In the midst of preparations for a new school year, one full of challenges that requires creative solutions, a lot of care and attention, we are inspired by the examples of other countries that have already opened their schools. But much closer to us is the practical experience that our school and nursery children had during the summer school programme.
A brave team created a Summer School programme that brought a lot of joy to the children and helped us verify the implementation of many safety and health rules. Cristina Farcaș coordinated this team and has many practical tips for the beginning of the school year.
Avenor College: What did we learn from the summer programme?
Cristina Farcaș: We really wanted to offer children the opportunity to meet their friends and engage in summer-specific activities, safely. For the educational team it was a constant learning process, in which the collaboration between departments had a significant importance – administrative, medical, educational, legislative – communication with parents and the community of international schools, with whom we are in constant contact.
One of the main conclusions is that outdoor activities must become a part of the daily approach to educational activities, assumed even by parents who need to encourage children and provide the right equipment for any type of weather. We like to say that there is no bad weather, there is only inappropriate equipment.
A.C. : What worked and what didn’t work?
C.F.: Dividing the children into cohorts (bubbles) and limiting the number of adults they interact with from one week to the next one was essential in the disease prevention process.
Separate routes for movement around the campus are essential, as are clear schedules with long breaks between sessions.
Parents have always helped us to implement the children’s routines, but now more than ever, we appreciated the punctuality and the constant dialogue about what was going to happen in the nursery or school.
A.C.: How does the Summer School experience help us in planning the new school year?
C.F.: It helped us a lot, because we now have a successful model that we can scale to the size of the whole school.
We know the key points:
Intensifying communication with employees who come into direct contact with children, as well as providing support for their physical and mental health.
Detailed planning of the movement routes of each cohort, including for space disinfection sessions.
Making the most of outdoor learning spaces with rainy weather equipment solutions.
Carrying out several types of learning scenarios in order to be able to respond as soon as possible to changes that will occur during the year related to the evolution of the pandemic.
A.C.: What were the unexpected issues that came to light during the Summer School?
C.F.: Constant communication with the authorised medical staff had the effect of reassuring everyone, from children to teachers and the rest of the staff, and also the parents. We were prepared to manage a tense atmosphere, but the effect of correct and consistent information delivered in a format easy to understand pleasantly surprised us. Unfortunately, there is no perfect protection. But as long as we inform and support each other, we can rely on the responsibility of those around us and stay away from danger, even working in the forefront, in education.
Before saying farewell to the Avenor High School Class of 2020, we challenged them to a discussion about their school experience, lessons learned, and also about the principles with which they continue their journey through life. Some answers surprised us and made us think, others delighted us and gave us confidence that the future is in good hands. We invite you to discover how 13 teenagers with “big souls and open minds” see the world from a text written by the one who interviewed them, Raluca Mihăilă, Marketing strategist • Writer • Photographer.
I have to admit that, in general, I don’t particularly miss the school years, because I feel that I have lived each stage of my life intensely enough to not have nostalgia or the need to return to the past.
But on June 15th this year, when Avenor High School Class of 2020 had the graduation ceremony, I felt nostalgic. Longing for it. For the naivety, the feeling that the world is yours, the moment you are in the first academic quarter of life, for dreams, for the lack of pressure from the consequences of all everyday decisions. I missed the early youth for which the age of 25 is still far away and desirable.
This emotion of returning to the experiences of adolescence was activated by the discussions with Grade 12 graduates from Avenor College – 13 wonderful, beautiful children, with big souls and open minds, with end-of-high-school nostalgia, but also with enthusiasm and energy to face the rest of their lives.
I had the opportunity to ask Oren, Vlad, Matei, Ana, Leon, Seif, Daniel, the two Tudors, Vanessa, Maria, Horia and Damian a series of questions about various life aspects of teenagers in transition to the admirable but sometimes uncomfortable adult status.
I talked to these wonderful young people about education, democracy, teachers and colleagues, humanity and teamwork, but also about the future and tolerance.
I believe that together with the team involved in the visual archiving of the graduates’ perspective on the school they were educated in, we enriched ourselves with some words of wisdom to be stored and passed on. I will share them with you here, because they should not remain closed in a small circle, but deserve to be transmitted, ventilated, debated, assumed and, why not, improved.
I was happy to see that the world has changed in the last 22 years since I finished high school in Brasov, but that the essential and deeply human things have remained the same.
I talked to these wonderful young people about education, democracy, teachers and colleagues, humanity and teamwork, but also about the future and tolerance.
I don’t know if I actually learned anything new, but I know for sure that I started looking in a different way at some of the things I had categorised as known. For example, when Leon defined democracy as “simultaneously the most equal and cruelest government structure because, although the majority benefits, the minority is discriminated against,” the word “cruel” got stuck in my head as I was thinking that his opinion may be too harsh. But then I thought a little about the status of many of us, the privileged ones, all the current controversies about the introduction of certain subjects in schools, about disadvantaged children, about gender discrimination, ethnicity, financial opportunities… and I considered that indeed, there is a cruelty behind the most desirable system of government. And if in such a context the majority adds intolerance, the minority is practically annulled.
Speaking also about democracy, Seif believes that without our opinions we are worthless, so the right to free speech must not be threatened. And only extending this fundamental right through a thorough education can bring us personal and social elevation, representing “the basis that helps us move forward on our own path” (Daniel).
