A group of 10 educators joined a Zoom discussion with Pete Zervakis to discuss an unprecedented time in their profession.
WE WANT TO EMPOWER PARENTS,STUDENTS, AND TEACHERS WITHOUR "SAFELY BACK TO SCHOOL"SERIES.
A GROUP OF TEACHERSSAT DOWN WITH PETE ZERVAKISFOR A CANDID DISCUSSION -ABOUT THIS UNPRECEDENTEDSCHOOL YEAR--.From an educator'sperspective: what has thatbeen like?
For me, it wasdifficult to balance the twoTHIS FALL, TONYA BUFORD WILLTEACH HER MESSMER HIGH SCHOOLCLASSES ONLINE.
WHILE ALSOMAKING SURE HER áSON... ISSTAYING ON TASK WITH HIS OWNSCHOOL WORK... laying out myson's agenda for the day, andthen getting on Zoom meetingsthe same time he had Zoommeetings TONYA WAS ONE OF 10TEACHERS WHO JOINED ME FORTHIS 50-MINUTE DISCUSSION ONTHE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.SEVERAL OF THEM SUPPORTEDDECISIONS FROM DISTRICTS LIKEM-P-S... AND RACINE UNIFIED... TO BEGIN THE YEAR ENTIRELYONLINE.
When you've got 7 and8 year olds, they don'tunderstand social distancingthey're used to sharingsupplies, touching things allthe time, and touching peopleWhat could be done to put someof that anxiety at ease?before I'm willing to stepback into the classroom, Ineed to be assured that thecommunity spread in our cityis under control NU LEE - OFTHE HMONG AMERICAN PEACEACADEMY - WORRIES ABOUTSTUDENTS CONTRACTING THE VIRUSAT SCHOOL... AND BRINGING ITHOME... a lot families -Hmong families - in the cityof MKE are multi-generationalfamilies.Most students livewith moms, uncles, grandmas,grandpas AND THERE'S ALSOCONCERN ABOUT THEEFFECTIVENESS OF áANOTHERSEMESTER OF ONLINE LEARNING.we have students that strugglewith socioeconomics, withconnectivity.
Online learningfor a majority of our studentscan be extremely difficult alot of our kids jobs sofiguring out that priority:when do you do school?
When doyou work?
TEACHER AMY WEBB -OF HOWARD FULLER COLLEGIATEACADEMY - SAYS THAT'S WHY THESCHOOL IS PLANNING A MORESTRUCTURED APPROACH TO ITS ALL-ONLINE LEARNING THIS FALL.
Atone set time, you're actuallyone, and joining in, andhaving a class with thatteacher AT WISCONSIN LUTHERANHIGH SCHOOL ... TEACHER PETERILES SAYS MOST OF HIS STUDENTSWANT TO RETURN TO CLASS: 70%of our families wanted face-to-face instruction THE SCHOOLBOUGHT A STATE OF THE ART AIRFILTER... AND HAS PROPOSED AREOPENING PLAN TO THE CITY OFMILWAUKEE: things liketwo-lane hallways, masks 100%of the time, face shields forteachersA COMMON BELIEF ONTHIS CALL, WAS THAT PROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT WILL BE CRITICAL TOSTUDENT AND TEACHER SAFETY...AS SCHOOLS EVENTUALLY REOPEN.actually before i became ateacher i was a microbiologist.
I feel very confidentwalking in the school door aslong as students and teachersare wearing masks BUT WHAT'SCHALLENGING FOR TEACHERS -LIKE ALL OF US - IS THEUNKNOWN... there is no rightanswer, there is no "hey, thisis the handbook for teachingwith COVID" that we can figureit out.
Nobody knows what'sbest.
As teachers, once weget into the classroom we putour own comfort aside - andfocus on our students' comfortmore than our own AND THISFALL TEACHERS - AND THEIRSTUDENTS - WILL CONTINUE TOLEARN, AND ADAPT, AS THEY GO.PZ... TMJ4 NEWS.
As schools around our region release their plans for the fall, TMJ4 is hosting a 'Safely Back to School Town Hall,' where you'll..