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NSW DoE secretary Mark Scott said on Saturday that the government believed school closures were not necessary at present,and there were concerns that they would send students out into the community,visiting shopping centres and movie theatres.
But he said schools would be given new social distancing guidelines on Monday."I think the operations of school will change,"Mr Scott told the ABC."We are likely to see no school assemblies for some time,we might shift how lunch hours are structured so everyone is not in the playground at the same time."
"If you have a big school that runs big school assemblies,now is not the time to be doing that. Schools are still viewed as an essential service."
The NSW Department of Education uploaded detailed advice on Friday to guide schools in how to keep teaching"despite circumstances that interrupt normal school attendance for one or more students or the whole school community.
If small groups of students,or the entire community had to stay home,teachers should prepare digital or hard copy lessons that could be mailed to students,and provide ideas for learning activities parents can do with their children.
They should use existing platforms such as G-Suite or Microsoft applications"wherever possible".
They should check if students need technology support. They should tell students when they could be contacted to answer questions or provide support via email,videolink or phone - either at specific times or throughout the school day.
They should adapt their lessons according to the access students and teachers have to digital devices,and their level of technological skill. It also provided links to training in online delivery.
The department suggested teachers develop their own digital learning tools,such as slide decks,quizzes,videos,and recording lessons"similar to[maths teacher Eddie Woo's] Wootube,"the advice said."Many face to face activities can be replaced by simple online activities."
Schools were told that over-communication was recommended"to ensure everyone feels connected,supported and confident."
Parents would be asked to establish routines,find a place for their child to work,monitor communication from their child's teacher,encourage physical activity and exercise,and encourage being social while setting rules around social media activity.
One teacher said of the advice:"It assumes that parents will have the time to teach,that they are literate enough to support the kids at home to read and achieve these tasks."
Parents should ensure students have a timetable for each day and ensure students observe normal bed times."Don't let them stay up late and sleep in!"the advice said.
Students will be asked to"complete tasks with integrity and academic honesty",do their best to meet timelines and due dates,and communicate proactively with their teachers or if they require extra support.
Parents should also be wary that being confined to home for an extended period of time could cause"stress and conflict",so parents should encourage exercise,keeping in touch with family and friends and reminding them that isolation won't last long.
Counsellors should make virtual appointments with students,and classroom teachers should communicate frequently with students and parents.
Some teachers are worried that despite the new guidelines,ensuring students keep learning from home will be difficult."We are not trained in this,most kids don't have access,or even know their log in details,"said one.
"And for some parents it's a tough enough battle to get kids doing homework."
Matt Bower,an expert in digital classrooms at Macquarie University,said teachers unfamiliar with online learning faced a"steep learning curve"to become effective,and schools that have been avoiding technology in the classroom would find the shift more difficult.
"If we want this to work then we need to act quickly,"he said.