Most students interpreted tolerance through resilience and acceptance of differences, which made me think a bit, because I did not see it as an endurance test, but rather as a proof of serenity, necessarily based on patience. But these young people don’t see it that way. They interpret it either by resistance (“how much you can endure pain, boredom, suffering” – Seif), by concession (“accepting that there is nothing you can do in a situation you would like to change” – Maria) or by accepting those who are different from us (“through empathy for the people in front of you that you shouldn’t judge” – Vanessa).
I found very interesting Tudor G.’s definition of tolerance: “the limits of respect we set between ourselves and others”. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful expression that relates very well to Leon’s favorite quote about differences: “You’re different, just like everybody else”. On the other hand, however, as Oren told us, “people must be different in order to be able to bring themselves completely at the table of any discussion, otherwise we would all be the same.”
Just as important as being successful is how you build valuable human relationships – Daniel.
So where do we draw the line between the same and different? It’s relative. And it is a good thing, as it’s good that we are different, a celebration to which Ana invites us with confidence and optimism. If it’s still hard for us to do that, Vlad has the wisest advice: “if you can’t fight it, join it”.
Vlad also offers us perhaps the most beautiful lesson about altruism when he tells us about the life lessons he takes with him from school: “it is good to be relaxed in general, but if something starts to destroy you, to hurt you, you should step back and reset.”
I found in these young people an almost unanimous belief in technology, biosciences, medicine and IT as fields from which will emerge the inventions that will make the world a better place. Daniel is the one who raised the stakes and said that we can expect a black swan effect from the future domains that will come to life and of which we are not even aware now.
From 18-year-olds you would expect to hear almost exclusively about the desire for success, for ascension, for conquering the world … and of course there are such dreams in their souls, but they come seasoned with the awareness that “just as important as being successful is how you build valuable human relationships” (Daniel). This formula about the essence of life fits perfectly with how Tudor G. sees democracy as the “power of choice”. Building valuable human relationships is definitely a choice. Are we willing to make it?
Just as “education defines a person, good education defines a good person” (Vanessa), the life principles learned during the school years are extremely important for how we develop into adults.
Maria tells us that she learned how the journey is more important than the destination and that the role of mistakes is to learn from them, Horia believes that it is important to look at a subject from several perspectives, Leon believes that details and attention to them are essential, and Tudor F. believes that you should never give up and that it is essential to offer your friends trust when they need it.
Everyone has realised that without school they would not have gotten where they are today, and they have found useful the routine of daily rigour and the diversity of subjects offering them the opportunity to better decipher the world they are preparing to fly to at full speed.
The perspectives on life gained during the school years were at least as different as the way these young people described their school: from rest, relaxation, challenging, productive (Oren), to professionalism, memorable (Vlad), dynamic ( Matei), colour (Leon), fun (Seif), a community of friends for the future (Damian), responsibility and loyalty (Horia) or even in the most pragmatic style through textbooks and teachers (Tudor F.).
One thing is certain: everyone has realised that without school they would not have gotten where they are today, and they have found useful the routine of daily rigour and the diversity of subjects offering them the opportunity to better decipher the world they are preparing to fly to at full speed.
To explain the need for school, Damian made a beautiful analogy with the summer holidays desired by all children, but in which a lot of time is lost and knowledge is not accumulated in the rhythm of what happens in class. If you just keep going that way, you inevitably end up “in a deadlock and you don’t know what to do with your life. I don’t know what I would have done without school”, he tells us.
What is more important: WHAT or HOW you learn? A question that would probably intimidate many adults. These young people, however, did not feel that way, even if they saw things differently. From “What is just a choice, how affects each person” (Tudor G.) to “no matter how good the technique, if you learn what you don’t like, it’s equal to zero” (Vlad), it’s clear that “if you learn what is not right, is not good ”(Horia).
Through Seif’s words, Avenor College teachers receive the following message: “We sometimes make mistakes, but don’t be so angry with us. Have fun, it’s part of being at school. ”
The future looks good. This is clear and we can only enjoy this discovery from the mature discussions with the 13 young people.
Coincidentally or not, this future appears in their vision under the reunited collection of 9 colors held together by the non-colors black (which starts the sequence) and white (invisibly linking the shades together).
What if we were to add another circle at the end of the color sequence? A more comprehensive one that can hold together, in one bundle, the individual visions about the future?
The Avenor Summer Expeditions School begins a new stage which is the result of its development around the options of children and parents in our community, from nursery and school. We invite you to find out the story of this project, written by the Summer School Coordinator, Cristina Farcaș.
This year, our summer school is developing in two directions. On the one hand, we launched the programme with a total of six weeks. This year, children with ages between 6 – 9, have the opportunity to participate, for two weeks, in educational activities in the Greenfield campus, an attractive location in terms of its proximity with the Băneasa forest, as well as in terms of its sports facilities. On the other hand, the educational content will focus mainly on outdoor learning and movement; topics such as ‘Survival Tips and Tricks’ and ‘Nature is Trendy’ will provide the optimal framework for exploring nature in all its meanings.
Main focus on outdoor activities
To summarise, a day of summer school at Avenor means 20% indoor vs 80% outdoor, Project-Based Learning (PBL), sports, expeditions in the forest near the school, or in parks near the nursery, fun and plenty of “social closeness”, respecting the physical distance requirements.
A day of summer school at Avenor means 20% indoor vs 80% outdoor.
