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"disqusTitle": "How to Lead During a Pandemic? Be Nimble, Bring In Many Voices and Hold On To Radical Hope",
"title": "How to Lead During a Pandemic? Be Nimble, Bring In Many Voices and Hold On To Radical Hope",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this post, five school administrators from across the country reflect on their experiences leading schools and districts during the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/coronavirus\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">COVID-19 outbreak\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. They describe \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56068/how-teachers-want-emergency-distance-learning-improved\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">successes and challenges\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of emergency distance learning, how they have practiced self-care and the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56373/can-online-learning-be-better-this-fall-these-educators-think-so\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">lessons\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that will carry them into the new school year. MindShift interviewed these educators between early June and late July. As of early August, all of their districts were planning to begin the 2020-2021 school year with \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/distance-learning\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">distance learning\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-56498 alignleft\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/M-Ann-Levett.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/M-Ann-Levett.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/M-Ann-Levett-160x200.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\">M. Ann Levett, Superintendent\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Georgia\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>37,146 students, 5,500 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On communication: \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/dr.annlevett/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Levett\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> said that frequent communication with staff and families is critical in a time of crisis, not only to relay changes to school operations but to direct people toward resources, such as \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56409/overwhelmed-stressed-scared-school-nurses-brace-for-the-fall-semester\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">mental health support\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55571/schools-race-to-feed-students-amid-coronavirus-closures\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">food assistance\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Like many districts, Savannah-Chatham created special web pages and frequent messages for families to learn about such resources. During the summer, Levett sent what she called “love notes” to her staff — emails with planning updates and reminders to reach out to administrators and colleagues for support. She also created “Free Talk Friday” videos, which were unscripted messages of encouragement. “I think people just wanted to be reassured that there was some normalcy. And that somebody realized that, hey, the world is \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56259/as-school-year-approaches-parents-and-educators-struggle-with-uncertainty\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">changing\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, but assuring us that you're looking out for our best interest.” Although leaders often prefer to speak authoritatively, Levett said that sharing conditional information is better than not communicating at all. One of her mantras has been “I can’t assure you certainty, but I can assure you clarity.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“That is an area that I really have to work on. We have been really trying to prepare for the restart of school. I was out of the office probably two days. But I do have a very supportive family and network who will say, ‘just don't do any work today.’ I've really taken care of myself by not exposing myself [to the virus], so making sure that I'm spending time at home, relaxing, watching Hamilton on Disney+ and, you know, really being engrossed in that. And I've also been able to cook meals. [Before the pandemic] based on my business, I was out eating meals a lot. I don't do that now, which is good.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Levett, this year has highlighted the need to be nimble. One of the most public ways that has played out, she said, was after the Fourth of July holiday. Her staff spent June modifying classrooms and preparing for an in-person start to the new school year. By mid-July, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/16/891997539/georgia-hospital-worker-sounds-alarm-i-have-never-ever-seen-anything-like-this\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Georgia’s surge in COVID cases\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> spiked those plans. “Think about 44,000 people,” Levett said. “Think about one day you're planning for everybody to come back and within a week and a half … It's not going to be safe. We've got to take a whole different approach.” Fortunately, Levett’s team had also been developing infrastructure for a virtual reopening, including purchasing devices. “My leadership approach is you always have to have a plan A, B, C, D, E. You’ve got to be planning for all of those,” she said. Still, not everyone was happy with the change, and that’s a reality leaders have to accept. Levett’s response? “That's where we are. So help us get the numbers down so we can see the kids.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56499 alignleft\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Francisco-Duran-scaled-e1597991422692.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"224\">Francisco Durán, Superintendent\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Arlington Public Schools, Virginia\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>28,020 students, 4,937 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On prioritization: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Assuming the superintendency in the midst of a pandemic is not on any educator’s bucket list, but that’s what \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.apsva.us/superintendents-office/new-superintendent-dr-francisco-duran/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Durán\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, who previously served as chief academic and equity officer for a neighboring district, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/9-questions-with-incoming-aps-superintendent-francisco-duran/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">did in June\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The long-time school leader said the turbulence of 2020 demands that administrators recognize what’s essential and what’s not. “What I've done is to try and work [with the school board and staff] and say, you know what, between now and the opening of school and really throughout the fall, we need to prioritize returning to school. There's a lot of other things we normally do that we need to take off the table. Just set them aside for now. We actually did a retreat with our board and my leadership team and we identified some of those things. So that's one thing I think is helping model for others how to prioritize.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Durán’s emphasis on setting priorities extends to physical and mental wellness. “Right now I take walks every day just to decompress and start each day anew and fresh. I meditate regularly to keep myself in balance. So those are personal things I've done to help say, what’s a priority in my life right now?”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This year has solidified several lessons for Durán, including the idea of “going slow to go fast.” When his team began to assess reopening options, for example, they created a task force that conducted community and staff surveys. Skipping those steps might have expedited decision making but Durán reminded his team that “it’s important to listen, to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56309/how-giving-all-stakeholders-a-voice-can-improve-school-reopening-plans\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">bring people’s voice\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in, to think it through.” Doing so not only yielded useful suggestions but helped identify what questions and misinformation were circulating in the community. “There's a lot of information and wondering out there of, ‘Well, why can't we just do this? Why can't we just have everyone come every day?'\" he said. \"And so I had to really reaffirm (in the July board meeting) that we’re looking at our health information from our state health department and the CDC.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56501\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Sonal-Patel-e1597991479505.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Sonal Patel, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>San Leandro Unified School District, California\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>9,056 students, 978 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On dealing with dual pandemics: \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.slusd.us/district-divisions-departments/educational-services-division/about-dr-sonal-patel/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Patel\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> spoke with MindShift just a week after the police killing of George Floyd sparked \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/series/868567696/america-reckons-with-racial-injustice\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">nationwide protests\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and a month and half after a police officer \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/walmart-shooting-steven-taylor-man-killed-san-leando-police/6273284/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fatally shot\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> another Black man, Steven Taylor, in her own community. “Personally, I feel mad and hurt and overwhelmed by my own thoughts and emotions. It can be tough to be a leader while you're processing that in real time,” Patel said. “Even though I've been developing my stance as an \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/category/antiracism\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">anti-racist educator\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for years, watching the world and our communities have to hold this kind of rage right now is very difficult,\" she said. In addition to the logistics of reopening schools, \"we're also battling this other corrosive virus plaguing our schools – white supremacy,\" she said. \"I think at times like this, schools become a really great place for people to find solidarity and comfort and to work through their emotions and thoughts and need for dialogue. To not be able to have that open for our students and families, (and for) our staff and our leaders in these coming weeks is tricky. So I’m just kind of thinking about how we go about doing that.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With two teenagers and a spouse at home \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55858/how-parents-can-coexist-with-disappointed-and-restless-college-students\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">competing for space and bandwidth\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Patel initially continued to go to her district office to work after schools shut down. She soon realized, though, that being alone in the same building all day was isolating. Now that she works from home, her family members take turns making meals, and they shoot hoops together in the evenings. “As I was talking to you, to be delivered a hot cup of tea and a bagel by my kiddo is like, I'm fueled for the day,” Patel said. “They’re teenagers, and they would normally be running around and doing sports and activities with friends,\" she said. \"Just kind of like sitting next to them and chatting with them and processing the day has been a form of self-care because normally I don’t get that time with them.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The pandemic has forced Patel to get comfortable with changing her mind daily. “I like to think of myself as having a strong voice and vision, but I’ve had to change the metric for that,” she said. For instance, after her district adopted a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55889/why-grading-policies-for-equity-matter-more-than-ever\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">pass/incomplete grading policy\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for the spring, she found that teachers were over-giving incompletes and she had to communicate differently about the policy’s purpose. Had that occurred prior to the pandemic, Patel might have judged herself for moving too fast, but now, she said, “all that's out the window because you just have to make decisions with what you know for this week or the next few weeks. And so my leadership lesson has been just how nauseous that makes me feel at times.” The antidote to that ailment, she said, is “figuring out how to get as much \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56038/how-indigenous-black-and-poc-educators-envision-a-better-school-experience\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">divergent voice\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as possible” when making decisions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56502\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Joe-Truss-e1597991523765.