I just want to say a big thank you to students, parents and staff for the way everyone has engaged in the online learning since last week.

The Google classroom and Seesaw platforms seem to be working well for students in accessing and submitting their work, and receiving feedback from their teachers.

I encourage students and parents to keep communicating regularly if you have any questions.

In last week’s newsletter I listed a number of tips for students to help them during online/home schooling. I have listed them again below as a reminder.

1. Manage your time carefully – set yourself some clear goals about what tasks you need to complete each day
2. Organise your work space with minimal distractions
3. Ensure you have regular study breaks
4. Communicate with your teacher if you are unsure about a task using Seesaw and read your feedback about completed tasks
5. Try and build in some exercise each day, a walk, a ride on your bike
6. Ensure you are completing some ‘service’ tasks around the house, e.g. help with cleaning, washing up, emptying the bins, assisting in dinner preparation
7. In negotiation with your parents plan a mini-celebration at the end of the week for completing all tasks to the best of your ability

Social media focus – Are they old enough?

An interesting piece of research from the eSafety Commissioner Government website shows that 81% of parents with pre-schoolers say their children use the internet. Of these parents 94% reported that their child was using the internet by the age of 4. This could be a tablet, iPad, a smartphone or computer.
The article poses a number of questions:-

• Should your pre-schooler be using online devices?
• How much time should my child spend online?
• Is your child old enough for a smartphone?
• When are they ready for social media accounts?
• How can you determine your child’s readiness for social media?

An important message from the article states that whilst it can be easy to focus on the amount of time spent online, the quality of the social media they are engaging with, and your involvement and interaction with them while they are using social media, is just as important.

The article is easy to read and provides ‘common sense’ practical advice and guidance on how to support your child when they start to engage with social media.
To read this article in more detail please refer to the eSafety webpage listed below.
https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/are-they-old-enough