |
Break and Study time |
Break and Study time |
|
12pm - 12.25pm |
Block 3 |
Block 3 |
Block 3 |
Block 3 |
Block 3 |
|
12.30pm - 12.55pm |
Block 4 |
Block 4 |
Block 4 KAURI Group |
Block 4 |
Block 4 |
|
1pm - 3pm |
Study time |
Study time |
Study time |
Study time |
Study time |
Teachers may structure your learning time to use one or two blocks a week to provide guided tuition and the other blocks as open door drop ins or office hours for those that seek specific clarification or support.
Teachers will be available and accessible during your class times.
KAURI GROUP TIME
Wednesday is the same structure with the addition of a Block 4.
Block 4 on Wednesday will be the only formal KAURI GROUP TIME for middle years and senior years in the week.
Communication
Teachers will send out emails for the day and Zoom invites between 8.30 and 9am only. We want to avoid emails and invites coming out to you at all times of the day and night. You will then have the space and time to organise yourselves before classes start at 10am each day.
Teachers will spread learning tasks and information across the week rather than everything coming to you at once.
You should be able to organise your zoom lessons and your days using Google Calendar. If you need support with how to use and to link with your calendars please ask your KAURI coach.
Rangimarie Centre - Wellbeing
All students can access online counselling 7 days a week through 0800 WHATS UP through the front page of our school website https://mbas.ac.nz/ . Scroll down a little and click on the thumbprint on the right hand side to be guided through this. If you are concerned for your well-being, or you are not coping well or know of someone else who might be finding things a little tough, please contact a KAURI coach, a Dean, or the Rangimarie Centre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
KAURI Coaches - Learning Coaches and Pastoral Care
KG or KAURI GROUP TIME is incredibly important in supporting wellbeing in our kura.
It is important for check ins, connections and sense making. This is just as important for us as teachers as it is for our students.
Kia kaha!
Ngā mihi nui,
Mr Wilkinson and Mrs Bloom.