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"234\">Joe Truss, Principal\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Visitacion Valley Middle School, San Francisco Unified School District, California\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>450 students (grades 6-8), 50 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On supporting teachers:\u003c/b> \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/trussleadership\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Truss\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> said his role is all about connecting without controlling. “My number one job is making sure [teachers are] OK and seeing how they're doing and giving them what they need. And then priority two is giving them the space to figure it out as opposed to giving some mandates. With something that’s so crazy, like a sudden rush to remote learning and a pandemic going on in the background, you're going to need an innovative answer. And folks need \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56195/how-students-benefit-from-a-school-reopening-plan-designed-for-those-at-the-margins\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">time and space to innovate\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and create.” His approach models how he wants teachers to treat students. “Because primarily with the kids, they should be connecting and checking in and also innovating their curriculum,\" he said. \"[Students] should be getting through this time, not worried about if they're going to fall behind or if they're going to pass or not pass. That shouldn't be anything that a kid is worried about when \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/16/816707182/map-tracking-the-spread-of-the-coronavirus-in-the-u-s\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a hundred thousand people\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> die.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> “It’s a very \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55544/coronavirus-triple-duty-working-parenting-and-teaching-from-home\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">stressful time for everybody\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, but, you know, I’m trying to breathe, taking it one day at a time, trying to exercise a little bit. I happen to have just had a kid, so if I hadn't have had a newborn, I probably would have been running and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55533/exercise-tips-to-help-kids-teens-and-families-stay-balanced-at-home\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">exercising\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. But we also were pregnant and stuck at home with a toddler, you know? So it's not like I just have free time, to get on the Peloton. It's been a time with my family. You do the best you can.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership Lesson:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> “Less is more. And, you know, people over profits, right? \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55595/staying-in-touch-why-kids-need-teachers-during-coronavirus-school-closings\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Connection\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> over standards. There's certain things that matter and certain things that don't matter, especially under these situations. If you love your people, give them the space to figure it out. They'll figure it out. Whatever I can model, I can expect from folks. It allows folks to do that a little bit more if they see me willing to be vulnerable or willing to say, ‘I don't have it figured out’ or willing to say ‘It's not working out. It's not good. It's not fair.’ Then we can kind of have an authentic conversation. As opposed to me giving a party line, like ‘Everything’s under control, people. Pay no attention to the flames.’”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56500\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Sharon-Contreras-scaled-e1597991570117.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"302\">Sharon Contreras, Superintendent\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Guilford County Schools, North Carolina\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>73,000 students, 8,972 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On technology and equity: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/scontrerasGCS\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contreras\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, 20 percent of her district’s families \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55976/survey-shows-big-remote-learning-gaps-for-low-income-and-special-needs-children\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">do not have enough devices\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the home for each child, and approximately 15 percent of students do not have access to cable modems or high speed internet. To fill in the gaps during emergency distance learning, Guilford County Schools distributed more than 17,000 devices to students and sent 40 smart buses into neighborhoods to provide Wi-Fi. Still, about 2,300 students never logged on, and thousands of others logged on only \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55701/4-in-10-u-s-teens-say-they-havent-done-online-learning-since-schools-closed\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">sporadically\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. “A lot is falling on school districts to try to resolve. And I think that school districts have done so much that parents believe it's our responsibility to provide broadband connectivity,” Contreras said, but she believes educators need to help shift that expectation. “It's the responsibility of federal government and the state government to make sure that the citizens of this country have high speed internet because there are very few things you can do any more without internet,\" she said. \"It is something that is an essential service — a public good that is necessary, required, like electricity and water. It should not be treated as a luxury.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contreras said that the high-stress demands of the superintendent role makes self-care important but hard to achieve. “I would say that I'm a work in progress. But I wake up each morning, and I read the Bible, and I'm particularly inspired by The Message version of the Bible, which is plain, modern English. And then I walk three to five miles a day, exploring our county’s beautiful parks and nature trails. And during the pandemic, I started gardening and I enjoy the peace and joy that gardening brings to my life now.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“You know, I'm a problem solver. A fixer. A real life Olivia Pope,” said Contreras. “I've had great success my entire career with addressing very complex problems and issues. And I learned I cannot fix the chaos that has ensued since the start of this pandemic. I can't give students and my faculty and staff, my families, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56247/high-schoolers-share-their-worlds-with-us\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">their lives as they once knew them\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> back.” Despite that reality check, she is inspired by the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56118/5-radical-schooling-ideas-for-an-uncertain-fall-and-beyond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">innovations\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> sparked by the pandemic, such as her district’s rapid creation of a virtual school that will remain an option after the coronavirus outbreak. “While I cannot fix some of the issues that the pandemic caused,” she said, “I absolutely believe in radical hope. I believe we will create a better educational system. It will not be easy. But it will be relatively faster than the 300 plus years that we’ve lived in the current one. So I’m still optimistic.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This story is part of a MindShift series that explores solutions for returning to school during the COVID19 pandemic, supported in part by the \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.schusterman.org/\">\u003cspan class=\"s2\">\u003ci>Charles\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s3\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s4\">\u003ci>and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. MindShift retains sole editorial control over all content. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "School superintendents and principals who are trying to help teachers, students and families deeply affected by COVID-19 share how they're preparing for the school year. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this post, five school administrators from across the country reflect on their experiences leading schools and districts during the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/coronavirus\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">COVID-19 outbreak\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. They describe \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56068/how-teachers-want-emergency-distance-learning-improved\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">successes and challenges\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of emergency distance learning, how they have practiced self-care and the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56373/can-online-learning-be-better-this-fall-these-educators-think-so\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">lessons\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that will carry them into the new school year. MindShift interviewed these educators between early June and late July. As of early August, all of their districts were planning to begin the 2020-2021 school year with \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/distance-learning\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">distance learning\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-56498 alignleft\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/M-Ann-Levett.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/M-Ann-Levett.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/M-Ann-Levett-160x200.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\">M. Ann Levett, Superintendent\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Georgia\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>37,146 students, 5,500 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On communication: \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/dr.annlevett/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Levett\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> said that frequent communication with staff and families is critical in a time of crisis, not only to relay changes to school operations but to direct people toward resources, such as \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56409/overwhelmed-stressed-scared-school-nurses-brace-for-the-fall-semester\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">mental health support\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55571/schools-race-to-feed-students-amid-coronavirus-closures\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">food assistance\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Like many districts, Savannah-Chatham created special web pages and frequent messages for families to learn about such resources. During the summer, Levett sent what she called “love notes” to her staff — emails with planning updates and reminders to reach out to administrators and colleagues for support. She also created “Free Talk Friday” videos, which were unscripted messages of encouragement. “I think people just wanted to be reassured that there was some normalcy. And that somebody realized that, hey, the world is \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56259/as-school-year-approaches-parents-and-educators-struggle-with-uncertainty\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">changing\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, but assuring us that you're looking out for our best interest.” Although leaders often prefer to speak authoritatively, Levett said that sharing conditional information is better than not communicating at all. One of her mantras has been “I can’t assure you certainty, but I can assure you clarity.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“That is an area that I really have to work on. We have been really trying to prepare for the restart of school. I was out of the office probably two days. But I do have a very supportive family and network who will say, ‘just don't do any work today.’ I've really taken care of myself by not exposing myself [to the virus], so making sure that I'm spending time at home, relaxing, watching Hamilton on Disney+ and, you know, really being engrossed in that. And I've also been able to cook meals. [Before the pandemic] based on my business, I was out eating meals a lot. I don't do that now, which is good.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Levett, this year has highlighted the need to be nimble. One of the most public ways that has played out, she said, was after the Fourth of July holiday. Her staff spent June modifying classrooms and preparing for an in-person start to the new school year. By mid-July, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/16/891997539/georgia-hospital-worker-sounds-alarm-i-have-never-ever-seen-anything-like-this\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Georgia’s surge in COVID cases\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> spiked those plans. “Think about 44,000 people,” Levett said. “Think about one day you're planning for everybody to come back and within a week and a half … It's not going to be safe. We've got to take a whole different approach.” Fortunately, Levett’s team had also been developing infrastructure for a virtual reopening, including purchasing devices. “My leadership approach is you always have to have a plan A, B, C, D, E. You’ve got to be planning for all of those,” she said. Still, not everyone was happy with the change, and that’s a reality leaders have to accept. Levett’s response? “That's where we are. So help us get the numbers down so we can see the kids.