SOMERSET WEST – Learners and teachers of Reddam House Somerset have quickly adapted to learning and teaching online during the nationwide lockdown.
After the early closure of the school in March, teachers spent the school holidays preparing online lessons, which started on Tuesday 14 April. “The virtual school programme we have implemented mirrors the actual school day as closely as possible, including school timings,” explained Janine Tessendorf, head of Reddam House Somerset.
“I am extremely grateful to my staff, who have embraced this new challenge with fortitude and courage. The ease with which all our staff moved onto online platforms bares testimony to the calibre of the teaching staff at Reddam House Somerset. The most important lesson I have learnt is that nothing is impossible when you have a good team behind you.”
The virtual school experience ensures live student-teacher interaction, which is fundamental to all learners progressing and achieving their full potential. Learning now takes place via various platforms including Zoom, Google Meet, Google Classroom, Hangout Conferencing and Google Shared Drive. Specialist lessons also continue, with teachers preparing activities for children on the day that the specialist subject takes place.
Teachers record all lessons, which are made available to learners who may need to refer back to a particular lesson at a later stage. “I have come to realise that I have taken for granted the privilege of teaching in a classroom at a great school. I miss the contact time and interaction with students – just seeing them on a computer screen for a limited time does not do it for me,” said mathematics teacher Clarence Oliver.
Said Grade 12 learner Samantha Sibanda says of the new online learning: “Lockdown has put community in perspective for me – I have loved seeing all the online videos and compilations of people being everyday heroes and the rest of society giving them the gratitude they deserve.”
Rochelle Meissner, a Grade 11 learner, has acquired a greater appreciation for meditative activities. “My life has slowed down a lot and I often find myself finding the value in each moment. Rather than just passing the time I appreciate my time. I spend more time thinking about things that are really important to me, such as my friendships. The material world has given way to a much more existential and emotional reality.”
