Kia ora e te whānau
Our thoughts are with you all as we move into this period of home learning during our lockdown.
We are grateful that we could be together yesterday and have a supportive community that is focused on looking out for each other while we spend the next four weeks at home.
As you may have heard already, the holidays have been brought forward to Monday 30th March – Tuesday 14th April. The next three days will give all families a chance to access the different online resources that are available and experiment with online learning. As this is new for everybody, including the teachers, please be patient with us as we sort out any login problems or user errors. Please remember, there may be technological delays as people move to online use across the whole country.
Students are welcome to carry out their own work anytime during the day. Teachers will be available to monitor work, offer support, check and comment on evidence and be contactable by email and Google Meet between 10am – 12pm each week day.
Home learning will generally take 1-2 hours per day, less than a regular school day. We are offering online/home learning to all families but we recognise that this may not be possible for everyone and that some days this will not be a priority. By far, the most important thing right now is well-being. Managing anxiety and isolation will look different for every whānau and everyone needs to do what works best for them and their tamariki. Accordingly, online learning is encouraged but not compulsory.
Here is a brief outline of what we have organised for the tamariki to do at home over the next three days.
Room 1:
Room 1 tamariki will be using Spotlight and their Google accounts for the majority of their work and communication. I will be contactable through email and Google Meet and all the expected work will be assigned on the Spotlight calendar. Tamariki can access their calendar through their Spotlight QR Code which was sent home with them in their folders. They will be able to post work/evidence and comments once they have completed a task – please remember that all tasks are completed within their own timeframe. I will be checking and commenting on work each week day and if you or your child have any issues or queries, please feel free to email me or invite me to a Google Meet (accessible through the Google apps mosaic icon on email or Google Drive). Writing can be completed on Google Docs and shared with me or can be posted on Spotlight – either way I will be able to see it and comment. Room 1 has been set up with E-Ako Maths, StudyLadder, ReadTheory and ReadWorks. All of their login details are in their folders, along with other online resources they can access for Reading, Writing and Maths. Room 1 tamariki have been asked to complete 30 minutes of Reading, Writing, Maths and Fitness each day but please remember online learning is encouraged but not compulsory. This week on Thursday, I will create a Google Meet for each Math Mate group to mark Sheet 6 Term 1. The invitation will be sent to the tamariki email accounts. They will need to check their emails regularly and accept the invitation. This will also act as a chance to practice using Google Meet for all tamariki.
5.1 Math Mate will meet online to mark at 10am, 4.2 will meet at 10.20am, 4.1 will meet at 11am, and 3.2 will meet at 11.30am.
Stay safe and Kia Kaha!
Room 2:
Each student has a QR code in their folders and the Spotlight calendar will have expected work for the day listed. Students will be able to manage themselves and complete the work in their own timeframe and post evidence on Spotlight when completed. I will be reading through evidence and writing comments each week day. Each reading group also has a shared Google Doc set up that group members can add to and will have information about what we are learning to do. E-Ako maths has been set up for Room 2 and each student should have been sent their username and password. Please let me know if it has not come through or is not working. Activities have been assigned and the calendar will let you know how many should be done each day, but students are more than welcome to do as many as they want. We have organised Google Meet for all students which means that we will be able to have video conferences (or read a bit of Harry Potter) for those who have access to a camera. The video calls will not be compulsory but will be a way for us to mark Maths Mate together and check in with each other. I will post a link on Thursday morning for Google Meet on Spotlight for anyone that wants to join. 11.00am for 3.1, 11.30am for 3.2 and 11.50am for 4.1. Please remember to try and stay positive, get some exercise, cook or garden and create some magic every day.
Room 3:
In Room 3’s packs, your tamaiti (child) has some independent readers, a folder with their pass codes and additional resources targeted to their needs (handwriting cards, word games etc).
In the online folder are a variety of links.
- Storyline Online – this is a story link where tamariki can listen to stories read to them.
- BBC Bitesize – this is a typing program for tamariki to learn some typing skills. This could be used for 5-10 minutes a day.
- National Geographic for kids – this is a lovely website to explore.
- Studyladder – which can be used for Reading and Maths. The children are familiar with logging onto Studyladder. Each tamaiti has allocated pods of work and they can choose which activities they would like to do for a maximum of 20 minutes each day.
- If you’d like to work on offline activities, a focus on recall of basic facts up to 20 or multiplication facts for 1, 2, 5 and 10 could be a focus.
- Spotlight QR code: each child can also use their QR code to access their Spotlight account. By going to workshop follow ups, they can join a Google Meet/Hangout to connect with both teachers. Please try to meet with Sarah or Mrs Savage through the Google Hangout over the next three days.
- A Google Meet hangout app to download for tablets or phones.
- QR code reader – this is for you to use so that your computer can read the QR code for Spotlight. Tablets will automatically recognise the QR code from most cameras.
- Google Drive link – this is to access their own Google Drive. Each tamaiti has a Google email. Please note these are now set up and the password is password.
Room 4:
In Room 4’s packs, I have added a selection of readers and their writing books. I have also included a variety of literacy and numeracy worksheets and activities. These types of activities have all been done in class recently so they should all be familiar to the children. Many will be able to do this work independently but some may need a bit of adult assistance to get started.
Each day this week, the children can:
- Choose a reader to read with a sibling/parent, or independently
- Do a picture plan and write a story in their writing books
- Choose a couple of numeracy sheets to complete (dot to dots, mazes, addition practice etc)
- Choose a couple of literacy sheets to complete (phonic, CVC sheets, handwriting, poem etc)
At some point on Thursday or Friday, I would love to touch base with the tamariki of Room 4 via Google Meet. I will make sure I am online between 10-12pm on those days for this purpose. Please support your little ones to access this link: https://meet.google.com/rbc-pzwx-uoo and I can catch up with them via video conference.
Any technical issues please contact Mrs Savage via email principal@cardinalmckeefry.school.nz and she will set up a Google meet to support you.