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56499 alignleft\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Francisco-Duran-scaled-e1597991422692.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"224\">Francisco Durán, Superintendent\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Arlington Public Schools, Virginia\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>28,020 students, 4,937 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On prioritization: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Assuming the superintendency in the midst of a pandemic is not on any educator’s bucket list, but that’s what \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.apsva.us/superintendents-office/new-superintendent-dr-francisco-duran/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Durán\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, who previously served as chief academic and equity officer for a neighboring district, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/9-questions-with-incoming-aps-superintendent-francisco-duran/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">did in June\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The long-time school leader said the turbulence of 2020 demands that administrators recognize what’s essential and what’s not. “What I've done is to try and work [with the school board and staff] and say, you know what, between now and the opening of school and really throughout the fall, we need to prioritize returning to school. There's a lot of other things we normally do that we need to take off the table. Just set them aside for now. We actually did a retreat with our board and my leadership team and we identified some of those things. So that's one thing I think is helping model for others how to prioritize.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Durán’s emphasis on setting priorities extends to physical and mental wellness. “Right now I take walks every day just to decompress and start each day anew and fresh. I meditate regularly to keep myself in balance. So those are personal things I've done to help say, what’s a priority in my life right now?”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This year has solidified several lessons for Durán, including the idea of “going slow to go fast.” When his team began to assess reopening options, for example, they created a task force that conducted community and staff surveys. Skipping those steps might have expedited decision making but Durán reminded his team that “it’s important to listen, to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56309/how-giving-all-stakeholders-a-voice-can-improve-school-reopening-plans\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">bring people’s voice\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in, to think it through.” Doing so not only yielded useful suggestions but helped identify what questions and misinformation were circulating in the community. “There's a lot of information and wondering out there of, ‘Well, why can't we just do this? Why can't we just have everyone come every day?'\" he said. \"And so I had to really reaffirm (in the July board meeting) that we’re looking at our health information from our state health department and the CDC.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56501\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Sonal-Patel-e1597991479505.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Sonal Patel, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>San Leandro Unified School District, California\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>9,056 students, 978 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On dealing with dual pandemics: \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.slusd.us/district-divisions-departments/educational-services-division/about-dr-sonal-patel/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Patel\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> spoke with MindShift just a week after the police killing of George Floyd sparked \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/series/868567696/america-reckons-with-racial-injustice\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">nationwide protests\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and a month and half after a police officer \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/walmart-shooting-steven-taylor-man-killed-san-leando-police/6273284/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fatally shot\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> another Black man, Steven Taylor, in her own community. “Personally, I feel mad and hurt and overwhelmed by my own thoughts and emotions. It can be tough to be a leader while you're processing that in real time,” Patel said. “Even though I've been developing my stance as an \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/category/antiracism\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">anti-racist educator\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for years, watching the world and our communities have to hold this kind of rage right now is very difficult,\" she said. In addition to the logistics of reopening schools, \"we're also battling this other corrosive virus plaguing our schools – white supremacy,\" she said. \"I think at times like this, schools become a really great place for people to find solidarity and comfort and to work through their emotions and thoughts and need for dialogue. To not be able to have that open for our students and families, (and for) our staff and our leaders in these coming weeks is tricky. So I’m just kind of thinking about how we go about doing that.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With two teenagers and a spouse at home \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55858/how-parents-can-coexist-with-disappointed-and-restless-college-students\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">competing for space and bandwidth\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Patel initially continued to go to her district office to work after schools shut down. She soon realized, though, that being alone in the same building all day was isolating. Now that she works from home, her family members take turns making meals, and they shoot hoops together in the evenings. “As I was talking to you, to be delivered a hot cup of tea and a bagel by my kiddo is like, I'm fueled for the day,” Patel said. “They’re teenagers, and they would normally be running around and doing sports and activities with friends,\" she said. \"Just kind of like sitting next to them and chatting with them and processing the day has been a form of self-care because normally I don’t get that time with them.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The pandemic has forced Patel to get comfortable with changing her mind daily. “I like to think of myself as having a strong voice and vision, but I’ve had to change the metric for that,” she said. For instance, after her district adopted a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55889/why-grading-policies-for-equity-matter-more-than-ever\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">pass/incomplete grading policy\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for the spring, she found that teachers were over-giving incompletes and she had to communicate differently about the policy’s purpose. Had that occurred prior to the pandemic, Patel might have judged herself for moving too fast, but now, she said, “all that's out the window because you just have to make decisions with what you know for this week or the next few weeks. And so my leadership lesson has been just how nauseous that makes me feel at times.” The antidote to that ailment, she said, is “figuring out how to get as much \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56038/how-indigenous-black-and-poc-educators-envision-a-better-school-experience\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">divergent voice\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as possible” when making decisions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56502\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Joe-Truss-e1597991523765.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"234\">Joe Truss, Principal\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Visitacion Valley Middle School, San Francisco Unified School District, California\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>450 students (grades 6-8), 50 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On supporting teachers:\u003c/b> \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/trussleadership\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Truss\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> said his role is all about connecting without controlling. “My number one job is making sure [teachers are] OK and seeing how they're doing and giving them what they need. And then priority two is giving them the space to figure it out as opposed to giving some mandates. With something that’s so crazy, like a sudden rush to remote learning and a pandemic going on in the background, you're going to need an innovative answer. And folks need \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56195/how-students-benefit-from-a-school-reopening-plan-designed-for-those-at-the-margins\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">time and space to innovate\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and create.” His approach models how he wants teachers to treat students. “Because primarily with the kids, they should be connecting and checking in and also innovating their curriculum,\" he said. \"[Students] should be getting through this time, not worried about if they're going to fall behind or if they're going to pass or not pass. That shouldn't be anything that a kid is worried about when \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/16/816707182/map-tracking-the-spread-of-the-coronavirus-in-the-u-s\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a hundred thousand people\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> die.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> “It’s a very \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55544/coronavirus-triple-duty-working-parenting-and-teaching-from-home\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">stressful time for everybody\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, but, you know, I’m trying to breathe, taking it one day at a time, trying to exercise a little bit. I happen to have just had a kid, so if I hadn't have had a newborn, I probably would have been running and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55533/exercise-tips-to-help-kids-teens-and-families-stay-balanced-at-home\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">exercising\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. But we also were pregnant and stuck at home with a toddler, you know? So it's not like I just have free time, to get on the Peloton. It's been a time with my family. You do the best you can.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership Lesson:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> “Less is more. And, you know, people over profits, right? \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55595/staying-in-touch-why-kids-need-teachers-during-coronavirus-school-closings\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Connection\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> over standards. There's certain things that matter and certain things that don't matter, especially under these situations. If you love your people, give them the space to figure it out. They'll figure it out. Whatever I can model, I can expect from folks. It allows folks to do that a little bit more if they see me willing to be vulnerable or willing to say, ‘I don't have it figured out’ or willing to say ‘It's not working out. It's not good. It's not fair.’ Then we can kind of have an authentic conversation. As opposed to me giving a party line, like ‘Everything’s under control, people. Pay no attention to the flames.’”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56500\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Sharon-Contreras-scaled-e1597991570117.