The Learning Continues

BMS Blended Learning combines digital delivery with on-campus instruction and may take a variety of forms, including in-class instruction combined with the online practice or online exploration followed by in-class discussion. This means some students at home will continue the online learning; while the rest are inside the classroom.

Naturally, the higher age group students in High School will have more time for face to face learning compared to student in the Middle and Primary School. Playgroup and Kindergarten students will attend online classes only at this stage.

BMS is committed to strictly follow all policies set by the authority in relation to school re-opening during COVID-19 pandemic in order to ensure safety and security of all students and staff. Requirement and Protocols for coming into school will be sent to parents beforehand. We request parents to support us in making this re-opening a success by preparing your child, both physically and mentally, at home.

The school will organize the splitting of students and place them into groups based on the revised operational capacity of the school for each year group/class. Further information such as school and lesson timings, classroom and dismissal arrangement will be sent by each Academic Coordinator to parents beforehand.

We kindly ask that during the transition, parents are mindful of the communication channels as laid out below.

DIVISIONAL PLANS

Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Primary School (Year 1-5)

Students are asked to:

• Follow their regular class schedule and regular school times with suitable breaks.
• Get ready for school and maintain usual routines around eating, playing, and bedtime. Routine is an essential component of a healthy distance learning.
• Practice some form of daily physical activity and a daily creative endeavor of their choice.

Teachers are asked to:

• Hold an engaging session each day.
• Provide support as much as possible for the students and parents to keep up with the daily lesson, activity, and assignment
• Send a reminder to all parents about activities that have been planned for that day, every morning, 08.00 the latest.
• Send timetable and weekly lesson plan.
• Make sure all evidence of learning is submitted to Education Agency of DKI Jakarta every day.

Parents are asked to:

• Try to enjoy this special time at home with your child, and use it to bond, to play, and to strengthen your parent-child relationship.
• Make sure that their children are all well-prepared for the set-up and implementation of Home Learning during this time.
• Go through and help to prepare the activities that have been planned.
• Submit assignments on daily basis as to respective Homeroom Teachers or Subject Teachers through email.

Middle School (Year 6-8) and High School (Year 9-12)

Students are asked to:

• Actively engage with and attend their learning activities on time.
• Get ready for school as though they are attending class on campus.
• Show teachers that they are engaged by contributing during sessions, adding to discussion threads and by submitting completed tasks on time.
• Use earbuds or headphones during video calls, especially when siblings are present and participating in their own distance learning.
• Collaborate with their classmates online as requested by teachers.
• Reach out to teachers with any questions via email or during their daily video calls.
• Work to practice independent organizational skills in a new learning environment.
• Maintain an appropriate space for learning to create a healthy distance learning environment. This is ideally in a public or shared space.
• Manage screen time in collaboration with parents; read physical books instead of an online resource when possible, take notes or work on assignments on paper when possible.
• Go through and help to prepare the activities that have been planned.
• Submit assignments on daily basis as to respective Homeroom Teachers or Subject Teachers through email.

Teachers are asked to:

• Plan engaging lessons that are appropriate for Blended Learning.
• Support students’ questions and confer with students via video calls during the designated class meeting time.
• Communicate clear deadlines and give timely feedback on assignments.
• Answer student questions and offer support in a timely manner.
• Send a reminder to all parents about activities that have been planned for that day, every morning, 08.00 the latest.
• Send timetable and weekly lesson plan.
• Make sure all evidence of Blended Learning is submitted to Education Agency of DKI Jakarta every day.

Parents are asked to:

• Try to enjoy this special time at home with your child, and use it to bond, to play, and to strengthen your parent-child relationship.
• Maintain a supportive presence but give students the opportunity to practice building independent study skills during this unique period.
• Work with their children are all well-prepared for the set-up and implementation of Blended Learning during this time.
• Help limit screen time for students outside of school hours with activities like reading books, playing board games, coloring, doing puzzles, cooking, visiting parks and other green spaces, exercising, playing music or engaging in other artistic pursuits.
• Go through and help to prepare the activities that have been planned.
• Submit assignments on daily basis as to respective Homeroom Teachers or Subject Teachers through email.

GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS

The transition to Blended Learning will be challenging for everyone, parents, students, and teachers. It is perfectly normal if you and your children struggle to adapt. Let us turn these challenging phases into opportunities to develop important skills like self-management, organization, and responsibility. We often talk about thriving amidst uncertainty as a key skill for the future, and your children will learn this alongside you. 

• Regular routines are significant contributors to success and well-being. We recommend parents set regular hours for schoolwork and maintain usual bedtimes.
• We encourage parents to establish a suitable space at home where children will spend their time learning. This is ideally in a public or shared space, not in the child's bedroom. This will allow light support and supervision. Students can use earbuds or headphones to isolate the audio when they have an online class.
• Check-in with your child, ideally at the start and end of each school day, to see how they are progressing and to ensure they are understanding their assignments.
• Please encourage your child to go out walking or take advantage of other sporting opportunities.
• Give your child opportunities to discuss this with you, remain positive yourself, and model resilience. When this is all over, students keep up with their studies and their friends, teachers show new levels of creativity, and parents gain a new perspective on their children.
• If you choose face to face learning, please send your child with the following:

1. Healthy packed lunch
2. Protective face mask that is approved by the Ministry of Health (KF 94 or KN 95)
3. Individual sanitizer
4. At least 2 water bottles

GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS AT HOME

It will be a challenge for all of us to do Blended Learning, but it is important that you try and keep up. This is obvious to those of you who have National and Cambridge exams on the horizon, but it is equally true for those of you who do not. Hopefully, the experience will help you develop your own learning style and become an expert distance learner. 

• Be up and dressed appropriately, with your computer set up in a shared living area, not a bedroom. You can use earbuds to isolate the audio for your online class if you have siblings working close by. Be sure to have completed any homework tasks that are due.
• Follow your regular schedule of classes at the usual scheduled time. This will help you stay connected with classmates and your teacher.
• Contribute to the class and support the teacher and your classmates by behaving in the same supportive and respectful manner as would be expected in a class at school. If the technology is problematic do not worry, just try to do as much as you can. Responsible online behavior is especially important during this time.
• For much of the time, you will be working independently on work set in Google Classroom. You are expected to complete all the work your teacher assigns and to turn in assignments online and on time.
• Manage your screen time. Take regular stretch breaks, go for walks, and get some fresh air. It is important for your body and your mind. Sing, dance, be creative catch up on reading, from real books.
• If you have questions or need extra help academically, let your teacher know. Remember your teacher is working hard to adapt the curriculum for you to access online, try not to email outside of normal working hours and do not expect an instant reply.
• Blended Learning can leave you feeling a bit isolated and few people like big changes to their routine. Be extra supportive to your peers, check in on your classmates, and be sure to get outside for exercise breaks. If you are struggling with any of this, reach out to your Homeroom Teacher.