Page 20 - The Song Room 2021 Year in Review

STRENGTHENING LEARNING COMMUNITIES
COVID-19 response
The Song Room’s Pandemic Response Committee created rigorous and clear operational protocols to enable the team to respond swiftly to government restrictions and provide clarity to our partners
as circumstances changed across the country. A COVID-19 Response Plan, Restricted Delivery Response Plan, Vaccination Policy, and Online Operating Guidelines gave us the framework to continue program delivery as we navigated our way in, out and through lockdowns.
The Arts Learning team worked in rapid response to new government restrictions and announcements often requiring adjustments to program delivery within 24 hours. Local communities had differing challenges that the team needed to understand and create specialised plans for. We scheduled and re- scheduled time and again. Their passion for the work and commitment to our schools was unwavering.
Despite the challenges, the pandemic has stimulated innovation at The Song Room. It has provided us with an opportunity to consider new approaches to online and hybrid learning. It has allowed us to further develop our existing remote delivery approach to expand its scope and impact in regional, remote, and metropolitan settings.
As leaders in digital arts education we were able to support teachers to use online learning as a platform to provide quality arts education experiences. We supported many schools to keep the arts alive at a time when others were deprioritising it in favour of ‘core curriculum’.
Teaching Artists were set up for success through increased professional learning in best practice digital delivery and online creative pedagogies delivered by in-house arts education experts. They were empowered to deliver lessons that included a mix of pre-recorded material and livestreams.
Teachers were provided with videos to send directly to their students, links to ARTS:LIVE resources, and additional online support material to use in remote teaching. One-on-one mentoring sessions via video conferencing were provided to participating teachers.
Our team increased the focus on social and emotional learning to provide students with the skills to adapt and continue to learn during this time of great need. Teachers, school leaders and families were under extreme pressure. Our work ensured
that consistent and continued program delivery was maintained at critical time for school communities.
20 The Song Room | 2021 Year in Review