Parents

Teachers will post work on the platforms that they have discussed and/or communicated with their students. We have asked students to remember that most of their teachers are working with up to 120 - 150 students online, so we will need to be patient with each other when waiting for individual responses.

Ako teachers will play an important role in regularly touching base and checking the well-being of students and helping problem solving issues with learning. We have also set up a ‘help desk’ on the Google site, so students can find out who they contact for technology and hauora issues. If you need to contact ako teachers this is best done through email.

This will be where students find notifications from teachers, in the form of emails, Google Classroom and Education Perfect notifications.

This should be a space at home that is comfortable, well lit and where they can work without distractions. We prefer that students work on a laptop or computer - phones are too small for long periods of time and not recommended as a learning tool.

This is a new way of working for a large number of our community. The reality is that many of us, students and adults, need someone to hold us accountable to deadlines. As a parent you may wish to make sure students have a work plan, or see if they have buddied up with students in their class to check in with each other. You can request (by contacting the ako teacher) to become a guardian on their Google Classrooms so that you can view the learning they are expected to undertake.

For students who can easily spend hours on games or social media, a support person will be essential to ensure good timetable habits and help with managing screen time. During school closures our usual support networks will be available. You can find contact details for teachers, deans and Guidance Counsellors at https://www.wegc.school.nz/our-school/staff.