Teaching and Learning

The Term 3 lockdown saw the Secondary School move to a model for online learning that was centred on two principles: keeping it simple and as ‘normal’ as possible.

However, Barker is not just about teaching and learning but also includes the wider co-curricular program; a multitude of students working in the performance space as well as through an extensive club program. We aimed to replicate as much as we could to the online world. Here’s a snapshot of how we made virtual what was once done face-to-face.

Replicating Teaching and Learning Online

The core principles behind Barker’s online learning program are simple – we value the structure that the existing school timetable brings, and the ability of teachers to maintain connections with students and continue explicit teaching via Microsoft Teams (for up to 30 minutes per lesson, recognising the need to limit screen time). Within these core principles, teachers are utilising many tools to enhance the online learning experience. Microsoft OneNote helps teachers to create and distribute notes, and students to annotate them – much like the whiteboard and student notebook in a physical classroom. Breakout rooms in Teams allow the formation of smaller groups of students, facilitating better discussion and promoting group work, while the teacher can easily move between groups – much like how the learning environment in a classroom would be organised. While we all long for the return of face-to-face interactions, continuing to facilitate the important link between the student and their teacher remains the focus of online learning. Replicating Clubs Online

As students and staff settled into a rhythm of online learning, several staff turned their attention to the co-curricular clubs that they would normally offer at School. Some clubs attract many students, others only a few. Regardless of the number of attendees, the clubs are an important part of the weekly routines of many hundreds of students. A notable example of this is the bee keeping club run by Dr Gates. The aspiring beekeepers were the first group to connect online and with great success. Dr Gates reported a desire to connect and collaborate, with students keen to share their stories of what they had learnt about beekeeping from various social media sites and other online outlets. This really emphasises the importance of maintaining connections beyond online lessons. The beekeepers have the chance to enrol in a free online course that will prepare them to work with the hives when they return to School. Students will also be able to use their beekeeping expertise to contribute to their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. It’s safe to say that there is a ‘hive of activity’ online!

Greg Longney (Director of Teaching and Learning) Alison Gates (Agriculture Teacher)

Kester Lee (Director of Studies)

Replicating PDHPE Online

The PDHPE skill domains of self-management, interpersonal and movement are essential pillars in online learning. Using these as the foundation, new experiences with elements of choice were designed for PDHPE lessons that aimed to get students enthusiastic about moving. PDHPE Lessons Using Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality Apps such as HomeCourt, Plaicise, Active Arcade and Swing Vision were used to promote a sense of fun, challenge, social interaction and choice. Opportunity to “battle” friends live is always popular with students in a world of gamification. PDHPE Lessons “Choose your own Olympic Adventure” The timing of the Tokyo Olympics led to the design of a Middle School “Choose your own Olympic Adventure.” Each week three sports were released with levels, each with a specific focus and range of activities, including a beat the teacher challenge. These were; • Bronze - fitness, getting the heart rate up. • Silver - skill development. • Gold - combining fitness and skill. • Gold Medal Mindset- sports psychology including motivation and relaxation. • Athletes Reflection Journal. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, learn and play. Positively, it has provided a unique opportunity to innovate, as teachers seek to facilitate the Physical Education component of PDHPE in an online environment.

Alex Butt and Morgan Armstrong (PDHPE Teachers) Replicating Music Rehearsals and Tuition Online

Our 50 or so instrumental, vocal and musicianship teachers started teaching their 600 odd lessons shortly after lockdown commenced, and like the students' classroom lessons, they have largely gone without a hitch. We are grateful to our visiting music teachers (VMTs) for their dedicated work with the students in what can be a challenging acoustic environment. Many of them work at more than one school and every school has its own technology and protocols, and everyone from the technological dinosaurs to the tech-savvy millennials, has taken on the (unfortunately not entirely) new opportunities. The lessons are done in exactly the same way that normal classes are done with lessons scheduled in Teams. The lesson/meeting between the visiting music tutor and the student are recorded allowing the student to revisit instructions provided by the tutor through the week. Both parties work from the comfort of their own homes with the teacher demonstrating technique and style and the student then demonstrating their understanding by playing back to the tutor. Despite the separation of lockdown the students appreciate having the continuity of their lessons and the opportunity to continue to develop their skills. The response from both students, parents and VMTs suggest that all parties are pleased to "meet" someone outside of their home bubble.

Simon Smith (Head of Music)

Jeremy von Einem Head of Curriculum