The Cycle of Distance Education
The routine of Distance Education revolves around the regular flow of work between student and teacher supplemented with regular contact via email, phone and internet based technologies, ie Teams
Upon enrolling in distance education you will be provided with the following items:
- exercise and handwriting workbooks
- Term overview
- individual student planner
- supervisor feedback sheets
- online lesson timetable
- mail bags and post envelopes
- sports kit
- art kit
- maths kit
- library information.
- Workbooks and handwriting books - You will receive 4 workbooks in which to enter any work for English, handwriting, writing, diary, Human society and its environment and science work. We recommend that you use one book a week for all areas of your work. This way you will have a book to work in whilst others are being marked or are in transit.
- Term planner for Distance Education - This planner will tell you when any excursions, workshops or home visits are planned. Always check the website calendar for up coming events.
- Individual student planner -This sets out week by week for the term what work has been organised for the student to complete. Students will have an Individual Program, different from his/her peers.
- Supervisor feedback sheets are individually sent to students to reflect their learning program - It is greatly appreciated if you jot down in the appropriate subject areas what your child has completed and how they went - if it was easy, ok or difficult. This gives us an idea of how your child is enjoying school and of any problems you may be having. You will also receive a completed marking sheet from your child's teacher with the returned work. Please feel free to make quick notes on the returned work sheets or booklets. Post-it notes can also be used to alert the teacher to an issue about the student's returned schoolwork.
- Online lesson timetable - This advises students and supervisors of the time slots for class lessons, assembly, as well as other lessons they maybe involved in. The timetable also indicates when staff may be more available to talk to you off air. Attendance at online lessons is monitored, and student attendance is expected. Absences must be explained to your student's teacher.
- Mail bags and post envelopes - You will receive a few bulk mail bags in which to send your child's completed work back to the centre. Some smaller post envelopes are included for small items that may have been left behind!
- Mail labels and security seals
- You will also be given numerous labels addressed to the Distance Education Centre to attach to our mailbags or envelopes. We recommend using the orange coloured security seals that are placed near the zip on your mailbag once it has been closed. This ensures peace of mind knowing that your bag has remained sealed whilst in transit.
- Sport/Physical Education activity kits. An activity/sports kit is available for families. It is the responsibility of families to return the kit at the end of the student's enrolment and replace all lost or broken items.
- Art kit - The art kit is usually a one off, containing equipment and resources that should see out your child's time at Distance Education. You will of course receive top-ups and materials needed for specific activities. You can request additional material at all times.
- Maths kit - The contents depends on the availability of resources. If there is an item you have misplaced or resource that requires a top up for specific activities, please contact the staff at the Distance Education Centre.
- Home visits - These occur during first term and if needed in third term. Your teacher will negotiate a time that suits for these visits. Please notify your teacher if the student will not be available on the organised date.
- Computer/Online lessons - You will receive a computer and a printer from the Information Technology Unit in Dubbo if you are a Geographically Isolated Student. They are the first port of call in the event of a problem with the computer or printer. Your computer will have several learning programs loaded on to it, which can be used as activities to compliment your student's learning and familiarise him/her with the computer. All online lessons are mandatory and absences are noted.
- Library students will have a selection of library books sent to them by their teacher. We encourage all students to read their selection and send them back to the centre to enable a new selection to be made. Library requests can be made at any time.
- Excursion/ Mini school information excursions are usually once a year and involve all students from both the Walgett and Bourke Centres. Workshops or Mini- schools are at each centre. There is a medical form and a Prohibited Declaration form to be completed before attending.