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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| The Return to School | The Return to School |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. This week’s issue is written by Besha Rodell, a columnist for the Australia bureau. | The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. This week’s issue is written by Besha Rodell, a columnist for the Australia bureau. |
| The return of Australian children to school has been one of the country’s most hotly debated topics, with feuds breaking out between federal and state officials while parents and teachers grapple with their own fears and frustrations. But what about the students? | The return of Australian children to school has been one of the country’s most hotly debated topics, with feuds breaking out between federal and state officials while parents and teachers grapple with their own fears and frustrations. But what about the students? |
| Their voices have been harder to find, so I thought it would be useful to ask some of the children I know what their experience has been like, and how they’re feeling about the slow return to class and normalcy. | Their voices have been harder to find, so I thought it would be useful to ask some of the children I know what their experience has been like, and how they’re feeling about the slow return to class and normalcy. |
| I started at home, with my son Felix Stewart, who is a 16-year-old year 11 VCE student at Princes Hill High School in Melbourne. | I started at home, with my son Felix Stewart, who is a 16-year-old year 11 VCE student at Princes Hill High School in Melbourne. |
| Felix returned to school this week with mixed feelings. He told me he was relieved to return to school for social reasons, but home learning worked incredibly well for him. | Felix returned to school this week with mixed feelings. He told me he was relieved to return to school for social reasons, but home learning worked incredibly well for him. |
| “These past few months have been some of the most productive of my entire school career,” he said. “I’m someone who is so easily distracted. I’ve also accepted that if someone tells me to do something, I don’t want to do it. Maybe it’s my adolescent/cave man brain. When there’s no one to tell me I have to get something done, then I tend to just do it.” | “These past few months have been some of the most productive of my entire school career,” he said. “I’m someone who is so easily distracted. I’ve also accepted that if someone tells me to do something, I don’t want to do it. Maybe it’s my adolescent/cave man brain. When there’s no one to tell me I have to get something done, then I tend to just do it.” |
| Felix also said that the last couple of months have been valuable in terms of preparing him and other older high school students for what lies ahead. | Felix also said that the last couple of months have been valuable in terms of preparing him and other older high school students for what lies ahead. |
| “These last few months have been good training for what we’re actually trying to achieve,” he said. “Most jobs, as far as I’m aware, do not have one boss looking over a room of 30 employees, telling all of them to get to work.” | “These last few months have been good training for what we’re actually trying to achieve,” he said. “Most jobs, as far as I’m aware, do not have one boss looking over a room of 30 employees, telling all of them to get to work.” |
| Even some students who are younger seem to have enjoyed the flexibility of learning from home. Archie Trengove, who is in grade one at South Preston Primary in Melbourne, just celebrated his seventh birthday with a Harry Potter-themed isolation party that he declared his “best birthday ever.” | Even some students who are younger seem to have enjoyed the flexibility of learning from home. Archie Trengove, who is in grade one at South Preston Primary in Melbourne, just celebrated his seventh birthday with a Harry Potter-themed isolation party that he declared his “best birthday ever.” |
| Though he returned to school this week, he has loved the time spent at home, telling me “it was nice to spend so much time with my mum.” | Though he returned to school this week, he has loved the time spent at home, telling me “it was nice to spend so much time with my mum.” |
| He has bloomed during these months, learning to read much better than he was able to before. When I asked him if there was anything bad about learning from home he said, “No, not really.” | He has bloomed during these months, learning to read much better than he was able to before. When I asked him if there was anything bad about learning from home he said, “No, not really.” |
