Page 3 - The Song Room 2020 Year in Review

FROM THE CHAIR AND CEO
Welcome to The Song Room’s 2020 Year in Review. What a year it was.
In the face of unpredictable and unparalleled circumstances, The Song Room demonstrated creativity, agility and commitment to ensure vulnerable primary school children, and their communities across Australia, were supported to maintain connection with their learning and to each other.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the existing equity gap across many areas in our society, and the education sector was no different. Disadvantaged children experienced isolation and struggled to maintain their enthusiasm for learning. Many vulnerable students were in environments where online and remote learning was not possible nor supported due to their circumstances at home. These students experienced gaps in their education that are extremely difficult to overcome. On top of that, teachers and parents were overwhelmed with the task of teaching. Well-being across the community was in jeopardy.
We accepted early in 2020 that our programs would not look exactly as we intended at the start of the year, but we also understood the urgent need to help students and teachers stay motivated and connected during one of the most tumultuous global events of our generation. Our clear commitment to these communities was to provide continuous support, mentoring and learning opportunities in spite of the difficulties.
The Song Room’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was swift, strategic and practical, turning a challenge into an opportunity. Immediate and long-term solutions provided teachers, schools and parents with access to high-quality curriculum aligned resources,
practical tools and professional support. Our extensive experience working in remote communities where The Song Room offers a blended teaching approach, including face-to-face and online delivery, helped to set us up for success.
What became very clear to us in 2020 was the depth and strength
of our systems, processes and program design. A healthy balance of funding, and strong financial planning going into the pandemic helped. This solid foundation allowed us to innovate to meet the challenges thrown at us and succeed in an extremely turbulent year.
Our team of dedicated Teaching Artists deserve special acknowledgement. Their ability to invent, inspire and re-imagine what was possible in fast-changing learning environments, demonstrates the resilience and creativity that are the hallmark of the Arts.
As we move into 2021 we look back and recall how important the Arts was in our lives during the long periods of lockdown. It was critical in keeping us connected, finding moments of happiness and joy, and it helped us to understand the value of community.
Thank you for your collaboration and support of The Song Room in 2020.
Anthony Mackay AM
Chair
Alice Gerlach
CEO
THE SONG ROOM: 2020 YEAR IN REVIEW 3