The Commissioner of Education, Kalmar Richards is providing an update on remote learning programme for Bermuda public school Students.
Commissioner Richards said, "The Department of Education has surveyed parents to determine their needs and provide the best means for delivering instruction and support to our students. We have received a wide range of feedback regarding the Department's remote learning program from parents and students across the system. What this feedback has confirmed is that our families differ in their capacity and their ability to support students for remote learning at home while managing work expectations.
"In designing the remote learning programme, we have taken into account the challenges that parents are facing at home and their ability to manage working from home, caring for others as well as supervising student learning. We have also considered that many of our teachers are also parents and face similar challenges.
"Our remote learning strategy encompasses several different channels. In addition to face to face lessons via zoom, teachers use apps such as class dojo, see-saw, and google classrooms.
"That said, we have also carefully followed best practices for remote learning and have factored in the amount of screen time students have coupled with the technological challenges with sharing devices and lesson schedules in homes with multiple children.
"Parents will have found that aside from the various platforms used for direct screen instruction, there are assigned tasks which include choice boards, project work, computer-assisted instructional programs for independent work. As such, parents have the flexibility to use some of these avenues to have additional work outside of what had been assigned.
"Teachers also have a fair amount of flexibility and are responsive to parents' assessment of the needs of their children.
"If parents need additional work for their students, our schools stand ready to provide it. We encourage all of our families to communicate directly with school teachers and principals to discuss their needs, challenges, criticisms or extra support.
"The Office of the Commissioner has set-up the BPSS Family Feedback Form (https://www.research.net/r/BPSSFEEDBACK) so that any member of the public education family (teachers, parents and students) can send their suggestions, questions, complaints and kudos on any matter."