top of page
Writer's pictureWerner Richards

Newsletter #18 - 9 September 2024

I trust that everyone is doing well. It has been quite a fast, busy and interresting start to the new Term. Things are slowly coming together and I hope that everyone is getting into their rhythm again.




IMPORTANT DATES


Although it's early, I want to give you a heads-up:


Heritage Day falls on 24 September and is a public holiday. Please note that I won't be teaching on that day. There is a chance I might also be unavailable on Monday, 23 September. If lessons are canceled on that day, you will receive credit. I will confirm closer to the date.


STUDENT WHATSAPP GROUPS


I am creating separate Whatsapp groups for Music, Math, and Science.

These groups will be used to send notifications to all students and parents (especially those without cellphones yet).


The purpose of these groups is strictly as follows:


  1. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, students will be reminded to "Check-In" with me. They should update me on their school activities and send any questions for the upcoming lesson. This will help me better prepare for lessons and encourage students to seek help when needed, avoiding time wastage during lessons.

  2. The music group will inform students about upcoming assessments and share useful music-related information.


I understand you might feel overwhelmed with another group! I want to test if this method works better, as few use Classroom for notifications effectively. Classroom will remain our resource center, but it is not efficient for notifications.


Please do not archive or mute me in the groups. Keep me active in your messages. I will send notifications sensibly and only for the intended purposes.


The groups will be active starting today! Keep an eye out for the notification.


MATH AND SCIENCE SCHEDULES AND ANNUAL TEACHING PROGRAM


One issue I face with many schools is the lack of foresight. I cannot anticipate the content that needs to be covered. If possible, all students or parents should request this term's or year's Annual Teacher Program and the entire term schedule from the relevant teacher or Head of Department. This information will benefit students greatly and help me ensure schools adhere to their schedules. I will also remind students in the groups to request this information. If not received, contact the school directly. Unfortunately, I cannot do this.


THE STUDIO IS OPERATING AT 100% CAPACITY


This is not to boast, trust me. It's been years since I had a full roster. While it's a good problem to have, it comes with challenges. I am juggling with the workload and prioritizing teaching and assistance. With a 27-hour teaching schedule per week, I need an additional hour for each student for admin and preparation, totaling a 54-hour week. Please bear with me if things are last-minute or take longer. I will manage this somehow.


This also means that it will be challenging to reschedule any lessons in case you face any issues. My availability remains flexible, so if you are unable to attend, kindly inform me in advance, and I will check if there is a possibility to accommodate you in a vacant spot during the week. Please bear in mind that lessons cannot be postponed to the following week due to limited availability. It is not feasible as there is no room for rescheduling. I will make every effort to support you within my capacity. Feel free to reach out for assistance through check-in or group channels if you miss a lesson and have an upcoming test. I will provide resources and explanations outside of the regular lessons whenever possible.


If you require any help with the aforementioned or any new matters that have arisen since our last correspondence, please inform me.


Best wishes,

Werner


Let me know if you’d like any further adjustments!


19 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

ความคิดเห็น


bottom of page