Online, or Distance Education, became a reality at the start of Term 2 in April 2020, replacing face-to-face lessons as a result of the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Staff training and lesson planning to cater specifically for remote teaching and learning were completed during the Easter break. Fortunately, all girls and staff were already familiar with the Microsoft OneNote platform and Class Notebooks were in place as the primary platform for content delivery at the College since the end of 2018.
A laptop is issued to all girls and staff on arrival at St Anne’s and this has allowed a smooth transition to distance learning. Outlook and Microsoft Teams are used for communicating with our students and we have opted to run a structured programme of 6 academic lessons per day with times closely resembling our normal timetable. Girls are encouraged to log messages for further support with teachers should they require it.
In keeping with our holistic approach at St Anne’s, the remote interaction with our students goes beyond academics to include pastoral matters – spirituality, mental health and physical fitness. Programmes and communication in all these areas are ongoing and well-received.
Testimonial
“I would just like to thank you for the amazing job you and the staff have done with regards to online learning. I must say I was nervous and concerned about how it would all work and whether it would successfully replace the classroom but I have been hugely impressed. It started out a bit tough, but after a few weeks I am so impressed with how our daughter has been able to adapt and the interaction from her teachers has kept her motivated and enthusiastic. It has been evident that she’s developed good relationships with all her teachers and that she has continued to grow through this online period. She has done all her learning completely independently and I am extremely grateful for the support she has received from her teachers.
I would also like to compliment you on the IT systems that were in place prior to online learning… this has certainly been a very important part of the process and the fact that they were in place, girls were familiar with them and each have a device they are proficient with, has been a huge factor in making the process easier for the girls to adapt.
I really like the fact that the daily routine has been maintained. This has ensured a more structured day and definitely assisted with staying on track with what is required to be achieved each day. She is desperately missing school, the teachers, friends and the space of the beautiful campus but you and your team have done a fantastic job ensuring the continuity of learning. We are so grateful to everyone who has been involved in this process and to be part of the St Anne’s community.
I can imagine that this has been a very difficult time for you and all the staff and I really appreciate the personal sacrifice that has gone into the process. While we don’t know when we will return to school, we can’t wait for that day to arrive!”
GRADE 8 PARENT
FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF OUR GIRLS
“I am loving the recordings for Accounting … and now I can take the time to pause the lessons and fully grasp the work.”
“In English it was great to have teachers other than our own explaining a poem to us.”
“Maths is going well, I just find I am not completing all the work in lesson, but am able to finish after school.”
“I am finding Afrikaans hard … but my sister and I help each other, and she is able to tell me what is required when Mevrou is not there to translate.”
“In Geography I am enjoying the little tests at the end of each lesson as I am then able to see if I have understood the material.”
“In History it has been like having a lesson at school. The notes are being annotated and there are video clips inserted as well.”
“In Drama it was lovely having the book read to us, so we just needed to follow.”
“Physics is hard, but it helped having the video recording to go back to when working in the afternoons.”
“Maths Lit is easy to follow. The expectations are laid out for us each lesson.”
“When I couldn’t understand some French, I called my teacher and she explained it immediately, and that was reassuring.”
“I practice my piano with my teacher on WhatsApp video, and that works well for me.”