Thank you for your Support
Picture a swan. Smooth and serene on the surface but under the water its legs are working furiously to ensure it glides to the admiration of all around. And now picture the teachers at St Andrew’s Prep – they are doing much the same thing!
Given the apparent ease with which we transitioned into a remote and largely on-line provision at the start of term, following little more than 24 hours’ notice, it would be easy to think that the calm, reassuring and encouraging presence you see or hear on screen is like that all the time. I can assure you, right now, it isn’t.
I would like to thank my team of teachers for the incredible effort they are making to provide the best possible education for the children. They feel the weight of pressure to prepare and deliver lessons that are user-friendly for pupils who are having to work independently. And where does this pressure come from? Themselves! Because they are passionate and they care immensely about the development of each pupil.
I’ve said it before but it is worth repeating: teaching through a screen is intense. The social cues that children pick up from each other in a classroom are missing and so every child is totally reliant on the teacher. The muted silence only adds to the expectation and the feeling that the teacher has to drive the pace of the lesson. Add to that the varying levels of independence according to the age, and the fact that some children are in school and most at home, then it is a cocktail that can sometimes leave an unsatisfying taste at the end of an exhausting day.
It is particularly hard to find the balance with the younger ones who are less independent and need more support. We have stepped up our use of technology in order to have more live interaction at home alongside those in school and the teachers are doing a remarkable job but it is not an easy balance.
We know that parents are feeling the pressure with their own balancing acts too which is why we are trying to be as inclusive and supportive as we can be in order to enable parents to work without detriment to family life. Some lessons may not always go to plan, the amount of material covered may not be quite as much as if we are in school and some children may even need time away from a lesson or two but they are still learning and still developing important skills that will benefit them in later life.
It is those positives that we must focus on. Being positive is important – the messages of support and appreciation that we receive buoy everyone’s spirits and encourage us to keep kicking below the surface in order to glide above it. Thank you!
Regular exercise is not so easy in this restricted world but it is still possible so we have been focusing on healthy bodies and healthy minds this week in order to emphasise how the two are connected. Exercising increases the production of cells responsible for learning and memory and sharpens brain performance generally. Keeping fit boosts the immune system which leads to lower levels of sickness. It helps to prevent the signs of ageing and often means better quality sleep. This in turn means greater energy levels leading to longer periods of concentration and productivity. Finally, I am a big believer that exercising and playing sport teaches children to be decisive, strategic and collaborative as well as develop friendships. All in all, therefore, exercising is linked to happiness because we can think more clearly and have a healthy mind.
Well done to those who tackled My Shouksmith’s weekly challenge last week to build a pyramid of cards. This week: coin catching! Can you position a pile of coins on your elbow and then catch them in your hand without any of them falling on the floor? How many coins can you catch? Please send your videos to pshouksmith@standrewsprep.co.uk
We say goodbye to Sasha Cogger today as her teaching placement with us comes to an end. She has been a great support to the sports department and 7MR over the last few months and has been fully involved in all aspects of school life, from teaching PE lessons to dance routines and preparing acts for St Andrew’s Day. We wish Sasha all the best as she continues her teacher training.
This Monday will be a momentous day for the school although, as parents, you will barely notice initially. We are switching computer management systems to iSams and a phenomenal amount of work has been taking place behind the scenes for months for which our IT department should be congratulated. Not only will this centralise internal systems which in turn will lead to greater efficiency but it will also lead to a new parent portal through which things like reports and the calendar will be distributed. We will drip-feed information to you in due course.
I do hope that the children can enjoy some fresh air and healthy exercise over the next couple of days while keeping safe of course, and I sincerely hope everyone has a good weekend.