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"302\">Sharon Contreras, Superintendent\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003ci>Guilford County Schools, North Carolina\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003ci>73,000 students, 8,972 full-time staff\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On technology and equity: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/scontrerasGCS\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contreras\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, 20 percent of her district’s families \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55976/survey-shows-big-remote-learning-gaps-for-low-income-and-special-needs-children\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">do not have enough devices\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the home for each child, and approximately 15 percent of students do not have access to cable modems or high speed internet. To fill in the gaps during emergency distance learning, Guilford County Schools distributed more than 17,000 devices to students and sent 40 smart buses into neighborhoods to provide Wi-Fi. Still, about 2,300 students never logged on, and thousands of others logged on only \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55701/4-in-10-u-s-teens-say-they-havent-done-online-learning-since-schools-closed\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">sporadically\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. “A lot is falling on school districts to try to resolve. And I think that school districts have done so much that parents believe it's our responsibility to provide broadband connectivity,” Contreras said, but she believes educators need to help shift that expectation. “It's the responsibility of federal government and the state government to make sure that the citizens of this country have high speed internet because there are very few things you can do any more without internet,\" she said. \"It is something that is an essential service — a public good that is necessary, required, like electricity and water. It should not be treated as a luxury.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On self-care: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contreras said that the high-stress demands of the superintendent role makes self-care important but hard to achieve. “I would say that I'm a work in progress. But I wake up each morning, and I read the Bible, and I'm particularly inspired by The Message version of the Bible, which is plain, modern English. And then I walk three to five miles a day, exploring our county’s beautiful parks and nature trails. And during the pandemic, I started gardening and I enjoy the peace and joy that gardening brings to my life now.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Leadership lesson: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“You know, I'm a problem solver. A fixer. A real life Olivia Pope,” said Contreras. “I've had great success my entire career with addressing very complex problems and issues. And I learned I cannot fix the chaos that has ensued since the start of this pandemic. I can't give students and my faculty and staff, my families, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56247/high-schoolers-share-their-worlds-with-us\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">their lives as they once knew them\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> back.” Despite that reality check, she is inspired by the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56118/5-radical-schooling-ideas-for-an-uncertain-fall-and-beyond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">innovations\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> sparked by the pandemic, such as her district’s rapid creation of a virtual school that will remain an option after the coronavirus outbreak. “While I cannot fix some of the issues that the pandemic caused,” she said, “I absolutely believe in radical hope. I believe we will create a better educational system. It will not be easy. But it will be relatively faster than the 300 plus years that we’ve lived in the current one. So I’m still optimistic.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This story is part of a MindShift series that explores solutions for returning to school during the COVID19 pandemic, supported in part by the \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.schusterman.org/\">\u003cspan class=\"s2\">\u003ci>Charles\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s3\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s4\">\u003ci>and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. MindShift retains sole editorial control over all content. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "Could Year-round School Provide Vulnerable Students with Needed Help?",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story about \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://hechingerreport.org/is-it-finally-time-for-year-round-school/\">\u003cem>year-round school\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> was produced by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://hechingerreport.org/\">\u003cem>The Hechinger Report\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://eepurl.com/c36ixT\">\u003cem>Hechinger’s newsletter\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SAN ANTONIO, Texas — When Harlandale Independent School District in south San Antonio shuttered its doors in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, Melissa Casey’s first thought about her students was, “How are all of their basic needs going to be met?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the small district, 88 percent of schoolchildren are economically disadvantaged and almost \u003ca href=\"https://schools.texastribune.org/districts/harlandale-isd/\">75 percent\u003c/a> are at risk of dropping out. Harlandale administrators tried to smooth the transition to remote learning, lending students tablets, parking WiFi-enabled buses throughout the district and partnering with food banks to give out groceries and school supplies. Still, Casey, a Harlandale alum turned assistant superintendent, worried that the school shutdowns would lead to educational setbacks and add more instability to her students’ lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pandemic has raised awareness of the many roles schools play — providing everything from free meals to Internet access and caring adults — and also of the learning losses that kids experience when they’re out of school. Even in a normal year, many educators see a “summer slide,” as students return to the classroom with diminished knowledge after the long break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In April, the NWEA, a nonprofit assessment organization, published research showing some students could start school this fall nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.nwea.org/content/uploads/2020/05/Collaborative-Brief_Covid19-Slide-APR20.pdf\">one year behind where they would normally be\u003c/a>, part of a phenomenon referred to as the “Covid slide.” Not all students will be affected equally: Other research predicts that the losses will probably be greatest for \u003ca href=\"https://tracktherecovery.org/\">low-income\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19-and-student-learning-in-the-united-states-the-hurt-could-last-a-lifetime\">Black and Hispanic students.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, educators and officials have floated one possible solution: year-round school. Under this model, which has existed in parts of the country for decades, schools operate with shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year, rather than one lengthy summer vacation. While \u003ca href=\"https://www.jstor.org/stable/3516042?read-now=1&seq=43#page_scan_tab_contents\">research\u003c/a> on the model’s effectiveness is mixed, proponents argue that it keeps vulnerable students from falling farther behind and ensures that students benefit more consistently from school meals and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In May, the Texas Education Agency advised schools to consider the model. The next month, Harlandale became one of the first districts to take that step when its board approved the move. However, a surge in coronavirus cases pushed back the district’s start and made the year-round schedule untenable for this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>District leaders elsewhere in the country, including \u003ca href=\"https://richmond.com/news/local/richmond-school-board-wants-to-consider-moving-schools-to-year-round-schedule/article_5d63567d-8530-5dab-ab19-fb777c7e3985.html\">Richmond, Virginia\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/05/21/cincinnati-public-schools-consider-year-round-school-other-fall-ideas/5231347002/\">Cincinnati, Ohio\u003c/a>, have also talked about making the shift. Some states have made it easier for districts to modify their calendars to a year-round system: In Michigan, for example, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently included a measure allowing schools to move year-round in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-533311--,00.html\">executive order\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The year-round system began gaining popularity in the 1980’s, according to David Hornak, executive director of the National Association for Year-Round Education and superintendent of Holt Public Schools, in Michigan. In addition to mitigating learning loss, it was seen by school leaders as a way to ease overcrowding by enabling different groups of students to attend at different times, he said, and to help with teacher burnout through more frequent breaks. About 4 percent of K-12 students, or roughly 3 million, attend year-round schools, according to Hornak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools use the additional breaks, called intersessions, to provide enrichment activities such as fine arts camps and field trips, or tutoring and other academic support designed to catch up students who have fallen behind. Some year-round schools require students to attend intersessions if they need the extra help, while in other places the programs are voluntary and open to all students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hornak said the shorter summers mean children do not lose as much knowledge between school years. Teachers can focus on teaching new material, instead of trying to catch students up, and kids who need extra help can receive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>José Espinoza, superintendent of Socorro Independent School District in El Paso County, where year-round school has been in place since the 1990s, is a proponent of the calendar, but he said it is not a perfect solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2012, Socorro, a low-income district, was lagging behind other districts in Texas on new state assessments of academic readiness, despite using the model. Espinoza realized the district needed to better take advantage of the year-round calendar. Over the next few years, Socorro revamped its intersessions, creating the WIN Academy, a program that identified students who were struggling and helped them catch up through extra math and reading instruction. Students typically stayed with the same teachers for a period of years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, Socorro was given an “A” rating by the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garland Independent School District in North Texas voted in June to approve the year-round system for two years. Susanna Russell, its chief leadership officer, said the model will help alleviate some of the lasting effects of the pandemic. It also creates flexibility if a student misses many classes because of illness or a loss in the family, or if a school has to shut down temporarily because of a coronavirus outbreak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district will offer remediation such as tutoring and other services, but it will also help students prepare for Advanced Placement and college entrance exams. There are plans for camps, possibly for fine arts, robotics or coding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know our kids are going to be hit harder and they're going to come up at a disadvantage,” Russell said of the district, where more than 60 percent of students are low-income. “And if our district’s core value is that we remove obstacles and barriers to provide access and opportunity, then we have no choice but to explore this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tara Kristof, a parent of a sixth grader in the Dallas Independent School District, took note when nearby Garland made the switch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kristof said she has long been curious about the model because of the expense of summer camp and child care. She saves all year for the summers and leverages a flexible spending account through her job, but she said it would be easier if school breaks were spread out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Summer is 11 weeks,” Kristof said. “It is a big, big chunk of money all at once.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some districts use the year-round schedule creatively to ease the kinds of challenges parents like Kristof face. At year-round schools in Hornak’s district, for example, parents can opt to send their students to school during intersessions. It costs $100 a week, but that’s cheaper than local childcare options, according to Hornak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The model can also help ease childhood hunger, which tends to rise during summer months as kids lose access to free school meals. When schools are open throughout the year, children can rely on these meals more consistently, a particularly urgent matter now given that the pandemic has left \u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2020-06-16/coronavirus-heightens-threat-of-child-hunger-food-insecurity#:~:text=Soaring%20levels%20of%20food%20insecurity,hunger%20and%20other%20serious%20consequences.&text=The%20nonprofit%20Feeding%20America%20projects,be%20food%20insecure%20in%202020.\">more families hungry\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there are drawbacks. One concern with the system is the expense: Most teachers’ contracts don’t cover them to work during intersessions, and school facilities cost money to keep open. However, Hornak said districts are typically able to cover the expenses through federal funding for high-poverty districts, or by charging small fees for students who opt in to intersession.