The safety measures set by the authorities for this summer are within our reach and therefore, we can easily comply with all of them. The number of available places was the only aspect that needed to be adjusted, being limited to 38 children for each location. The limited number of children allows us to comply with the regulations for social distance both indoors and outdoors. In addition, based on our recent experience of reopening the nursery at the end of the school year, for the summer school programme, we are relying on functional protocols that have been piloted and revised.
Children choose what they want to learn
Avenor Summer School focuses on the Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, which offers children the opportunity to choose what they want to investigate or what skills they want to develop, and therefore the outcome of the process is tailored around children’s needs and interests. This year, taking into account the unprecedented situation we have all been experiencing, we adapted in such a way that this valuable aspect of differentiated learning to not be affected.
Children will have the opportunity to practise their English .
At the same time, children explore other activities that they have missed during the lockdown period, like sports or fun games with friends in the middle of nature. Moreover, children will have the opportunity to practise their English and many of those who participate for the first time will have the possibility to meet their future colleagues and some of their teachers.
Working on group projects
At the end of a big PBL theme, the children will present the result of their project. The emotion for sharing projects during assemblies is invaluable and creates unforgettable memories for both children and teachers. I still remember how children prepared a big concert last year, at the end of the “Expedition through Music” theme. They organised tables and chairs, created entrance tickets and had fun sweeping the nursery playground on their own. One of the boys even made a demonstration of how to be a concert DJ. The assembly turned out to be a great party, with dozens of children singing “Hai dă-i bătaie DJ Vasile” that we all remember to this day.
Some of our team members are volunteering, which says a lot about their passion for education.
The team has grown with the programme
When this new summer school concept was launched, I was writing how more than 20 teachers were involved for an entire year in making the educational design of the programme. This year, the team grew even bigger, because our school colleagues have also joined.
What is truly special is that some of our team members are volunteering, which says a lot about their passion for education. These people live their teaching vocations every day, beyond the limitations of ”just doing their job”. Although the educational content was ready in the autumn of 2019, in practice we had two weeks to make all the necessary arrangements, as we did not know until the last minute if it would be possible to meet the children face-to-face. This challenging situation allowed me to discover team resources beyond my imagination and expectations. We are almost ready and I am already confident that everything is going to be alright.
The whole team is looking forward to welcoming you to our Summer School. To find out more about the types of programmes, fees and activities, please feel free to access the news section on our website.
At Avenor College, March 13th marked the moment when learning moved from classes full of energy, curiosity and emotion to the online, artificial and unknown environment. What has followed over the last two months feels completely different to what we may have initially expected.
To get from the caution and skepticism of the beginning, to the carefully developed learning plans for each key stage we embarked on an emotional roller coaster and it has taken all of our imagination, creativity and skills to keep it on our pathway. And do you know how we did it? Together.
Pupils-teachers-parents-colleagues from all departments of the school and nursery.
“We’ve learned a lot from each other during these two atypical months and we once again understood the value of teamwork,” says Ramona Mucenic, Upper Primary Coordinator.
We invite you to discover in the text below what were the ups and downs of our journey of reinventing the learning process.
Avenor College: Two months ago, when we started distance learning at Avenor, we knew it would be a difficult and ever-changing process. What are the most valuable lessons you, the teachers, have learned in these 2 months of online school?
Cristina Farcaș, Nursery Educational Coordinator: Distance learning at Nursery was inconceivable to our teachers until this spring. In recent years Avenor has struggled to be an example of good practice in our society for a differentiated, applied learning, without worksheets and limiting standardisations, based on the individual needs of children, in constant contact with nature and especially a learning style dependent on interaction with others.
The beginning was not easy, we were very cautious and skeptical about the methods we would use to continue learning. The pressure of educators no longer being able to make the daily emotional connection with children added to this state of uncertainty. That’s why we, the adults, have chosen to take it step by step and, in our own way, to continue to take care of the children to make sure that we provide them with what they need.
Now, the updated version of the Nursery Learning Plan works for almost all of our children. It is a version that primarily offers variety and that allows us to keep most of the educational values we believe in.
We have learned that we can adapt quickly to changes we couldn’t even imagine, although the children have demonstrated again that they are better than us at this. We managed to be creative and create a learning plan that even in these conditions is varied enough to meet individual needs and allows us to continue differentiated learning. We have learned that in our homes there are infinite resources to initiate educational activities. We acknowledged once more that the best way to help a child is to team up with their family. And we’ve also learned that audio messages on WhatsApp are an excellent way to replicate the short and useful conversations we had at Nursery about different activities’ details and children’s progress.
Cristina Farcaș, Nursery Educational Coordinator
We have learned that we can adapt quickly to changes we couldn’t even imagine, although the children have demonstrated this time againthat they are better than us at this. We realised once more that the best way to help a child is to team up with his family.
Mirela Voicu, Lower Primary Coordinator: We have learned to adapt quickly to new ways of working remotely. Learning continued beyond the school space, with accessible digital tools and a lot of determination from teachers. We have created digital classes and staff rooms.
An important lesson we’ve learned during this period was that of patience, of the fact that we managed to stay connected to each other (teachers-students-parents). We’ve learned to be honest and ask for help whenever a challenge arose. We’ve learned to be students again and move on.
But I think what we’ve learned most is to enjoy every success, ours or those around us; we rejoiced every morning when we saw our children again, we rejoiced when we could be of help or when we were helped, we are glad that we are together, connected.
