Managing curriculum during Learning From Home

The entire world is currently coping with the endless challenges thrown at us by the ongoing pandemic. Each section of the society faces a unique set of problems, and every organisation is attempting to contextually troubleshoot with the help of whatever resources they have access to. Schools have been no different. Our biggest difficulty is that we are missing the essence of what is perhaps at the core of the learning environment at school: human contact.

These unforeseen and unparalleled circumstances have however made us all think outside the box. They have compelled us to be more creative than ever. At our school, teachers have been delving into some in-depth research and professional learning about online learning. We have sufficient evidence to show how we have effectively used technology to overcome some of those missing elements of learning physically together. These endeavours have not only helped us cope with the situation, but have also aided us in becoming better practitioners in general.

Due to the limited amount of time the teachers are spending with the students during the learning from home phase, a significant challenge we have encountered is the unpacking of curriculum outcomes in each subject discipline. At some point after the winter break, the teachers used spreadsheets to identify the learning outcomes we were not able to address this year. We recently completed collecting all such information for the current academic year.

Through detailed collaborative discussions and backward planning, we have identified some strategies to manage the identified curriculum gaps. We are positive that strategies will ensure that students are set for success in their learning journeys. 

• All grade level teams will meet with the preceding year’s teachers to understand the major gaps in the taught curriculum for units of inquiry, mathematics and English language. 
• The teams will then put a plan in place to ensure those gaps are addressed during the course of the 2021-21 academic year.
• The single-subject teams are also ensuring that the identified curriculum gaps are addressed in the next academic year.
• Just as we did this year, some units of inquiry and single-subject units will be modified next year  in order to prioritize significant elements of the curriculum.
• We are also currently considering and deciding on ways to track student progress based on scope and sequence continuums.

We as a school are committed to enhance student learning, albeit online.
We thank all our parents for their ongoing support and feedback, and we look forward to our continued success as a school community.