Concordia Shanghai International School teachers and administrators are working together to deliver accessible and quality home-based learning (HBL) to our students.
Our approach to HBL is similar to the way in which we approach learning in the classroom in that we want to preserve our culture of learning wrapped in relationships.
We continue to focus on the care of the whole child and the growth of our students as insightful learners, active global citizens and reflective spiritual beings.
Our expectation for teachers during this period of HBL has not changed. First and foremost, we expect teachers to care for their students as people, and we expect them to use their skills and what they know about their content to design learning that meets the needs of their students.
We understand that home-based learning has its own challenges for students, teachers and parents, as not all families have the same availability or access to all platforms or technology tools.
Therefore, in planning the HBL curriculum, our initial goal has been to understand where students are, what time zones they’re in, and what technology they have available that will allow teachers to deliver options for learning that fit the content and skills they want to teach in a productive way.
As we are understanding better what challenges students may be facing, we are able to design learning that fits more effectively into our students’ current learning environment.
Please keep in mind that some content or concepts are not conducive for learning at a distance, so your child’s teacher may be opting to switch their scope and sequence, preferring to hold off on such content until they are face-to-face with their students in the classroom again.
As teachers prepare the home-based learning curriculum, they are keeping in mind the essential skills and understandings that are key for preparing students for their next unit and for their next year of study.
So as teachers create virtual lessons, they are prioritizing these essential learnings and looking to incorporate them in purposeful ways suitable for this new approach to learning.
While many lessons are being carried out virtually through video or voice recording, not all learning needs to be online or through the computer screen. Many teachers are designing learning activities that students are able to engage in beyond their digital device.
One thing we strive to maintain as we carry out home-based learning at Concordia is the partnership between parents and teachers.
If you or your child is having specific struggles, don’t hesitate to reach out to the teacher and let them know what you're finding challenging.
For example, if you find your child is having trouble staying focused, the teacher may be able to share techniques they use in the classroom that could help. Or, if your older student has questions regarding the HBL content, encourage them to contact their teacher or post their questions on the discussion board or write an email to get clarification.
While home-based learning does not afford all the same benefits as classroom learning, it does provide an opportunity to strengthen 21-century skills
We are seeing students grow in self-regulation, adaptability and perseverance. By learning to study in different environments, students are getting a chance to develop learner agility, to find purpose and take initiative, more so than they would if they were in the traditional classroom setting.
