Principal's Blog - 28 May
From the Principal
For those who choose the vocation of teaching, the most important element must be the relational part of our work. Our work with young people, colleagues and families is primarily about education but there is so much more to how we spend our days. Establishing relationships of trust, warmth, encouragement and respect are all key parts of the teachers’ roles in this most important of work; helping to nurture young people in that journey from childhood to adulthood. Yarra Valley Grammar values academic excellence but we do so within the context of a high level of care which gives our school its ‘family feel’. There is an awesome responsibility to this work but also a great sense of purpose which characterizes our profession.
We have commented many times upon the effects of technology and the ‘digital age’ upon schooling but this have never been truer than now. The COVID-19 crisis which has so significantly disrupted our lives has forced a rethink of how we teach and how students learn. Almost in an instant, teachers around Australia have shifted from a school based paradigm to one where students are taught, engaged and encouraged remotely from school to home. We ought not underestimate the magnitude of this achievement.
Yarra Valley Grammar was one of the first schools in Victoria to shift from the traditional on campus mode of teaching and learning to an entirely online and offsite curriculum. This was not merely sending work home by email for students to complete. My colleagues were able to replicate as much as possible the normal school day with the five individual lessons each day being delivered ‘face to face’ by their teachers via video conferencing. It was critically important during this long period of disruption not to lose the important work of teachers in engaging their students. This tangible contact with teachers and classmates was critical to the success of the programme. I am in awe of the skill of our teachers, the flexibility and goodwill of our students and the great support of their families. If there has been one positive element I might identify from this experience it is that our skills and the skills of our students in the digital domain have been fast tracked and finely honed. Necessity after all is the Mother of invention.
As good as our online curriculum has been, there is no real substitute in my mind for being together with teachers and classmates as we teach and learn. Our students were very keen to return to school to be with friends and get back to some kind of normalcy. Again; schools are all about relationships and that’s why digital technologies in my view can enhance but never replace the school experience.
Finally, the most important ingredient for the success of any school is the quality of that school’s culture. Culture is created, defined and lived by the people here. We are indeed fortunate at Yarra Valley Grammar that there is a genuine affection for the school and a willingness to go that little bit further to contribute to its success. My hopes for the future are that whatever challenges we face (there have been plenty this year) we will be ready to meet them true to the motto of our school “Levavi Oculos” which challenges all of us always to: “Lift up your eyes”.
Dr Mark Merry
