新金山中文学校校长信箱(24072020)Xin Jin Shan Chinese Language and Culture School Principal’s Message
各位老师、同学和家长:
大家好!本周是我们学校这个学期第三个教学周。上个星期第二个教学周全校学生出勤率平均达到了97%,这里包括了学前班、1-11年级绝大部分上网课的学生,以及部分VCE12年级返校上课学生。我要给所有的老师、同学和家长们点个大赞,尤其是VCE12年级返校的同学们,他们来自四面八方,克服了种种困难相会校园,顺利完成了VCE中文考试的部分关键内容。这些VCE毕业班的学生们在新冠肺炎疫情严峻的情况之下依然不放弃学习中文,他们表现出的勇敢精神和对VCE中文考试必胜的信念值得赞扬!当然,由于维多利亚州疫情日趋严重和政府的禁令更加严格,为了师生们的健康安全,从本周起VCE12年级学生跟我们所有的学生一样都转入网课云端学习了。
我们学校将时刻关注疫情事态发展,严格遵守政府的紧急法令和教育部的相关规定,及时对我们的教学做出必要的调整和适时的安排。因此,我们需要在老师、同学和家长们中始终保持畅通的联系渠道。
从本星期四起,在维多利亚州大都市区域实施强制性戴口罩举措,以阻止新冠肺炎病毒的传播。根据新规定,大家出于四个被允许的理由离开家必须戴上一张可以遮住鼻子和嘴巴的面罩——出门的原因包括购买必需品,锻炼,医疗和护理,以及上学或工作。在公共交通工具上或与住所之外人士一起乘汽车出行时,您必须戴口罩。请注意,您在因以上允许的理由出门在外时必须随身携带一件面部遮盖物,即使他们在进行当前活动时不需要戴它的时候也是如此。基于目前的社会环境和健康安全的考虑,我校已经暂停发放学生作业本,老师们会提供电子版作业本,请家长打印后给孩子使用。凡是需要更换教材的(包括新生的教材)一律通过邮件联系,请家长谅解为盼。
最近,有家长跟我联系讨论网课学习的问题,虽然他们理解并接受网课是不得已、最安全的权宜之计,但是他们既要照顾孩子的生活,又要管理孩子的学习,感觉又累又无助。我很理解网课对家长会带来一定的压力,这是一个前所未有的特殊经历。正好我的同事向我推荐了发表在《先驱太阳报》上教育专家菲茨西蒙斯Jill Fitzsimons女生关于居家学习的几个建议,读了很受启示。这里跟大家分享几点:
首先,关于同一家庭几个孩子会分散注意力的问题。她建议开个家庭会议,试着以积极的方式进行准备。每个人都可以讨论在居家学习过程中什么是可以做的,什么是不可以做的,包括任何人不按照他们的约定去做的后果。
其次,关于孩子可否在卧室里上网课的问题,她建议学生应该在卧室外进行居家学习。
还有,两个孩子同时需要家长帮助该怎么办。她建议和孩子谈谈他们需要什么帮助。一个问题可能很快就能解决,另一个可能需要一些时间。家长要问孩子,在我帮助另一个时,他们是否可以继续做些什么。家长积极的肯定是关键,家长要感谢另一个孩子的耐心等待。
再有,如何保持远程(网课)学习的乐趣。她认为态度很重要。学生们会从成人那里得到启发,所以把居家学习看作是一个积极的机会,以不同的方式学习是关键。学生们喜欢玩游戏,因此使用教育性游戏提供帮助。
菲茨西蒙斯女生表示充分利用在家里的条件也是一件很有趣的事。她认为要允许孩子使用不同的工具来演示学习。他们可以制作视频、制作模型、录制播客、做研究、拍照等等。学生们越觉得自己有选择和发言权,通常学习起来就越有趣。
最后,特殊时期请大家注意健康、多多保重!
胡培康
校长
Xin Jin Shan Chinese Language and Culture School
Principal’s Message
Dear teachers, students and parents,
This weekend is the 3rd week of Term 3. Last weekend, 97% students in average attended our online classes including prep, year 1-11 students and some year 12 students who returned campus learning. I would like to give a big thumb to all our teachers, students and parents, especially the year 12 students who came from various suburbs and accomplished some critical parts of VCE Chinese exams. They are so brave and determined to accomplish their VCE learning at this very difficult time. However, considering the rising concern about the COVID-19 outbreak and harsher restrictions in Victoria, we have to make all the VCE 12 students come back to online learning as the students in other year levels from this coming weekend. We will try our best to follow all the restrictions and regulations required by the government and DET and make suitable adjustments for our teaching. Therefore, it is very important that we keep connected with each other online.
From Thursday 24 July, all the people living in metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire must wear a face covering when leaving home to stop the spread of COVID-19. People are only allowed to leave home for four reasons, shopping for food and supplies, care and caregiving, exercise and study and work if you can’t do it from home. A face covering needs to cover both your nose and mouth. If you are doing strenuous physical exercise you do not need to wear a face covering but you must carry one with you. You are required to wear a face covering on public transport or when sharing a car with anyone outside your family. Based on the current situation, parents are no longer allowed to collect student exercise books on campus. We would send you digital copy of exercise books for printing at home. If you need to collect new textbooks, please contact us by emails.
Recently some parents contacted me talking about their concerns about online learning. They understand that online learning is the only way to keep children safe at home. However they are very frustrated when they have to work at home themselves while taking care of children’s learning online. I fully understand parents’ pressure and it is an unprecedented experience for all of us. A friend recommended an article to me on Herald Sun written by Jill Fitzsimons, a local education expert talking about the tips for dealing with remote learning and I would like to share it with you.
First advice is about kids distracting the other kids. Jill suggested to get on the front foot in a positive way by having a family meeting when everyone can discuss what is and isn’t OK during home learning, including the consequences for anyone who doesn’t follow through with what they agreed to.
About whether it is ok for kids to do their home schooling in their bedrooms, she said ideally children should do their home schooling outside of their bedrooms.
What could parents do if both kids need help at the same time? She suggested to have a quick chat to them about what they need help with. One question could be really quick and the other might take some time. Parents could ask them both if there’s something they could go on with while you help the other. Positive affirmations are key here too. Parents could thank other child for being patient and for going on with something while they waited.
About keeping remote learning fun, Jill thought attitude is very important. Children pick up on adult’s cues so seeing home learning as a positive opportunity to learn in a different way is key. Children love games too, so using educational games can help break up the day. The other way to keep things fun is to allow children to use different tools to demonstrate learning. They can make videos, build models, record podcasts, do research and take photos etc. The more children feel they have choice and voice, the more fun it usually seems.
Let’s keep safe and healthy at this difficult stage.
Yours sincerely,
Kevin Hu
Principal