| These responses, of course, are not universal. With some schools better equipped and more competent with remote learning than others, the disparities in teaching and experience have tended to vary even more widely at home than they might in school. | These responses, of course, are not universal. With some schools better equipped and more competent with remote learning than others, the disparities in teaching and experience have tended to vary even more widely at home than they might in school. |
| And many students say they prefer a structured classroom. | And many students say they prefer a structured classroom. |
| That is certainly true of Charlotte Dawson, a year 9 student at Wesley College in Melbourne who just turned 15. Charlotte will return to school on the 9th of June, and feels as though she has fallen behind while learning via Zoom. | That is certainly true of Charlotte Dawson, a year 9 student at Wesley College in Melbourne who just turned 15. Charlotte will return to school on the 9th of June, and feels as though she has fallen behind while learning via Zoom. |
| “It’s especially hard in maths, because the teacher would usually come around and check on how everyone’s doing,” she said. “You have to be so much more forward and proactive to get that attention, and not everyone is good at that.” | “It’s especially hard in maths, because the teacher would usually come around and check on how everyone’s doing,” she said. “You have to be so much more forward and proactive to get that attention, and not everyone is good at that.” |
| She also said that she thinks teachers have been compensating for lost face-to-face instruction by loading up students with far more work than they would usually be given. (This is a complaint shared by Felix, as well, along with many other children.) | She also said that she thinks teachers have been compensating for lost face-to-face instruction by loading up students with far more work than they would usually be given. (This is a complaint shared by Felix, as well, along with many other children.) |
| What’s clear from speaking to all these kids, though, is that education rarely takes such differences into account — nor is there much room for children to figure out which conditions best help them learn. | What’s clear from speaking to all these kids, though, is that education rarely takes such differences into account — nor is there much room for children to figure out which conditions best help them learn. |
| For many parents, quarantine has provided that opportunity. It reinforced for me just how different every student is, and how one-size-fits-all schooling will always leave some children behind. | For many parents, quarantine has provided that opportunity. It reinforced for me just how different every student is, and how one-size-fits-all schooling will always leave some children behind. |
| If anything positive can come of this grand experiment in learning that Australia has undertaken, it might be that schools begin to allow flexibility for students with different needs and learning styles. | If anything positive can come of this grand experiment in learning that Australia has undertaken, it might be that schools begin to allow flexibility for students with different needs and learning styles. |
| Updated Aug. 14, 2020 | |
| The latest highlights as the first students return to U.S. schools. | The latest highlights as the first students return to U.S. schools. |
| Have your kids thrived or struggled with home learning? Let us know at nytaustralia@nytimes.com. (And if there are any students out there who would like to share their experiences, we’d love to hear from you as well.) | Have your kids thrived or struggled with home learning? Let us know at nytaustralia@nytimes.com. (And if there are any students out there who would like to share their experiences, we’d love to hear from you as well.) |
| Here are this week’s stories. | Here are this week’s stories. |
| Proud of Your Lockdown Baking? This Man Built a Giant Kookaburra. He simply wanted to give people a laugh. | Proud of Your Lockdown Baking? This Man Built a Giant Kookaburra. He simply wanted to give people a laugh. |
| Hannah Gadsby on Comedy Trolls, Anti-Vaxxers and Burying Her Dog. ‘People who want to hate me — there’s nothing I can do about it.’ | Hannah Gadsby on Comedy Trolls, Anti-Vaxxers and Burying Her Dog. ‘People who want to hate me — there’s nothing I can do about it.’ |
| Ex-Head of Australian Girls School Is Fit for Trial, Israeli Court Says. For six years, Australia has tried to extradite Malka Leifer to face charges of sexually assaulting her students but she claimed to be mentally ill. | Ex-Head of Australian Girls School Is Fit for Trial, Israeli Court Says. For six years, Australia has tried to extradite Malka Leifer to face charges of sexually assaulting her students but she claimed to be mentally ill. |
| New Zealand Earthquake Interrupts Jacinda Ardern’s TV Interview. When the rattling from the magnitude-5.8 quake stopped, New Zealand’s prime minister continued the interview, seeming unruffled. | New Zealand Earthquake Interrupts Jacinda Ardern’s TV Interview. When the rattling from the magnitude-5.8 quake stopped, New Zealand’s prime minister continued the interview, seeming unruffled. |