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administrators for Socorro and Garland said they’ve been able to pay for the program with federal funds as well as dollars the state allocated in the last legislative session for districts that are adding extra days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When districts consider going year-round, they sometimes face pushback, most of it focused on the disruption to summer traditions. Families plan reunions or vacations, schools host band or athletic camps, and teenagers and teachers take summer jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while some Harlandale parents and teachers initially bristled at the idea of going year-round, Casey said they warmed up to it after learning more about the model. Russell said a parent survey showed significant support for the move. Espinoza said people in his community are happy with the year-round system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Harlandale won’t be going year-round this fall, Casey said the model is under consideration for next year. After all, the full impact of the “Covid slide” likely won’t be felt until students return to face-to-face instruction – and when that might happen is a big unknown in much of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Harlandale, students will start the school year online. Later in the fall, if cases drop, families will be able to choose between virtual or in-person classes for the rest of the semester.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Casey said that once her teachers are face-to-face with students, the learning losses will become clear. “We’re going to know,” she said. She expects it will be difficult to see students struggling to read the same material or perform the same equations they learned previously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That reality is going to be very profound for people,” she said. “I hope that’s not the case, but I think it’s likely.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story about \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://hechingerreport.org/is-it-finally-time-for-year-round-school/\">\u003cem>year-round school\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> was produced by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://hechingerreport.org/\">\u003cem>The Hechinger Report\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://eepurl.com/c36ixT\">\u003cem>Hechinger’s newsletter\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "As schools search for ways to help students recover from the pandemic, the year-round system has emerged as one possible solution. Under this model, schools operate with shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year, rather than one lengthy summer vacation. Proponents argue it helps keep vulnerable students from falling farther behind and helps ensure that students benefit more consistently from school meals and other services.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story about \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://hechingerreport.org/is-it-finally-time-for-year-round-school/\">\u003cem>year-round school\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> was produced by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://hechingerreport.org/\">\u003cem>The Hechinger Report\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://eepurl.com/c36ixT\">\u003cem>Hechinger’s newsletter\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SAN ANTONIO, Texas — When Harlandale Independent School District in south San Antonio shuttered its doors in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, Melissa Casey’s first thought about her students was, “How are all of their basic needs going to be met?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the small district, 88 percent of schoolchildren are economically disadvantaged and almost \u003ca href=\"https://schools.texastribune.org/districts/harlandale-isd/\">75 percent\u003c/a> are at risk of dropping out. Harlandale administrators tried to smooth the transition to remote learning, lending students tablets, parking WiFi-enabled buses throughout the district and partnering with food banks to give out groceries and school supplies. Still, Casey, a Harlandale alum turned assistant superintendent, worried that the school shutdowns would lead to educational setbacks and add more instability to her students’ lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pandemic has raised awareness of the many roles schools play — providing everything from free meals to Internet access and caring adults — and also of the learning losses that kids experience when they’re out of school. Even in a normal year, many educators see a “summer slide,” as students return to the classroom with diminished knowledge after the long break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In April, the NWEA, a nonprofit assessment organization, published research showing some students could start school this fall nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.nwea.org/content/uploads/2020/05/Collaborative-Brief_Covid19-Slide-APR20.pdf\">one year behind where they would normally be\u003c/a>, part of a phenomenon referred to as the “Covid slide.” Not all students will be affected equally: Other research predicts that the losses will probably be greatest for \u003ca href=\"https://tracktherecovery.org/\">low-income\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19-and-student-learning-in-the-united-states-the-hurt-could-last-a-lifetime\">Black and Hispanic students.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, educators and officials have floated one possible solution: year-round school. Under this model, which has existed in parts of the country for decades, schools operate with shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year, rather than one lengthy summer vacation. While \u003ca href=\"https://www.jstor.org/stable/3516042?read-now=1&seq=43#page_scan_tab_contents\">research\u003c/a> on the model’s effectiveness is mixed, proponents argue that it keeps vulnerable students from falling farther behind and ensures that students benefit more consistently from school meals and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In May, the Texas Education Agency advised schools to consider the model. The next month, Harlandale became one of the first districts to take that step when its board approved the move. However, a surge in coronavirus cases pushed back the district’s start and made the year-round schedule untenable for this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>District leaders elsewhere in the country, including \u003ca href=\"https://richmond.com/news/local/richmond-school-board-wants-to-consider-moving-schools-to-year-round-schedule/article_5d63567d-8530-5dab-ab19-fb777c7e3985.html\">Richmond, Virginia\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/05/21/cincinnati-public-schools-consider-year-round-school-other-fall-ideas/5231347002/\">Cincinnati, Ohio\u003c/a>, have also talked about making the shift. Some states have made it easier for districts to modify their calendars to a year-round system: In Michigan, for example, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently included a measure allowing schools to move year-round in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-533311--,00.html\">executive order\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The year-round system began gaining popularity in the 1980’s, according to David Hornak, executive director of the National Association for Year-Round Education and superintendent of Holt Public Schools, in Michigan. In addition to mitigating learning loss, it was seen by school leaders as a way to ease overcrowding by enabling different groups of students to attend at different times, he said, and to help with teacher burnout through more frequent breaks. About 4 percent of K-12 students, or roughly 3 million, attend year-round schools, according to Hornak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools use the additional breaks, called intersessions, to provide enrichment activities such as fine arts camps and field trips, or tutoring and other academic support designed to catch up students who have fallen behind. Some year-round schools require students to attend intersessions if they need the extra help, while in other places the programs are voluntary and open to all students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hornak said the shorter summers mean children do not lose as much knowledge between school years. Teachers can focus on teaching new material, instead of trying to catch students up, and kids who need extra help can receive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>José Espinoza, superintendent of Socorro Independent School District in El Paso County, where year-round school has been in place since the 1990s, is a proponent of the calendar, but he said it is not a perfect solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2012, Socorro, a low-income district, was lagging behind other districts in Texas on new state assessments of academic readiness, despite using the model. Espinoza realized the district needed to better take advantage of the year-round calendar. Over the next few years, Socorro revamped its intersessions, creating the WIN Academy, a program that identified students who were struggling and helped them catch up through extra math and reading instruction. Students typically stayed with the same teachers for a period of years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, Socorro was given an “A” rating by the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garland Independent School District in North Texas voted in June to approve the year-round system for two years. Susanna Russell, its chief leadership officer, said the model will help alleviate some of the lasting effects of the pandemic. It also creates flexibility if a student misses many classes because of illness or a loss in the family, or if a school has to shut down temporarily because of a coronavirus outbreak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district will offer remediation such as tutoring and other services, but it will also help students prepare for Advanced Placement and college entrance exams. There are plans for camps, possibly for fine arts, robotics or coding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know our kids are going to be hit harder and they're going to come up at a disadvantage,” Russell said of the district, where more than 60 percent of students are low-income. “And if our district’s core value is that we remove obstacles and barriers to provide access and opportunity, then we have no choice but to explore this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tara Kristof, a parent of a sixth grader in the Dallas Independent School District, took note when nearby Garland made the switch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kristof said she has long been curious about the model because of the expense of summer camp and child care. She saves all year for the summers and leverages a flexible spending account through her job, but she said it would be easier if school breaks were spread out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Summer is 11 weeks,” Kristof said. “It is a big, big chunk of money all at once.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some districts use the year-round schedule creatively to ease the kinds of challenges parents like Kristof face. At year-round schools in Hornak’s district, for example, parents can opt to send their students to school during intersessions. It costs $100 a week, but that’s cheaper than local childcare options, according to Hornak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The model can also help ease childhood hunger, which tends to rise during summer months as kids lose access to free school meals. When schools are open throughout the year, children can rely on these meals more consistently, a particularly urgent matter now given that the pandemic has left \u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2020-06-16/coronavirus-heightens-threat-of-child-hunger-food-insecurity#:~:text=Soaring%20levels%20of%20food%20insecurity,hunger%20and%20other%20serious%20consequences.&text=The%20nonprofit%20Feeding%20America%20projects,be%20food%20insecure%20in%202020.\">more families hungry\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there are drawbacks. One concern with the system is the expense: Most teachers’ contracts don’t cover them to work during intersessions, and school facilities cost money to keep open. However, Hornak said districts are typically able to cover the expenses through federal funding for high-poverty districts, or by charging small fees for students who opt in to intersession.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administrators for Socorro and Garland said they’ve been able to pay for the program with federal funds as well as dollars the state allocated in the last legislative session for districts that are adding extra days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When districts consider going year-round, they sometimes face pushback, most of it focused on the disruption to summer traditions. Families plan reunions or vacations, schools host band or athletic camps, and teenagers and teachers take summer jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while some Harlandale parents and teachers initially bristled at the idea of going year-round, Casey said they warmed up to it after learning more about the model. Russell said a parent survey showed significant support for the move. Espinoza said people in his community are happy with the year-round system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Harlandale won’t be going year-round this fall, Casey said the model is under consideration for next year. After all, the full impact of the “Covid slide” likely won’t be felt until students return to face-to-face instruction – and when that might happen is a big unknown in much of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Harlandale, students will start the school year online. Later in the fall, if cases drop, families will be able to choose between virtual or in-person classes for the rest of the semester.