Ramona Mucenic, Upper Primary Coordinator: After surpassing the initial “shock”, when we all acknowledged that we will not return to school in the near future, we quickly realised that we must use all our imagination and creativity to reinvent learning. We had mixed feelings: the fear of the unknown, the feeling of alienation, enthusiasm, the desire to overcome barriers, the joy of daily meetings with children, even virtual ones.
We’ve learned a lot from each other during these two atypical months and we have once again understood the value of teamwork. The Avenor TEAM has proven that it is very well welded, strong and able to face any challenge.
Here are the most valuable lessons we’ve learned:
Children are very good at using technology – we, the teachers, have learned from our students many extremely useful “tricks”; in other words, in some cases, the roles have been reversed.
We found joy in the little things: a smile, a pet occasionally participating in online lessons, a birthday party via ZOOM and the examples can go on.
We further appreciate those things that we used to consider “normal”: meetings with friends, walks in the park, the frolic in the school yard.
Georgiana Socoliu, Middle School Coordinator: The most important thing is that we have managed to face the challenges. Even though it was an emotional roller coaster, together we managed to organise online learning and meet the needs of children. Certainly, the key word of this period is “together”. The collaboration of all (students-teachers-parents-colleagues from all departments) was extremely valuable in this process of continuous learning and adaptation. We proved once again that we are a strong community, but also generous, we are open to communication and collaboration with other schools, willing to share our practices and methods.
Andrew Sutton, High School Coordinator: The most valuable lessons was how quickly people can adapt to new approaches and the willingness they have shown to embrace the challenge.
Georgiana Socoliu, Middle School Coordinator
Certainly the key word of this period is “together.” The collaboration of all (students-teachers-parents-colleagues from all departments) has been extremely valuable in this process of continuous learning and adaptation.
A.C.: How have the children adapted and what have they discovered and have you discovered about them in this new context?
Cristina Farcaș: Children managed to replace the hugs with moments when they show us their favorite toy, or new furniture, or their room. This was their first reaction. They showed us toys, furniture, and their mothers for about two weeks.
It was difficult for them to speak and move within a radius of one square meter. Not everyone has succeeded yet! Many times the teachers are left in front of a blank screen and wait for the child to finish explaining and pointing out something in a corner of the room that they cannot see.
Now some of them know how to approach the screen to hear louder and even show signs or objects by bringing them closer to the camera of the device.
It is interesting how they have differentiated according to their learning style in children who are more present in group sessions, children who prefer individual meetings or children who only initiate learning using the resources from the educational package received at home (we’ve learned about this from photos sent by parents).
Mirela Voicu: Children immediately adapted to the new situation, the use of technology being familiar to them. We could see that some of them are much more at ease and open to dialogue, being in an environment familiar to them. However, children often express a desire to return to the classroom, because they miss their colleagues, teachers, desks, personal space.
Ramona Mucenic: We have quickly adapted to the new conditions, always wanting to stay connected to each other no matter what. We really miss the physical presence, the hugs, playing in the school yard. Thus, the children’s rooms have been transformed into learning spaces, gyms, creative workshops or music studios. We had, of course, some difficulties (mainly technical difficulties), but we overcame them with the invaluable help of the parents and of our colleagues from the IT department.
Georgiana Socoliu: Children have adapted much better than adults. In the first weeks they showed enthusiasm and impatience, it was something they had never experienced before, and they are always much more open when a new challenge arises. In order to maintain their curiosity, we also had to adapt, to work on the weekly learning plans for each key stage. The constant feedback they gave us helped.
As we move forward in time, the social need increases, children tell us more and more often about their desire to be close to colleagues and teachers and the fact that they really miss school – something they have admitted has surprised them!
Andrew Sutton: At High School level, the transition was fairly easy, the young adults are used to technology. They have enjoyed the opportunity to manage their own schedules, many of them grew up quickly to a new level of independence and responsibility.
Ramona Mucenic, Upper Primary Coordinator
Children’s rooms have transformed into learning spaces, gyms, creative workshops or music studios. We had, of course, some difficulties (mainly technical difficulties), but we overcame them with the invaluable help of the parents and of our colleagues from IT.
A.C.: What will happen in online learning by the end of the school year?
Cristina Farcaș: Together with the class teachers children will browse through the activities proposed in the Distance Learning Pack to revise what they have learned this year. All children will be exposed to spoken English through sessions with the native teacher. Music, physical development and personal development activities will bring about a relaxed summer atmosphere in June. These will be completed by the special events like the traditional Children’s Day, Cultural Celebration Day, Learning Expeditions and the Summer Show.
Mirela Voicu: We will continue to progress, to develop, to introduce in our lessons interactive activities that will keep children engaged. We are already planning the events that will take place in June, the PBL final project, Summer Show, Learning Expedition.
Ramona Mucenic: Until the end of this school year, unfortunately we will not be able to return to school. We will miss those activities and events that have already become traditions in the history of Avenor: Cultural Celebration Day, the end of the school year festivities and the Summer Shows. We promise to be very creative and find alternative ways to celebrate together. We are already planning some surprises, we will be back soon with news :-).
Georgiana Socoliu: We are adapting and trying to organize all actions and events online. We continue learning, we are in the process of assessment, we are preparing the exams for the 8th grade, we are making plans for the events of June, Summer Show and graduation ceremonies.
Andrew Sutton: As I have briefly mentioned in the High School Learning Plan, exam lessons will continue, grade 10 and 11 will progress to the next stage of learning beginning their A Level studies early. All students will be enrolled on a series of workshops to optimise learning and Grade 12 will learn life skills and connect with alumni to help prepare for starting university.
