Saving the silver lining
During the extended period of virtual learning, independent schools looked to find innovative ways to engage, motivate and assist students in gaining a fulsome learning experience. Some of the programs that were introduced during that time were so successful they have now been introduced to in-school education on a permanent basis.
“Early in the shutdown, to help reduce screen time we created an asynchronous program where teachers posted material at the beginning of each week with mastery tasks due at the end of that same week,” says Seonaid Davis, viceprincipal, teaching & learning, at Havergal College, a JK-TO-G12 school for girls in Toronto. “Students enjoyed having control over their own time and pace of learning so when they returned to school, we moved to a more blended model for assignments and introduced flex blocks for grades 7 through 12.” Flex blocks are flexible time periods when students can explore their individual passions. They can help bring both academic and emotional enrichment.
Changes that enable more leadership outside of the classroom have extended into co-curricular, adds Garth Nicholes, vice-principal, strategic innovation & design. “During the closure, for example, our prefects initiated different Instagram channels to help build community. This notion of building community in different ways and leveraging time to bring groups together for larger learning and shared experiences will stay will us going forward.”
The addition of digital learning objectives across the school has also allowed students to access and review materials, to keep up if they have missed a class, and to review additional resources, he adds. “This has given them more agency in terms of their own learning and has been a real benefit.”
Havergal has long been trying to increase student agency in their own learning and promote more independence, notes Davis, and programs introduced during COVID have actually helped move the needle. “Surveys conducted with older students at the school have shown they want to hold on to the altered environment, where they participate more fully in their own advancement.”
Similar effects have been shown in kindergarten children. Small virtual classrooms have taught primary age students how to access and engage with digital objects. “Their digital skills have been pushed forward and, even at a very young age, they are now quite capable of having control over learning. They are doing more than we thought they could, and surprised us with their creativity, skills and capability,” she says.
Michael Booth, principal at Blyth Academy, a Torontobased co-ed school for grades 7 to 12, says he is impressed by the resilience and ingenuity of his students. “Those in STEM classes (science, technology, engineering, math) launched their own virtual study groups and international students developed online communities so they could stay connected with the school. And, grade 11 and 12 students initiated a passport program focused on post-secondary education skills, such as how to write essays without a rubric and how to read high level papers.”
Keeping a keen eye on the overall wellness of students remains paramount, so Blyth has implemented Wellness Wednesdays. “The day includes multiple mental health sessions as well as opportunities to leverage these programs in the classroom, an extra period provides additional support and guidance for new grade 9 students as they move into the senior school. All students – whether in-school or virtual – are encouraged to get outside and to engage in personal exercise programs,” he says. “With some international students still unable to travel, we also provide dedicated Zoom classes so that teachers and inschool students are not trying to do double duty.”
Notes Davis, “Education is a process of evolution. Havergal will continue to develop a blended model where students have more ability to direct their own path. It is where education is headed, and our students will be part of that. Knowing how to best support themselves in their life-long learning will serve them well as they go out into the world.
The pandemic has brought an overwhelming sense of loss, but there is a silver lining. “We have to look at the pieces we have gained: the strengthening of relationships, the sense of family and time together, and the slowing of pace in the world have all been positive,” Davis says. “As a school, we try to emphasize those positives. They will help us as we move out of this pandemic.”