School at home

A short reflection on the new academic year by Gregory Quan Kep, Acting Principal, St Benedict’s College

“Behold I make all things new” taken from Revelation, aptly explains what is happening in the education system in 2020.

Most schools commenced online classes from September 14. School operations and mode of delivery have radically changed in a relatively short period of time. The new lingo is ‘School at home’.

Change is a complex thing: frightening to many, from others a degree of restraint, and, for a few, sheer excitement at the opportunity. It reminds me of the Israelites on the brink of the Promised Land to some extent. A measure of faith is required. When I look at our Catholic schools however, especially in the Victoria district, classes have begun since September 7.

Presentation College, San Fernando is a leader in this respect as they have enhanced their Learning Management System (LMS), provided laptops for those without and identified Microsoft Teams as the preferred platform to do synchronous classes.

At St Benedict’s College, we have also implemented an LMS called Edupage and updated our student handbook to include guidelines for online teaching. With COVID-19 restrictions, school assemblies were carried live on the Facebook page. Training was provided for teachers and there was a laptop drive.

What can account for the preparedness of these schools in the face of trying circumstances? The principal of Presentation San Fernando, Dexter Mitchel hit the nail on the head in a recent meeting. He pointed to leadership as a critical factor. He also publicly complimented Archbishop Jason Gordon for his proactive approach from the start of this predicament.

Archbishop Gordon met with us in March via Zoom and gave the vision for September. He was very clear on the changes needed to be put in place and had a follow-up meeting to check on progress and share best practices. The Catholic Education Board of Management also must be commended.

Apart from clear leadership, support is also important. This reliance on ICT has thrust all stakeholders into the same learning curve. Teachers, parents, administrators, and students now must become familiar with all these ICT initiatives. Even some of the younger teachers are not absolved.

Principals have had to dig deep. Patience, not taking things personally and reaching out to the weaker parties have been some of my personal growth experiences.

Equipping the teacher, parent and student has been an important ongoing action. The more support you give, the more likely we will get to our desired destination.

These are challenging and unprecedented times. Without a measure of faith, it will be an impossible task to go forward. Our Christian values and virtues are being demanded at this time and we must put them into practise. May Jesus grant us grace in these stormy times.