Parenting Advice (part of the ‘School from Home’
initiative coordinated by the PSHE Department)
I thought long and hard about what would be an appropriate topic to write about in the ‘Parenting Advice’ section of the Weekly Bulletin. After tapping into my personal self-isolation experience and talking with parents from the Avenor community, it became clear to me that, in the avalanche of pandemic-related aspects that range outside of our area of control, there is one aspect of paramount importance that we can control: how we relate to all of it and assign meaning to it.
I am not pleading for an overly motivational
speech, because I am aware that this type of approach does, indeed, put
pressure on all of us to ‘be alright’, ‘think positive’ and ‘smile and carry
on’. What I am pleading for is authenticity and resilience, because they will
be our allies in going through this period of change.
After the pandemic is over, we won’t go back to
how things were before, because we will not be the same people. Every day of
self-isolation and restriction teaches you, as parents, things that you did not
know you knew before all of this. The remark of one mum comes to my mind. She
said that it’s quite funny that before the pandemic had started she considered
herself extremely busy and now in full self-isolation and juggling roles,
(personal, professional and family), she can’t help but laugh at her previous
statement.
So, one thing that you as parents are learning
every day, (in a boot-camp style, I would say), is that you do juggle jobs,
parenting, schooling, household chores, your couple relationship, and your
personal arrangements. But this comes with a huge effort, moments of meltdown
and feelings of helplessness.
‘Where’s the good in all this?’ you might ask.
Focusing on the good in this case can simply mean admitting to yourself and
your loved ones that this is not an ordinary situation and therefore the
solutions are nothing close to ordinary. So, putting in more effort is natural.
Meltdowns are inherent and help you release some pressure from all of the
effort made. Helplessness, although uncomfortable as it may be, let’s you know
that you are human, and this human who is used to achieving has the right to
feel helpless when, suddenly, achieving stops being the norm and becomes
something ‘nice to have’.
I thought of some specific suggestions that might
help you, parents, to focus on the good:
– Take a moment each day, (it can be
when you’re in the shower or right before you go to bed), and acknowledge at
least one small victory of the day. It can range from ‘my daughter had only 3
tantrums instead of 5’ to ‘I managed to do some personal grooming without
having my kids glued to the bathroom door’.
– Look outside and let it heal you
a bit. Irrespective of whether you live in a flat or a house, make a habit out
of ‘relating to nature outside’. This might mean opening the window and
enjoying the spring breeze on your face, taking video conferences in the garden
or having a short stretching session outside.
– Keep your healthy
routines – movement, eating and sleeping. There might be days when you just do
not feel like doing any sport and all you can think of is a plate full of
pancakes, but try to make these days exceptions, not rules. Maintaining your
routines will help you explain the new routines to your children as well and
will boost your energy levels. Oh, and remember one thing: if you skip sleep
constantly, everything you do will seem harder than usual.
As a firm believer in the motto ‘less is more’, I
will resume to only three suggestions that will hopefully feel real enough for
you to put into practice, if you are not doing this already. Until next time,
stay safe and stay sane. 🙂
Parenting Advice (part of the ‘School from Home’ initiative coordinated by the PSHE Department)
I thought long and hard about what would be an appropriate topic to write about in the ‘Parenting Advice’ section of the Weekly Bulletin. After tapping into my personal self-isolation experience and talking with parents from the Avenor community, it became clear to me that, in the avalanche of pandemic-related aspects that range outside of our area of control, there is one aspect of paramount importance that we can control: how we relate to all of it and assign meaning to it.
I am not pleading for an overly motivational speech, because I am aware that this type of approach does, indeed, put pressure on all of us to ‘be alright’, ‘think positive’ and ‘smile and carry on’. What I am pleading for is authenticity and resilience, because they will be our allies in going through this period of change.
After the pandemic is over, we won’t go back to how things were before, because we will not be the same people. Every day of self-isolation and restriction teaches you, as parents, things that you did not know you knew before all of this. The remark of one mum comes to my mind. She said that it’s quite funny that before the pandemic had started she considered herself extremely busy and now in full self-isolation and juggling roles, (personal, professional and family), she can’t help but laugh at her previous statement.
So, one thing that you as parents are learning every day, (in a boot-camp style, I would say), is that you do juggle jobs, parenting, schooling, household chores, your couple relationship, and your personal arrangements. But this comes with a huge effort, moments of meltdown and feelings of helplessness.
‘Where’s the good in all this?’ you might ask. Focusing on the good in this case can simply mean admitting to yourself and your loved ones that this is not an ordinary situation and therefore the solutions are nothing close to ordinary. So, putting in more effort is natural. Meltdowns are inherent and help you release some pressure from all of the effort made. Helplessness, although uncomfortable as it may be, let’s you know that you are human, and this human who is used to achieving has the right to feel helpless when, suddenly, achieving stops being the norm and becomes something ‘nice to have’.
I thought of some specific suggestions that might help you, parents, to focus on the good:
– Take a moment each day, (it can be when you’re in the shower or right before you go to bed), and acknowledge at least one small victory of the day. It can range from ‘my daughter had only 3 tantrums instead of 5’ to ‘I managed to do some personal grooming without having my kids glued to the bathroom door’.
– Look outside and let it heal you a bit. Irrespective of whether you live in a flat or a house, make a habit out of ‘relating to nature outside’. This might mean opening the window and enjoying the spring breeze on your face, taking video conferences in the garden or having a short stretching session outside.
