Meet two young journalists in the making – Year 8 students Rhea Werner and Mattea Demetriou!

During their Learn@Home Program, Rhea and Mattea wanted to gain insight into the experiences of other St Catherine’s students and their perspectives about the Learn@Home Program.

They were curious to discover what other students enjoyed the most, what were the challenges they faced and what did they learn from this unique experience?

Our budding journalists interviewed a number of girls across different Year levels in the Senior School. They then collated the answers in a Q & A interview format to present an array of views from students during a remarkable time in history.

Below is a selection of Rhea and Mattea’s questions and the responses.

How do you stay focused during school?

“Staying focused can be super difficult in an online school. You’re practically sitting in a room full of distractions and when your friends only seem a text away, it can be very hard to resist. So, I try to keep my phone as far away from me as possible. One thing that always keeps me working through class is that I remember that if I don’t do it now, I’ll have to do it for homework and no-one wants that!” Ava Colosimo (Year 9)

“In Year 12, the teachers spend a lot of the time talking and explaining concepts and so I know that if I zone out, I will miss out on vital information. In addition, if I find I am struggling to concentrate, I will go outside for a quick walk after the class.” Isabella McDonald (Year 12)

“I make the most of the breaks offered by going outside and every thirty or so minutes I move around and stretch. However, drinking two or more litres of water a day, eating healthy, and getting proper sleep have been the most beneficial to staying focused during the day.” Jemima Wilcox (Year 9)

How do you limit distractions?

“I do my classes in my room to limit distractions. This helps me stay focused during class because there aren’t as many distractions in my room. I also wear headphones during the day to block out outside noise.” Charlotte Upton (Year 8)

“I put my phone outside the room I am in and turn it on silent. I also make sure that everything that would be distracting isn’t in the same room as I am when I am doing online school because I find it is easy to get distracted.” Francesca King (Year 12)

“I try to go on walks at least three times a week to stay active. Otherwise, I’ll just do a short stretch or run on the treadmill in the afternoon. This helps me stay fit and healthy during the Learn@Home Program.” Audrey Doan (Year 7)

“I try to remove all things that could potentially distract me like my phone and other things so I am just left with my laptop and school work.” Eliza Seymour (Year 11)

What do you do during your lunch break?

“I sometimes take my dog for a walk around the block. When it is a nice day, I also like eating outside.” Sophie Powell (Year 7)

“During lunch, the first thing I always do is make food! It’s a really fun way to occupy yourself for a while without a screen and its super exciting being able to have hot food during lunch. I then try to go outside to eat so that I can get some fresh air and clear my head. During this time I also try to stretch and talk to some of my friends.” Ava Colosimo (Year 9)

“I try to mix up my exercise every day. Sometimes, I enjoy going on long walks with my dog but other times, I like riding my bike or running.” Isabella McDonald (Year 12)

“It’s a good idea to avoid your screen and give your eyes a break. Things I enjoy during lunch may be planning my day ahead or starting an arts and craft project.” Flora Du (Year 9)

What is your favourite thing about Learning@home?

“My favourite thing is that I get to spend much more time with my dog.” Sophie Powell (Year 7)

“I have become more organised as I have all my books in the one spot so I have everything ready for class.” Eliza Seymour (Year 11)

“My favourite thing about the Learn@home program is that I am still able to stay in contact with my friends and that I am still able to see them during classes on Teams.” Francesca King (Year 12)

“The amount of independence and self-focused time I get. Also, having another hour of sleep and saving time to travel is a huge benefit.” Flora Du (Year 9)

What are some of the challenges that you have faced during the Learning@home program and how have you managed to overcome them?

“I like being able to sleep a tiny bit more as I tend to complete work in the evening. I also enjoy learning new skills to assist with my learning.” Isabella McDonald (Year 12)

“At the beginning I really struggled to stay focussed and not get distracted but I overcame this by making sure I removed all distractions from my learning and work space.” Eliza Seymour (Year 11)

“It can be discouraging as you aren’t getting the hype and support from your friends in the traditional classroom. Sometimes, I just drink a bit of water or ask my teacher for a short break so that I can fully learn again.” Francesca King (Year 12)

“Sometimes, my WIFI decides to not work in class or my computer is being unresponsive. Therefore, sometimes I miss out on vital information during class. To solve this, I have decided to download Teams on multiple devices so that if my computer does not allow me to access Teams, I would be able to do it on another device.” Charlotte Upton (Year 8)

“A challenge I faced at the beginning of the Learn@Home program was dealing with the technical issues and glitches. Since then I definitely feel I have upgraded my tech skills and can handle ICT problems much better.” Audrey Doan (Year 7)

What is your biggest take-away from this experience?

“What I have taken from this experience is to be more grateful that I am able to go to school and learn face to face rather than remote learning. I also now value the classroom style and having my teachers in the same room as I am so much more.” Eliza Seymour (Year 11)

“It has made me really value the time I get to spend with all the girls at school and also made me appreciate all the efforts of our teachers to ensure our success this year.” Isabella McDonald (Year 12)

“That whilst the situation may be hard, regardless of whether you prefer classroom environment or online environment, we should learn to be adaptable and make the best out of every scenario.” Flora Du (Year 9)

Do you have any tips or tricks that might benefit other girls?

“It is very important to give yourself a break sometimes. Work really hard during class, and then, during recess or lunch, have a break from the screen, go outside, go for a run, play with your dog or annoy your older siblings, just try to stay away from the screen!” Ava Colosimo (Year 9)

“I would definitely always have a water bottle around, make sure to try to eat the healthiest food to reduce stress and anxiety levels, make sure you are getting at least one hour of exercise a day, and finally make sure you are getting outside as much as possible.” Sophie Powell (Year 7)

“Things that have helped me is getting up every morning to exercise. If you find it hard to find the will, ask a friend to do it with you so you feel accountable for each other. Another tip is to schedule your day. It gives you the freedom of downtime along with productivity.” Jemima Wilcox (Year 9)

“It is really important to get a bit of fresh air and exercise every day particularly given the amount of time we are spending on our screens. Also, the dogs really love all the extra walks!!” Isabella McDonald (Year 12)