What are some things you have learned and/or tasks you have accomplished this semester?
This semester, I my primary focus was on connecting and engaging with students through social media.
With everybody hidden behind computer screens and isolated, the team and I strived to get students involved with the school through fun, positive posts and challenges. We wanted to get students comfortable showing their faces to break a bit of the screen barrier we all put up.
I learned that young people can operate like dominoes: once one person takes the jump and participates, it’s muc
h easier for everyone else to follow suit. As the person in charge of the Fun Friday challenges, I made sure to not only get people involved by sending in submissions for that week’s theme, but to also give them a chance to contribute through voting or selecting their favourite submissions. I put myself in their shoes to think about how one would feel comfortable sharing things on a large platform.
In addition, I provided on-line tech support for a few weeks before being transferred to the Family Of Schools team. This was a great experience that allowed me to practice very professional language. However, sometimes another student would reply faster than me and I would lose my chance, but it still felt rewarding to hear that we were able to help somebody struggling.
And although it seems like ages ago, I was able to get a few extra hours in at the real-life Wave just before spring break. Although there was not much demand, I made sure the table was never empty.
What aspects of your work were successful?
A
lthough both my roles had a positive result, I was really proud of the participation in the art and cooking contests. The topics were broad enough to allow many people to enter, but still with enough of a theme. After thanking everybody for their submissions, it was very exciting to see the engagement in the polls. Even my science teacher told our class to vote! Especially with the art contest, it was obvious that people were impressed with the talent and I’m very happy that we were able to showcase that.
What aspects of your work were challenging?
Towards the end of the semester, it was clear that the engagement on our social media was dying down a bit. Thankfully, spirit week came around to contrast that, so I decided to skip that week in order to not overwhelm the students with requests.
In addition, I hit a barrier where I ran out of ideas and had exhausted everything we had brainstormed as a team.
What steps did you take to overcome these challenges / what adjustments did you need to make?
Despite me hitting a creative block, I think the social media team and I did a very good job staying connected with the students during these weird circumstances. Like mentioned, I allowed the Leadership team to take over during the spirit week, but was there to recieve and post submissions and thank those who sent them in.
As Riverside continues to immerse itself into innovation and technology, what do you think Riverside can do to provide support and help for teachers and students?
It was a bit disappointing to not have been able to provide help in the Family of Schools project (it could have been a great resume addition!), so perhaps it would be good to brainstorm ways to not get parents stuck outside of the Team and with adequate support.
As the new year rolls around, I believe the Tech Team needs to have a strong role in the “hybrid learning” being implemented, especially with a new grade of students coming into the school. We need to ensure that they have all the support they need and receive a proper welcome. I’m looking forward to developing our already-made ideas and being a part of the group of students that ensures this goes as smoothly as possible.