– Keep your healthy routines – movement, eating and sleeping. There might be days when you just do not feel like doing any sport and all you can think of is a plate full of pancakes, but try to make these days exceptions, not rules. Maintaining your routines will help you explain the new routines to your children as well and will boost your energy levels. Oh, and remember one thing: if you skip sleep constantly, everything you do will seem harder than usual.
As a firm believer in the motto ‘less is more’, I will resume to only three suggestions that will hopefully feel real enough for you to put into practice, if you are not doing this already. Until next time, stay safe and stay sane. 🙂
The students’ interactions with their teachers and colleagues have moved to virtual platforms, and the admission process has been transformed into a series of Zoom meetings. Find out how we implemented all of these changes and how they impact learning from an interview with Mihaela Ancuta, Mathematics Curriculum Leader at Avenor College.
Avenor College: For about a month, learning at Avenor College has moved online. Our students continue to learn from home through daily technology-mediated interactions with their teachers. What happens in an online session with your students?
Mihaela Ancuța: Before I started preparing the online lessons, I reflected on the things I knew students appreciated about the Maths classes that used to take place at school, things I discovered from the various questionnaires and discussions or by simply watching their daily reactions, and I thought about bringing those elements in my online lessons.
I welcome students on Zoom with a smile, with enthusiasm and a good disposition. I know that it is within my power to set the tone and energy for the entire class.
Then I pay attention to each one of them and tell them what I observe: one student has a new background and I notice it, another uploaded a perfect homework on Google Classroom the previous evening and I congratulate him/her etc. This is how I let them know I care about each individual, that I look at them and I notice them.
After we have connected and we are ready to start the class, I clearly state the lesson objectives and plan, remembering together where we are in our learning journey. It is very useful to remind students what we have already learned and the next point we want to reach. This mobilizes and stimulates them.
Sometimes we consolidate knowledge, other times we learn new things, discover formulas and theorems or practice for the exam. Other times we take online tests, acquiring the necessary skills we need to get excellent results: theoretical knowledge, attention to writing, timing.
Students sometimes work alone, on a notebook or tablet, other times they work in teams in Zoom “breakout rooms”, and I visit them and offer my support should they need it. I like it most when, after a work session in “breakout rooms”, we all meet in the main “room” and share ideas, solutions, results. Then the students take control and it is wonderful to watch them express their opinions and experiences in small groups. We also use educational platforms and various websites.
Another thing I enjoy adding to my lessons, usually at the end, in the last few minutes, is to share with them an experience I had in school which relates to that specific lesson, or to tell them something I recently read in a book, about communication skills, how to react when they are in a deadlock, what are the most important values for a leader, how to manage time and organise effectively, how to organise a work flow etc. For example, one small thing that I shared with all my students and that seemed appropriate to the context we are in was “Make your bed!”, from the eponymous book. It said that if you arrange your bed in the morning (perfectly arranged, lined up), you start your day with a fulfilled task and this gives you the satisfaction of also completing it properly. Sometimes, at the end of the lesson, I tell them that next time I will share with them, for example, how we can read people’s thoughts from their actions, and they convey to me during our next meeting that they could hardly wait for our class to hear what I wanted to say.
A.C .: From the experience of the 4 weeks of virtual learning, how has the learning process changed in the new context?
M.A.: Recently I asked students what they think is different now from what we were doing before, and they all told me that there is no difference, they feel that they can continue learning as they have done so far, especially since I used to integrate technology into teaching daily, using my iPad and projector for every class.
Although students have not noticed differences in the learning process, I can certainly say I have: students are becoming more independent and more responsible for their own learning. The context of the online lessons gave me the opportunity to show the students even more that I trust them. I give them the opportunity to solve some tests without being supervised, they analyse their strengths and weaknesses and they self-evaluate then record their progress in a table.
A.C .: Together with the entire educational journey, the admission process has also adapted to the online environment. Students who wish to enroll at Avenor College can schedule online meetings with our teachers now. How is such a meeting going on?
M.A .: I am very pleased with our school’s approach to admission. The written admission exam has now been replaced with the online interview. This gives me the opportunity to discover the student from several perspectives. In the first part of the interview I tell them about the Maths classes at Avenor College, what we offer, but also about the responsibilities that the students have, and then find out if all of them match their wishes and expectations related to teachers, colleagues, school. Then, during the interview, I ask students to think about their relationship with Mathematics and to self-evaluate; this is how I learn what units they like, how much time they spend studying every week, how involved they are during a class, how they collaborate with their classmates and so on. In the last part of the interview I present students some problems, testing their knowledge and observing their thinking process. I also teach a mini-lesson for a few minutes and watch the student’s attention, as well as the ability to apply the knowledge received in a new context. In the end, I give the student the opportunity to ask me questions and thus I get asked “how many students are in a class?”, “What is the hardest lesson in high school?” or “when are we going to learn integration?”.
A.C .: The postponement of the National Evaluation exam could be a cause for concern for the parents of the students who make the transition from secondary school to high school. How has the admission process been adapted to facilitate the enrollment of students in our High School following the Cambridge curriculum?
M.A: The current criterion for admission to Avenor College is the online interview and we will keep it the same irrespective of the National Evaluation postponement. The admission interview is designed to give us the opportunity to look at each student’s characteristics and determine if he or she has the accumulated knowledge and the attitude necessary to continue learning at Avenor International High School.