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Casey said that once her teachers are face-to-face with students, the learning losses will become clear. “We’re going to know,” she said. She expects it will be difficult to see students struggling to read the same material or perform the same equations they learned previously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That reality is going to be very profound for people,” she said. “I hope that’s not the case, but I think it’s likely.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story about \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://hechingerreport.org/is-it-finally-time-for-year-round-school/\">\u003cem>year-round school\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> was produced by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://hechingerreport.org/\">\u003cem>The Hechinger Report\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://eepurl.com/c36ixT\">\u003cem>Hechinger’s newsletter\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>At the Bruneau-Grandview School District in rural southern Idaho, a couple of dozen teachers are crowded into the small library.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They're doing a refresher training for online teaching. In person-classes are scheduled to begin Monday, but with coronavirus cases continuing to rise in Idaho and other states, it's an open question for how long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Superintendent Ryan Cantrell, who's helping lead the Google Classroom training, is advising his staff that last-minute decisions will be the unfortunate normal this upcoming school year. Parents have the option of sending their kids to school this week, or staying fully online or some combination of both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent survey indicated that about three-quarters of the district's families were comfortable sending their kids back to school this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the district abruptly went to online-only last spring, Cantrell says some students dropped off the map and learning suffered, especially in outlying areas where there's little or no Internet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There's a general consensus of let's get moving,\" Cantrell says. \"Let's get the kids back in here so that we can find out where they're at, how we can help them.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those kids who do return can expect some changes. Desks will be spaced apart in classrooms and classes are being staggered to minimize the number of students in the hall at one time. The school day will also be shortened to allow for more online teaching.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a small rural school like this, teachers like Maya Davis will be expected to work in both worlds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"That will be a little bit challenging to navigate because teaching online itself was a full-time job, and obviously teaching in a classroom is a full-time job,\" Davis said. \"But we're just making it work.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools around the country have been grappling with how or even whether to reopen. In the two isolated farming towns of Grandview and Bruneau, which form the joint school district, there are fewer than a dozen known COVID-19 cases. But in nearby more-urban counties, where some of the staff here commute from, infection rates continue to climb out of control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Idaho, public health experts have warned that schools that are reopening may just have to close down again because it's not safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the training, Davis, who teaches third grade, was one of only a handful of teachers wearing a mask. Masks won't be required this semester, except on school buses. She and a few other staffers commute one hour each way from the Boise area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I wear a mask just to protect my community,\" Davis says.\"I don't want to be the one coming from Boise bringing COVID into the community.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Masks just aren't that common in this mostly isolated, rural community along the Snake River, where social distancing is generally a fact of life. And in small towns like this, the school is often a reflection of a community's values, says superintendent Cantrell. Yet it feels almost inevitable to him that there will be coronavirus cases soon after in-person classes resume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think it's only a matter of time before we're back to all virtual,\" Cantrell says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56547\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56547\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/img_6352-9f09b4812bc39f04d3e3ac0950a96ffd171f0f28-scaled-e1597940584420.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Superintendent Ryan Cantrell wants to get students back in class, even if just temporarily, after months of uncertainty and struggles with distance learning. \u003ccite>(Kirk Siegler/NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He'll work closely with the local public health district to do contact tracing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I expect almost immediately to have to start making decisions about who comes to school, who's quarantined, do we need to shut school down for two weeks,\" Cantrell says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is widely seen as an uncomfortable reality in Idaho, where generally most state leaders have been pushing for businesses and schools to reopen. This is one of the most politically red corners of the country, yet the state also now has a big red mark next to it as having one of the nation's fastest growing rates of coronavirus infections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some larger school districts in the state are beginning the school year all online. And public health experts have warned schools that are reopening that they may just have to close down again because it's not safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Listening to experts to set policy is an elitist approach,\" said state. Sen. Steven Thayn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a recent legislative hearing, Thayn, vice chair of an education committee, pushed a bill that would take authority away from Idaho's local health districts so they can't enforce school closures or mandatory mask orders. Many Republicans argued that local school boards should have the final say, not public health experts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill and another that would limit a school's liability when it comes to coronavirus lawsuits is likely to be debated in a special session of the Legislature later this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There are a lot of people that are willing to go back to school, willing to go back to work and yet we're letting a few fearful people control the lives of those of us that are not fearful,\" Thayn said at the hearing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bruneau-Grandview district anyway, there is certainly some fear about the virus. But school leaders are also worried about students not learning. The district had long been labeled as poor-performing and things had started to turn around until the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is just another pressure point for schools across the country, and there's no clear blueprint on how to go forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, Davis says she's just hoping to keep herself safe and her classroom clean \"and teach my kids as much as I possibly can.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of her first lesson plans for Monday will be a Zoom session with a friend who's a doctor who has treated coronavirus patients. They'll discuss with the third-graders the severity of the virus and how they can protect themselves and their families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Rural+Schools+Struggle+With+Road+Ahead+In+Era+Of+Coronavirus&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>At the Bruneau-Grandview School District in rural southern Idaho, a couple of dozen teachers are crowded into the small library.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They're doing a refresher training for online teaching. In person-classes are scheduled to begin Monday, but with coronavirus cases continuing to rise in Idaho and other states, it's an open question for how long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Superintendent Ryan Cantrell, who's helping lead the Google Classroom training, is advising his staff that last-minute decisions will be the unfortunate normal this upcoming school year. Parents have the option of sending their kids to school this week, or staying fully online or some combination of both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent survey indicated that about three-quarters of the district's families were comfortable sending their kids back to school this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the district abruptly went to online-only last spring, Cantrell says some students dropped off the map and learning suffered, especially in outlying areas where there's little or no Internet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There's a general consensus of let's get moving,\" Cantrell says. \"Let's get the kids back in here so that we can find out where they're at, how we can help them.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those kids who do return can expect some changes. Desks will be spaced apart in classrooms and classes are being staggered to minimize the number of students in the hall at one time. The school day will also be shortened to allow for more online teaching.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a small rural school like this, teachers like Maya Davis will be expected to work in both worlds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"That will be a little bit challenging to navigate because teaching online itself was a full-time job, and obviously teaching in a classroom is a full-time job,\" Davis said. \"But we're just making it work.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools around the country have been grappling with how or even whether to reopen. In the two isolated farming towns of Grandview and Bruneau, which form the joint school district, there are fewer than a dozen known COVID-19 cases. But in nearby more-urban counties, where some of the staff here commute from, infection rates continue to climb out of control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Idaho, public health experts have warned that schools that are reopening may just have to close down again because it's not safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the training, Davis, who teaches third grade, was one of only a handful of teachers wearing a mask. Masks won't be required this semester, except on school buses. She and a few other staffers commute one hour each way from the Boise area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I wear a mask just to protect my community,\" Davis says.\"I don't want to be the one coming from Boise bringing COVID into the community.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Masks just aren't that common in this mostly isolated, rural community along the Snake River, where social distancing is generally a fact of life. And in small towns like this, the school is often a reflection of a community's values, says superintendent Cantrell. Yet it feels almost inevitable to him that there will be coronavirus cases soon after in-person classes resume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think it's only a matter of time before we're back to all virtual,\" Cantrell says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56547\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56547\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/img_6352-9f09b4812bc39f04d3e3ac0950a96ffd171f0f28-scaled-e1597940584420.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Superintendent Ryan Cantrell wants to get students back in class, even if just temporarily, after months of uncertainty and struggles with distance learning. \u003ccite>(Kirk Siegler/NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He'll work closely with the local public health district to do contact tracing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I expect almost immediately to have to start making decisions about who comes to school, who's quarantined, do we need to shut school down for two weeks,\" Cantrell says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is widely seen as an uncomfortable reality in Idaho, where generally most state leaders have been pushing for businesses and schools to reopen. This is one of the most politically red corners of the country, yet the state also now has a big red mark next to it as having one of the nation's fastest growing rates of coronavirus infections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some larger school districts in the state are beginning the school year all online. And public health experts have warned schools that are reopening that they may just have to close down again because it's not safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Listening to experts to set policy is an elitist approach,\" said state. Sen. Steven Thayn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a recent legislative hearing, Thayn, vice chair of an education committee, pushed a bill that would take authority away from Idaho's local health districts so they can't enforce school closures or mandatory mask orders. Many Republicans argued that local school boards should have the final say, not public health experts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill and another that would limit a school's liability when it comes to coronavirus lawsuits is likely to be debated in a special session of the Legislature later this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There are a lot of people that are willing to go back to school, willing to go back to work and yet we're letting a few fearful people control the lives of those of us that are not fearful,\" Thayn said at the hearing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bruneau-Grandview district anyway, there is certainly some fear about the virus. But school leaders are also worried about students not learning. The district had long been labeled as poor-performing and things had started to turn around until the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is just another pressure point for schools across the country, and there's no clear blueprint on how to go forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, Davis says she's just hoping to keep herself safe and her classroom clean \"and teach my kids as much as I possibly can.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of her first lesson plans for Monday will be a Zoom session with a friend who's a doctor who has treated coronavirus patients. They'll discuss with the third-graders the severity of the virus and how they can protect themselves and their families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. 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"disqusTitle": "20 Questions To Help Decide What's Best For Your Kids (And You) This School Year",
