The Tiger, 21st January, 2022

In addition, the social and emotional development that comes along with that brain development sets them up in the long-term as successful contributors to society.

So why do schools limit opportunities to play (including teacher developed “games” which build skill, knowledge and understanding) or substitute play for worksheets and textbooks? Many of the reasons are political. Across the world in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, education became a political tool driven by what Pasi Sahlberg calls the big data movement. Big data, led by multi-national for-profit companies made inroads into education driven by a political agenda of accountability. Basically what happened was the “stuff” that could be tested became important and the “stuff” that couldn’t, was sidelined. In some countries this meant lessons became scripted and timed. Teachers were not allowed to stray or use their professional expertise to cater for the learner's personal educational needs. Having worksheets/textbooks became an accountability tool - as an aside, the research is conclusive - worksheets do not teach anything, they are not a form of practice - in fact, they are a management tool, nothing more - they keep learners quiet and under control. 

Listening to and observing children as they learn is a teacher’s strongest tool… collecting on-going information about each educational action and reaction is what Sahlberg calls small data. It is the small data that teachers need in order to cater for each child in the classroom. Teachers who utilise this data to create learning opportunities that have a play element make the biggest impact on learners and learning. Our teachers are examining their learning experiences so that playful elements hook children into learning and provide opportunities for learners to take their learning forward with independence.

Response to Intervention

“Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behaviour needs.... Educational decisions about the intensity and duration of interventions are based on individual student response to instruction. (Response to Intervention Network, 2022).

Stonehill uses this practice to ensure that each child’s needs are catered for. With RTI in place, teachers have a procedure that they follow when a child is struggling with learning and/or social/emotional connections. We expect the team to collaboratively collect both small and big data in order to clarify the learners needs. This data collection will include classroom/online observations, task completion, school-wide assessment screeners from GL (https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/) and formal assessments from external agencies (Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology). 

This information is utilised to develop interventions. Some interventions are short and remain at the class or grade level. Others have longevity and are more systematic, for example, an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) may be developed. Grade teams which include the EAL and Learning Support teachers, work collaboratively to support the ongoing development of each and every child, utilising the information we have and the skills of the team.

Parents may support this team approach by sharing developmental information - including personal concerns and observations, requesting GL assessments, taking their child to outside agencies for more in-depth assessment, completing therapy at home, supporting the recommendations from an assessment, and building positive, supportive relationships which create a warm caring environment where their child feels cared and catered for.

Have a lovely weekend,

Karen Crooke

Primary School Principal

In the meantime, it makes sense to offer some suggestions about what seems to work for Secondary School students during periods of distance learning.

Firstly, allocating specific times to study during the day seems useful. Some of these times will be determined by scheduled zoom calls, but that’s obviously not enough. If your child is struggling with organising their time, I would suggest sitting down with them at breakfast to plan out the day. Nobody needs an unhealthy four or five hour marathon session online, but that’s what happens when planning is poor. Build a daily schedule around the zoom calls, include a long enough break to get some fresh air during the day, and try not to leave things until the evening; otherwise, online learning can start to feel interminable and the days roll into one another.

Alternatively, students could create a list of tasks that they plan to accomplish that day. Some of these tasks will be determined by deadlines for work to be submitted, but it’s also useful to set personal mini-deadlines for stages of longer projects. Having a list of tasks rather than fixed times for studying may work better for students who prefer to work in the evenings or who have disruptive environments during the day at home.

The benefits of working collaboratively (but not in assessment tasks!) also seem self-evident. While you can’t replace the school atmosphere, tackling tasks with friends can help motivation and restore some sense of normalcy. The trick is to collaborate without constantly disturbing each other. The ideal scenario is probably a study group which is disciplined enough to set itself a task with a strict deadline so that they can ‘chill’ once the task is completed.

Finally, during periods of remote learning, it becomes increasingly important for students to pay attention to information and messages that are being sent from coordinators and teachers. When we are not on campus, we lose the ability to see somebody at lunchtime or find somebody during breaktime to remind them of something that needs their attention. Without these back-up communication options in place, it becomes vital for students to get the message the first time it is sent.

None of this is rocket science, but it’s also a frustratingly difficult way to work. Nevertheless, things seem to have been going smoothly since we reopened last week, and I’m pleased to see such good attendance on zoom calls and regular submission of work on ManageBac. Hopefully, the points mentioned above can give you some ideas on how to work with your child if they are struggling with online learning, but please get in touch with us if you are having difficulties or if you have any requests or suggestions for how we can better deliver the programs during this time.

Joe Lumsden

Secondary School Principal

We look forward to seeing our students return once the Government of Karnataka gives the green signal to reopen school/boarding. I hope the winter holidays provided everyone with a great opportunity to spend time with family, recharge and re-energise.

 Stay safe and well!

 Glen Johnson

Head of Boarding

The Association of People with Disability 

Dear Stonehill Community,

The Association of People with Disability (APD) has been one of the beneficiaries of our IBDP CAS and MYP Service projects in the past few years. Their programs help people with disabilities to lead independent and dignified lives. 

As COVID-19 continues to spread, things have been very unpredictable. During these challenging times APD is doing everything possible to sustain daily operations and provide services to the community. Now more than ever the APD community needs you.

Take a look at the APD desk calendar for 2022 depicting 12 lovely pictures of the community that APD supports. There is an inspirational quote included in every page.