A.C .: Why is now a good time to enrol at Avenor College?
M.A .: If we refer to children in Grade 8, still developing, the current circumstances might diminish their confidence in a future with quality education. At Avenor College they will meet teachers who will become guides, mentors, coaches, they will meet colleagues who will become friends, teammates and thus they will discover their skills and talents and will be able to capitalize on them.
Avenor students are celebrating the start of the Easter Holiday, and sport remains an activity that can be reinvented, even during the period of self-isolation. That is why our physical education teachers have designed a programme of live training sessions, which is addressed to both students and parents, during the Easter Holiday, within the Easter Holiday Virtual School programme.
“Sport is extremely important in our lives, especially during the period of self-isolation. Physical activity helps us to stay healthy, positive and active. We can have a healthy mind, only in a healthy body. We can have professional or educational achievements only if we take care of our mental health, and sport is an ally, because it helps us improve coordination and develop our personality harmoniously. A person does regula sport activity becomes a person who is attentive to details, which is why the sport sessions that I will host during this holiday will be addressed to students and parents who want to improve their ability to focus, balance and their overall mood”, said Ionel Voda, leader of PE department of Avenor College.
While Ionel aims to help students and parents to maintain their well-being and positive attitude during this period, Tiberiu Constantin, a sport teacher at our school, intends to help us correct our posture.
“In juniors, in particular, we can say that physical education helps a lot in preventing and correcting posture deficiencies, and in this period, muscle relaxation and stretching are very important, considering that both students and parents have a longer screen time. As a teacher, I hope that through all the training programs that I will host in the Easter Holiday Virtual School programme, I will help the families of the community to practice physical exercises in their free time. ”
Victoria Foster, PE teacher at Avenor, hosts a live dance session as part of the Easter Holiday programme.
“Sport helps us overcome mental exhaustion, and education is incomplete without sport. These days, during self-isolation, sport is an integral part of education. Students need to stay active even if they stay indoors, to avoid fatigue and lethargy. Sport improves blood circulation and keeps us in good shape. We invite students along with parents to join us on these sports sessions during Easter Holiday, because the power of the example is an important factor for children when it comes to the motivation to stay active ”, said Victoria Foster.
Simona Haiducu, a Ballet and Dance Fusion teacher at Avenor College, contributed to the sports programme and filmed a lesson of pilates for parents in the community. It can be accessed here.
“Pilates exercises are suitable for anyone, regardless of age. During this period it is very important to stay active, even if we are forced to stay inside. The pilates lesson will help you improve your breathing technique, mobility and ability to concentrate. Each exercise is performed paying attention to the breathing techniques. For maximum benefits, it is recommended to practice sports at least three times a week, so I encourage you to take part in the Easter Holiday Virtual School programme and join the school’s sporting initiatives, even during virtual learning, as we know that you were doing it offline too”, said Simona.
In addition to the sport lessons, the entire team of Avenor teachers has prepared interactive programs that will be carried out through the ZOOM application. The activities conceived by Art, Music, Drama and PE teachers are addressed to all of the students and parents in the community who wish to join us. We wish you a peaceful holiday!
Until February 2020, our life was passing by it at its natural pace. We were curious about what was happening in China and Asia, but we never thought it would get to us. Here is a new virus, not even a very powerful one and it has managed to slow down, without much effort, the whole world.
COVID-19 shouted “Everybody! Stand at ease!” and entered our houses without much endeavour. Fear got the better of us..
Both my husband and I are pretty scared of what will happen on an economic level – we are expecting losses, we will all be affected one way or another.
However, we have reflected on the events in our lives and realized that we have gone through many major crises. We have all been through crises, none of us have been exempt, yet somehow we have managed to get over them. Because we didn’t give up, because we used our brains, because we were motivated to be creative, to adapt.
Will the world be different after COVID-19? Surely mankind will see better days, but the losses will be great.
As a mother, as a leader in Education, as a citizen interested in the future of the world, I ask myself: How could we have avoided getting in this situation? What could have saved us? What did we ignore?
Now we must emphasize the importance of education with passion, now that COVID-19 has pressed a great alarm. Now we have to analyze, with all seriousness, what is changing in the way we humans act because otherwise I am afraid that the next revolt of Earth, of Nature, could possibly be fatal to human kind.
We need rigorous and responsibly educated future generations in order to avoid getting into such crises or, if we do, to trust our education, our minds, that we can overcome these adversities. Let’s not stay paralyzed and wait to be saved.
Now is the best time to look at Education: Don’t just learn by heart – learn with passion.
Now we understand what these shortages mean for every society:
The lack of basic science knowledge ( What is a virus? What is the difference between a virus and a bacteria? How is a virus treated? How is it transmitted? Why should we not administer an antibiotic when we have a virus? What is an epidemic? How does it spread? How do we protect ourselves?)
The lack of critical thinking development (if I am young and my illness will not be anything serious if I get infected with COVID-19, but I am a carrier and I meet my grandmother, what could happen to my grandmother?)
The lack of health education (How do we wash our hands, cough, sneeze, or when should we go to the doctor? What do we eat to be healthy?)
The lack of basic mathematical knowledge and understanding (understanding a graph and a curve; basic mathematical and statistical calculation, applying mathematics in real life)
The lack of education for solidarity between people (“if I’m not in the vulnerable group, I’m not interested in the rest of the world”, “why and when should I call 112? Why should I not make poor jokes calling 112?”, When we are sick we stay home or we go to the doctor, but we do not make others sick)
The lack of personal and emotional development: What is fear? What is anxiety? How do I manage them when they appear in my life?
