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\u201cI love coming to school, seeing my friends… They\u2019ve been really supportive of me, and it was a big thing not having them there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been eye-opening, not seeing my teachers face-to-face or having them there to help every single time I needed assistance. They\u2019re all amazing, but it\u2019s been really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow year 12 Sophie Kurzman said her cohort has handled remote learning well.<\/p>\n
No two students have approached it the same, and they\u2019ve all grown differently, but one thing is uniting year 12s; they\u2019re savouring their little time on campus, if only for a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe probably won\u2019t ever be in a situation like this again,\u201d Sophie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t complain about something we have no control over. We\u2019ve taken initiative for our own learning, we\u2019ve become more individual and responsible. When we need to knuckle down, we do.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really good prep for next year. Uni is all on your own back, the teachers don\u2019t remind you of deadlines, and if you don\u2019t get your work in on time, you don\u2019t get it in at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Palmer agreed the transition to university may be smoother this time, having developed a greater independence and sense of self-motivation.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one\u2019s holding your hand at uni. Remote learning has built a bit of resilience and persistence in them, and they\u2019ve realised sometimes you do get some tough knocks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome kids have found more focus without their peers, but mostly they\u2019ve missed sitting in class, engaging with one another and asking each other questions about their work. Those peer-to-peer engagements can be really powerful learning experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cI dare say they\u2019ve been texting, emailing, ringing and contacting each other on social media, but they\u2019ve missed the face-to-face stuff; fun, laughs and jokes.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
JOYFUL chatter filled the Ballarat High School quad and gym on Monday. Year 12 students caught up for their first normal school day, studying remotely for the last three months. Principal Gary Palmer welcomed them back just two weeks before their \u2018study without teaching vacation\u2019 period and final exams. His staff organised recreational, inter-house lunchtime […]<\/p>\n