| Jacinda Ardern Sold a Drastic Lockdown With Straight Talk and Mom Jokes. Leading New Zealand from isolation, Ms. Ardern coaxed her “team of five million” into accepting extreme restrictions. But the lessons of her success go beyond personality or charm. | Jacinda Ardern Sold a Drastic Lockdown With Straight Talk and Mom Jokes. Leading New Zealand from isolation, Ms. Ardern coaxed her “team of five million” into accepting extreme restrictions. But the lessons of her success go beyond personality or charm. |
| Trump’s Order on Social Media Could Harm One Person in Particular: Donald Trump. Without certain liability protections, companies like Twitter would have to be more aggressive about policing messages that press the boundaries — like the president’s. | Trump’s Order on Social Media Could Harm One Person in Particular: Donald Trump. Without certain liability protections, companies like Twitter would have to be more aggressive about policing messages that press the boundaries — like the president’s. |
| The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus. The latest studies show that even in the hardest-hit cities, most people remain vulnerable | The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus. The latest studies show that even in the hardest-hit cities, most people remain vulnerable |
| 13 Books to Watch For in June. An important gay civil rights history, the story of human migration and summery, juicy new novels from Kevin Kwan, J. Courtney Sullivan, Max Brooks and Ottessa Moshfegh. | 13 Books to Watch For in June. An important gay civil rights history, the story of human migration and summery, juicy new novels from Kevin Kwan, J. Courtney Sullivan, Max Brooks and Ottessa Moshfegh. |
| This Chef Has a Michelin Star and a Mission: Feeding Millions in India’s Lockdown. From his home in New York, Vikas Khanna, the TV host, writer and former executive chef at Junoon, is running a relief effort that distributes food to vulnerable Indians. | This Chef Has a Michelin Star and a Mission: Feeding Millions in India’s Lockdown. From his home in New York, Vikas Khanna, the TV host, writer and former executive chef at Junoon, is running a relief effort that distributes food to vulnerable Indians. |
| Two weeks ago, we wrote about life slowly returning to normal in Australia, and asked how your life has changed during the pandemic. One reader wrote in telling us about her experience as an American in Sydney who has no access to government assistance, and is struggling with anxiety and issues with her landlord. And yet: | Two weeks ago, we wrote about life slowly returning to normal in Australia, and asked how your life has changed during the pandemic. One reader wrote in telling us about her experience as an American in Sydney who has no access to government assistance, and is struggling with anxiety and issues with her landlord. And yet: |
| Not all sour is bad. In fact, I’m a sucker for sour candy — or lollies as they call them down under. COVID forced us all to stay home, and in my case this forced me to see the beauty in my home. | Not all sour is bad. In fact, I’m a sucker for sour candy — or lollies as they call them down under. COVID forced us all to stay home, and in my case this forced me to see the beauty in my home. |
| All of a sudden our greatest friends and supporters became our neighbors. Our friendly six-year-old neighbor has been our new best friend, joining us for pancake parties in our front garden and roasting marshmallows. | All of a sudden our greatest friends and supporters became our neighbors. Our friendly six-year-old neighbor has been our new best friend, joining us for pancake parties in our front garden and roasting marshmallows. |
| Toby, our neighbor’s dog, has also been part of our recent circle of close friends. He is one of the coolest and calmest dogs I know, a great addition to the isolation pack. Reaching out to friends and simply saying “how are you” has become the norm, and it truly feels nice when others are brutally honest and say how they feel, even if it is pretty or not. | Toby, our neighbor’s dog, has also been part of our recent circle of close friends. He is one of the coolest and calmest dogs I know, a great addition to the isolation pack. Reaching out to friends and simply saying “how are you” has become the norm, and it truly feels nice when others are brutally honest and say how they feel, even if it is pretty or not. |
| — Carolina Luna | — Carolina Luna |
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| For more Australia coverage and discussion, start your day with your local Morning Briefing and join us in our Facebook group. | For more Australia coverage and discussion, start your day with your local Morning Briefing and join us in our Facebook group. |