The lack of economic and financial education – How do business and the economy work? How do I manage money? How do I negotiate with the bank? What are the expenses you have to cut under crisis conditions?
At Avenor College, we focus on education for developing life skills, critical thinking and a complex understanding of the world. Many of these life skills are not examined, they are not reviewed, they are not marked. They are part of the extended Avenor Curriculum and the profile of the Avenor Graduate takes all of this into consideration.
I have a few concrete examples in mind:
1. When His Excellency the British Ambassador to Bucharest Andrew Noble came to visit our school and had an open dialogue with our high school students, he was surprised by the depth of thinking and knowledge of our avenorians as well as the questions and topics they brought up. The Ambassador initially said that the visit would take no longer than 20 minutes and he actually stayed over an hour. He said that the level of discussion exceeded a group of Political Studies students. I am sure that if our high school students were invited to a Government discussion table they would really contribute, come up with solid arguments, listen to others, carefully analyze and give some viable ideas for any serious problem of the country, the world.
2. I invite you to read on Social Media about our Middle School and 9th grade students who are participating in a serious scientific project in order to find solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Do you remember the project of our 4 and 5 grade students – “Forbidden Forest”, which aimed to encourage us to get to know Băneasa Forest in a respectful and ecological way?
I am still open to sharing our experience and our programs with anyone who wants to see what and how we do it. The public system must reform its educational programs and include the development of life skills. They can be taught at school, if education were to become a social priority, a State priority.
Now is the best time to look at education: Don’t just learn by heart – learn with passion
At Avenor College we are an educational microcosm, modern, updated with the times we live in, with the real needs of society. Although it sounds exceptional, this is normal. We learn with passion.
Does the fact that Nursery children can talk to their teachers via Zoom help them express their feelings in this period? How can Avenor Nursery provide opportunities for children to further develop relationships with peers, even online? How does Avenor Nursery offer support to parents in the virtual learning new era? These are the questions that we have asked Ioana Botez, Avenor Nursery Counsellor, in order to offer us an overview over the importance of further developing relationships and feelings through various online learning tools.
Avenor College: Does the fact that Nursery children can talk to their teachers via Zoom help them express their feelings in this period?
Ioana Botez: Emotional expression, especially during the times we are all currently living in, is essential for our well-being. In the absence of face-to-face contact and social interactions, we are quite fortunate to benefit from a variety of apps that help us connect. Because connection is the key to coping with the waves of uncertainty coming our way. And, I am not talking only about children, but about all of us.
The communication within the entire Avenor community can be continued with patience, support and empathy through the use of technology. So, whether we are talking about using a smartphone for video calls or specific communication apps, (such as Zoom), if you feel it helps, then it helps. The longing that teachers have for children, the children for their teachers and the parents for going back to a routine in which the balance between parental involvement and nursery school support is restored are just some sensitive topics that can be explored during Personal Social and Emotional Development lessons via Zoom.
I do believe that we, as educators, should support families using all of the technological tools available in processing strong emotions, but also be mindful of finding a healthy combination between online and offline activities in order to avoid overexposure to screens for all of us.
Avenor College: How can Avenor Nursery provide opportunities for children to further develop relationships with peers, even online?
Ioana Botez: As building relationships is not only one of the three main objectives of Personal Social and Emotional Development, but also one of the main reasons for which parents introduce their children to a nursery school environment, Avenor Nursery is continually thinking of new ways of connecting children, parents and teachers. We started off by messaging each other via WhatsApp with updates from our time spent apart. Then, we moved on to sending learning recommendation in paper and video formats via email to connect even further and nurture all the areas of development of the children.
We then talked over the telephone to collect feedback and suggestions from the people who are facing the greatest challenge: parents. This week, we are testing Zoom Circle Times with children and parents and, after having two trial sessions with Nursery Blue and Year 1 Blue, I can tell you that part of the joy that everyone expressed was related to seeing and talking with each other again. We are considering small group Zoom meetings with children in order to allow children to further develop their relationships and are in constant dialogue with parents, because only together can we find the best solutions for the Avenor Nursery community in terms of socialising.
Avenor College: How does Avenor Nursery offer support to parents in the virtual learning new era?
Ioana Botez: Supporting parents is one of our priorities during this period, because we are aware that a great deal of the things we do in the nursery school with the children – care, supervision, educational activities, managing daily routines, is now handled by these real-life heroes, who have to juggle jobs, children, households, and personal lives. It is truly a time that requires a lot of flexibility, understanding and patience, because it is not easy for any of us, even as adults. One way in which we support parents at Avenor Nursery is by thinking through weekly learning recommendations that fit with the educational objectives of each age range in order for them not to drown in the ocean of free educational resources available on the internet.
Another way in which we help parents cope with the existing situation is by keeping communication alive during telephone conversations, WhatsApp messages, video calls, Zoom sessions and personalised approaches to meet their particular needs. Feedback is essential in identifying the needs of each individual family in order to make their lives easier. Because it all comes down to this: making parents lives easier during the period of self-isolation.
We are carefully planning practical activities that do not require screen time and build on children’s independent life skills. In the future we are considering Support webinars with parents and many other practical activity packs designed by our team in order to support children’s education and parents’ well-being.
