As we gear up for a range of home learning options, we want to assure parents that in these ‘anxious times’ our fierce desire is for everyone to be calm and non-threatened about the challenges ahead. We have enough anxiety about the health and safety of our family and friends, about our work and about the economy.

No doubt you have been inundated by information about ‘learning from home’ – from our school, the department and many other sources: web links, worksheets, video conferencing – much of it wonderful in its own right. But there are limits to what you as a family can do. As we unfold a range of options for students’ learning from home, please understand that learning also includes those things we included in our recent communication with you: reading together; getting some dirt under the fingernails in the garden; cooking up a storm; playing favourite board games; writing  a letter to a neighbour or family member; kicking a footy, and looking through family photo albums and asking lots of questions.

This is a time for students to be creative and joyful about a new kind of learning – at home or at school! In this spirit, our reception students in Room 8 had fun with the brightly-coloured ‘marvellous COVID monsters’ pictured above.

Last Friday, we also had a group of intrepid (anonymous) students create a ‘trap for teachers’ by the staff car park! Far be it for me to encourage anarchy, but I am sure you will agree we want our students to be brave and adventurous, creative and resourceful!

Our children may be just as scared as we are right now – they are possibly hearing more information (and misinformation) than they need,  and are trying to make sense of it. Despite our best intentions (yours and ours at school), children are picking up on our tension, anxiety and worry. They are hearing new words and social concepts that many of us have never had to consider before – social distancing, pandemic, quarantine, isolation, hoarding, physical space, COVID-19, lock-down. It is our job to help them navigate this tricky journey and provide them with an environment in which to have fun and enjoy childhood.

We will be here to support you along the way – we’re all in this together.