Distance Learning Educators: What It’s Like For many, the pandemic has slowed the pace of life. Certainly millions of people have turned to unemployment relief as their jobs have literally evaporated. But many of those who have maintained their jobs have seen a recalibration of expectations, a shift in what is expected, and, of course, a major downshift in travel. … Read More
When Reopening Schools Hybrid Model is Not Sustainable: 6 Important Concerns
When Reopening Schools Hybrid Model is not Sustainable is part of an occasional series including educator perspectives on distance learning and reopening schools. A Hybrid Model of Reopening Schools is Not Sustainable Let me be clear, distance learning is not ideal. I do not know a single educator who has spent their training or career desiring to teach TK-12 students… Read More
Rethinking Self Care: 4 Dimensions to Reimagine
It’s time to be rethinking self care – something that frequently lands at the bottom of educators’ to-do lists, and even more so during our current health crisis. Part of an occasional series featuring educator perspectives on school reopening and distance learning. Jennifer Hettel is a school psychologist and intervention counselor at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, CA. As a… Read More
Making the Best of At-Home Learning
How can you make the best of at-home learning? As the most controversial “back to school” season in recent memory approaches, you are probably inundated by strong opinions on the subject. Parents are clearly desperate for their children to have a routine, rekindle in-person social connections, and to simply be OUT of their house. Educators are desperate as well. They… Read More
Teacher Leave of Absence: Tough Choices in Challenging Times
This is part of an occasional series including perspectives on distance learning, including the tough choice of a teacher leave of absence. Peggy Brewster is an educator and mother of two who recently decided to take a teacher leave of absence. She lives in Sunnyvale, California with her husband, 5 year old son, 11 month old daughter, and their dog… Read More
The Effects of Distance Learning: What Once Was and Is No Longer
This piece is part of an occasional series featuring educators from across the country and their thoughts on school closure and reopening, the effects of distance learning and tips for surviving it. Read more here: larasandora.com/educator-experience. Yolanda Beltran began her teaching career in Houston, Texas, via Teach for America. She taught middle school English for two years and has spent… Read More
Distance Learning Teacher: Thoughts from the Front Lines
This is part of an occasional series featuring educators’ thoughts on teaching and learning during our current health crisis. Breann Sai is from Modesto, California and has taught Kindergarten for thirteen years at Hart-Ransom Elementary School, most recently as a distance learning teacher. She resides in Modesto with her husband, two daughters, and her cat and dog. Connect with her… Read More
Rethink Distance Learning: Recalibrate Your Expectations
This is part of an ongoing series on the state of education during our current health crisis. As a career educator and parent of a high-needs, non-verbal kid (as well as highly-independent, academically-inclined teen) here are some of my thoughts on distance learning. In a word, you need to recalibrate. Distance learning feels “too easy” for some kids, and “too… Read More
School Reopening: Society Needs to Face the Truth
From an occasional series featuring educators’ thoughts on school reopening in Fall 2020. Alison Hoeman is an ELL teacher in Des Moines Iowa. She has taught elementary school, middle school, and ELL for the past 20 years…. 13 years in 3 US states, and 7 years in 3 foreign countries. In her “free” time, she runs “Des Moines Refugee Support”,… Read More