"title": "20 Questions To Help Decide What's Best For Your Kids (And You) This School Year",
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"content": "\u003cp>Families with school-age kids are in a serious bind this fall — but you don't need us to tell you that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A growing number of \u003ca href=\"https://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/school-districts-reopening-plans-a-snapshot.html\">school districts\u003c/a> are offering solely remote learning this fall. Even those that are opening up for in-person classes may be operating only a few days a week to increase social distancing — and they may be prone to closing down again unpredictably if coronavirus cases spike, or if someone at the school tests positive for the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After-school programs that many families rely on may not be happening either. And some of you are worried about leaning too hard on older relatives for care, because you don't want to expose them to the coronavirus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are no easy answers, and this is not one-size-fits-all. So we came up with a list of questions to help you think through your options.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Questions about you\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>1. Are you working? Or do you need time to look for work? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>2. Do you work outside of the house and therefore need someone at home with the kids?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>3. Do you work from home, and if so, do you need some help entertaining or occupying your kids while you're on the clock? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That could be a \"mother's helper,\" i.e., a younger person who potentially charges somewhat less than a full-fledged babysitter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>4. Does your job have any family leave or any schedule flexibility? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law has a \u003ca href=\"https://worklifelaw.org/covid19/\">free legal hotline\u003c/a> to help you understand your rights better as an employee to pandemic-related leave or to schedule adjustments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>5. If you're thinking about taking a step back from work, have you calculated not only the \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4041155/\">\u003cstrong>loss in earnings\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> now, but the loss of retirement contributions and a wage penalty \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2020/06/03/485855/valuing-womens-caregiving-coronavirus-crisis/\">\u003cstrong>you may pay long term\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> when you go back to work? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paying for child care may start to look like a better investment when you do the full math.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>6. You may be managing now without help, but are you \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-high-stress-coronavirus-parents-apa.html\">\u003cstrong>stressed\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> to a level that might lead to burnout? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a few hours a week of help could make a difference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>7. Do you have what you need to make learning easier at home? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Look at your state's learning standards to get a sense of what your child should be learning this year. Many are based on the \u003ca href=\"http://www.corestandards.org/\">Common Core.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since we're \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/deciding-to-go-out.html\">less likely to spread the coronavirus outdoors\u003c/a>, are there ways that you could make your outdoor space easier to learn in, even when it starts to get cold? You might look for rain gear, boots and long underwear for your kids. You could also consider a rain shelter, or possibly an outdoor heater or fire pit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Questions about your household\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>8. Do you have a \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-increased-risk.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fneed-extra-precautions%2Fpeople-at-higher-risk.html\">\u003cstrong>high-risk household member\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This could make it harder to let someone else in to care for your kids. One alternative could be outside or socially distanced play groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>9. Do you have a partner? How's your division of labor and time? Could the partner step up? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/upshot/pandemic-chores-homeschooling-gender.html\">survey suggests\u003c/a> mothers are doing more.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Questions about your kid(s)\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>10. How old are your children? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For younger kids, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/15/891347536/-we-failed-children-says-co-author-of-new-national-back-to-school-report\">some experts say\u003c/a>, the need for in-person learning is greater. (It's important to note that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/20/892354171/kids-get-coronavirus-but-do-they-spread-it-well-find-out-when-schools-reopen\">many experts say\u003c/a> we'll only have a real sense of spread between young children once they're back at school in person.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>11. Do your kids have special needs? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many parents of children with special needs\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/07/23/893450709/families-of-children-with-special-needs-are-suing-in-several-states-heres-why\"> say remote learning just isn't working\u003c/a>, and some are successfully getting districts to pay for in-person services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>12. How did your kids do with remote learning in the spring? Can they stay engaged independently, or do they need continuous support?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take note that many public school districts are promising a more \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/13/890475212/los-angeles-and-san-diego-schools-announce-online-only-fall\">robust and engaging remote learning experienc\u003c/a>e this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>13. How much do they need peers right now? Do they have siblings or others in the household to play with? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some children are doing fine, while others are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/05/14/855641420/with-school-buildings-closed-children-s-mental-health-is-suffering\">having a hard time right now. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>14. Have you asked them how they prefer to spend their time this fall? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Questions about your village\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>15. Are you comfortable having conversations and negotiations about coronavirus safety, including masks and quarantining, with anyone you might bring into your \"\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/05/17/857531803/the-pros-and-cons-of-social-bubbles\">\u003cstrong>bubble\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>\"?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/08/886541838/starting-a-covid-19-social-bubble-how-safe-sex-communication-skills-can-help\">Here's a primer\u003c/a> on those bubbles, or pods.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16. Is any family member — grandparent, aunt or uncle, or cousin — able or willing to help out? Could you — or they — relocate if necessary to make that happen? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>17. Are there other families nearby who could rotate care? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>18. Are there free or affordable school or community-based child care options in your district? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are available, for example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.adams12.org/2020-2021-school-year/news/board-adopts-plan-start-2020-2021-school-year-2020-07-30\">in the Denver area\u003c/a> and in\u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/07/16/city-plans-child-care-for-100-000-kids-when-schools-partially-reopen-1301436\"> New York City\u003c/a>. If they don't yet exist where you live, could you join an effort to push for them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>19. Have you looked into\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://winnie.com/school-care\">\u003cstrong> in-home day cares\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>, one of the cheapest full-time options? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=900106265&live=1\">in-home day cares\u003c/a> are often quite small, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>20. Have you checked out the resources from your local \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"http://steveandkatescamp.com/counselors-at-home/\">\u003cstrong>day camp,\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> YMCA, gymnastics gym, dance studio or church? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almost anywhere that typically houses or entertains kids is trying to come up with a way to help parents meet this need at a variety of price points.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"mailto:lifekit.org\">\u003cem>LifeKit@npr.org\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>For more Life Kit, \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/newsletter/life-kit\">\u003cem>subscribe to our newsletter.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The podcast portion of this story was produced by Clare Marie Schneider.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=20+Questions+To+Help+Decide+What%27s+Best+For+Your+Kids+%28And+You%29+This+School+Year+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>2. Do you work outside of the house and therefore need someone at home with the kids?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>3. Do you work from home, and if so, do you need some help entertaining or occupying your kids while you're on the clock? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That could be a \"mother's helper,\" i.e., a younger person who potentially charges somewhat less than a full-fledged babysitter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>4. Does your job have any family leave or any schedule flexibility? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law has a \u003ca href=\"https://worklifelaw.org/covid19/\">free legal hotline\u003c/a> to help you understand your rights better as an employee to pandemic-related leave or to schedule adjustments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>5. If you're thinking about taking a step back from work, have you calculated not only the \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4041155/\">\u003cstrong>loss in earnings\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> now, but the loss of retirement contributions and a wage penalty \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2020/06/03/485855/valuing-womens-caregiving-coronavirus-crisis/\">\u003cstrong>you may pay long term\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> when you go back to work? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paying for child care may start to look like a better investment when you do the full math.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>6. You may be managing now without help, but are you \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-high-stress-coronavirus-parents-apa.html\">\u003cstrong>stressed\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> to a level that might lead to burnout? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a few hours a week of help could make a difference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>7. Do you have what you need to make learning easier at home? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Look at your state's learning standards to get a sense of what your child should be learning this year. Many are based on the \u003ca href=\"http://www.corestandards.org/\">Common Core.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since we're \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/deciding-to-go-out.html\">less likely to spread the coronavirus outdoors\u003c/a>, are there ways that you could make your outdoor space easier to learn in, even when it starts to get cold? You might look for rain gear, boots and long underwear for your kids. You could also consider a rain shelter, or possibly an outdoor heater or fire pit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Questions about your household\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>8. Do you have a \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-increased-risk.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fneed-extra-precautions%2Fpeople-at-higher-risk.html\">\u003cstrong>high-risk household member\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This could make it harder to let someone else in to care for your kids. One alternative could be outside or socially distanced play groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>9. Do you have a partner? How's your division of labor and time? Could the partner step up? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/upshot/pandemic-chores-homeschooling-gender.html\">survey suggests\u003c/a> mothers are doing more.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Questions about your kid(s)\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>10. How old are your children? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For younger kids, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/15/891347536/-we-failed-children-says-co-author-of-new-national-back-to-school-report\">some experts say\u003c/a>, the need for in-person learning is greater. (It's important to note that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/20/892354171/kids-get-coronavirus-but-do-they-spread-it-well-find-out-when-schools-reopen\">many experts say\u003c/a> we'll only have a real sense of spread between young children once they're back at school in person.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>11. Do your kids have special needs? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many parents of children with special needs\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/07/23/893450709/families-of-children-with-special-needs-are-suing-in-several-states-heres-why\"> say remote learning just isn't working\u003c/a>, and some are successfully getting districts to pay for in-person services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>12. How did your kids do with remote learning in the spring? Can they stay engaged independently, or do they need continuous support?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take note that many public school districts are promising a more \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/13/890475212/los-angeles-and-san-diego-schools-announce-online-only-fall\">robust and engaging remote learning experienc\u003c/a>e this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>13. How much do they need peers right now? Do they have siblings or others in the household to play with? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some children are doing fine, while others are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/05/14/855641420/with-school-buildings-closed-children-s-mental-health-is-suffering\">having a hard time right now. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>14. Have you asked them how they prefer to spend their time this fall? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Questions about your village\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>15. Are you comfortable having conversations and negotiations about coronavirus safety, including masks and quarantining, with anyone you might bring into your \"\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/05/17/857531803/the-pros-and-cons-of-social-bubbles\">\u003cstrong>bubble\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>\"?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/08/886541838/starting-a-covid-19-social-bubble-how-safe-sex-communication-skills-can-help\">Here's a primer\u003c/a> on those bubbles, or pods.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16. Is any family member — grandparent, aunt or uncle, or cousin — able or willing to help out? Could you — or they — relocate if necessary to make that happen? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>17. Are there other families nearby who could rotate care? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>18. Are there free or affordable school or community-based child care options in your district? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are available, for example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.adams12.org/2020-2021-school-year/news/board-adopts-plan-start-2020-2021-school-year-2020-07-30\">in the Denver area\u003c/a> and in\u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/07/16/city-plans-child-care-for-100-000-kids-when-schools-partially-reopen-1301436\"> New York City\u003c/a>. If they don't yet exist where you live, could you join an effort to push for them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>19. Have you looked into\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://winnie.com/school-care\">\u003cstrong> in-home day cares\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>, one of the cheapest full-time options? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=900106265&live=1\">in-home day cares\u003c/a> are often quite small, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>20. Have you checked out the resources from your local \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"http://steveandkatescamp.com/counselors-at-home/\">\u003cstrong>day camp,\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> YMCA, gymnastics gym, dance studio or church? \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almost anywhere that typically houses or entertains kids is trying to come up with a way to help parents meet this need at a variety of price points.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"mailto:lifekit.org\">\u003cem>LifeKit@npr.org\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>For more Life Kit, \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/newsletter/life-kit\">\u003cem>subscribe to our newsletter.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The podcast portion of this story was produced by Clare Marie Schneider.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=20+Questions+To+Help+Decide+What%27s+Best+For+Your+Kids+%28And+You%29+This+School+Year+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "‘If I Could Handle This, I Can Handle Anything’: First-Year Teachers Reflect on the Pandemic",
"title": "‘If I Could Handle This, I Can Handle Anything’: First-Year Teachers Reflect on the Pandemic",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jamie Wong Baesa had been dreaming of her first year as a teacher since she was 7 years old, when she would line up her stuffed animals and launch into a lesson.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mikia Frazier, too, spent years envisioning the day she would get to walk into her own classroom. Kids from the neighborhood would often stop Frazier’s mother, a school principal, in the supermarket to tell her how much she’d changed their life. Each time that happened, Frazier was that much more certain that teaching was what she wanted to do.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For others, the calling didn’t come as early. Kristen Stein and Lauren Bayersdorfer realized they wanted to be in the classroom midway through college, switching their majors from cybersecurity and accounting, respectively, to pursue careers in teaching. Steve Middleton worked as an engineer for more than a decade before transitioning to education. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regardless of the experiences and interactions that led these educators to the field, each entered their first year of teaching—the 2019-20 school year—filled with excitement, eagerness and anxiety. They didn’t quite know what to expect—what kind of students they’d have in class, what crises may come up, where they would excel or fall short. And certainly none of them could have anticipated the arrival of a global pandemic that would force schools nationwide to close their doors and develop long-term remote learning plans on the fly.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">First-year teachers already face many challenges. The job is unpredictable, and for newcomers, that can be intimidating. Many of the nine first-time teachers featured in this story said that the fall semester was all about getting the hang of teaching—learning how to juggle after-hours responsibilities like grading and emailing, establishing their teaching styles and building relationships with students. When they started the second semester, most felt like, finally, they had figured it out. Then COVID-19 changed everything.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Frazier, a fourth grade teacher in Hinesville, Ga., describes, “I will always remember my first year by the pandemic ... knowing that COVID really just kind of came in and cut the school year almost in half. But I'll also remember we got through it.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though their experiences are unique, nearly every educator interviewed for this story said the hardest part of remote learning was the loss of student connection and the way their relationships suffered. They worried about kids who were already struggling, and about those with unstable home environments. They missed the silly jokes and the sound students make when they finally understand a new concept. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite all that COVID-19 took away, many first-year teachers noted that they learned more about teaching and themselves than they likely would have in an average year. They gained confidence in their abilities. And they found it comforting that during remote learning, none of the teachers—not even the veterans—really knew what they were doing. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In reflecting on the last year, they also expressed concern about the upcoming one. What will it be like to do this all over again, but with students they don’t know? How will they build trust and make the impact that drew them to this field?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The nine educators profiled below together represent seven U.S. states, from California and New Jersey to Oklahoma and Georgia. Some held live video calls with students during remote learning in the spring. Others haven’t seen their students’ faces since March. Some taught students who lost family members to COVID-19, or who nearly succumbed to it themselves. Others haven’t really felt the effects of the virus yet. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here are their stories—as told to EdSurge reporter Emily Tate, lightly edited and condensed for clarity.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56472\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Jamie-Wong-Baesa-e1597214825889.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Jamie Wong Baesa\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 24\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Seventh grade math\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>Lorena Middle School in Lorena, Texas\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>About 140\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Roommates\u003c/b>: One\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Technology classes in teacher prep program: \u003c/b>Four, including one graduate class\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience:\u003c/b> Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Salary\u003c/b>: $40,000\u003cb>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003cb>Started the year feeling: \u003c/b>Excited, nervous, eager\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>Relieved, uncertain, thankful\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Just before spring break, shortly after all the students at Lorena Middle School had finished reading “Call of the Wild,” they went on a field trip to see the film adaptation of the novel in theaters. Everything seemed completely normal, Jamie Wong Baesa recalls. She told students goodbye, expecting to see them after break in a week. That’s when COVID-19 hit. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wong Baesa’s district did not meet in person again after that, and there was no live instruction during remote learning. She didn’t get to see or talk to her seventh graders after spring break. Instead, her middle school assigned a different subject for each day of the week. Wong Baesa, the only seventh-grade math teacher at her school, taught math to all seventh grade students on Mondays via pre-recorded video lessons, and spent the other days grading and planning for upcoming lessons.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a normal school day, in person, I teach six periods. So, during first period, if the lesson doesn't work, it becomes apparent very quickly. And then it's like, ‘Well, scratch that. I'll reteach it tomorrow.’ But with remote learning, it was a lot harder because there were maybe two or three lessons where it just flopped. Students were like, ‘We don't get this at all.’ All their work was wrong. I’m like, ‘Where did I go wrong?’ But by that point it was already too late, because e\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">veryone had already seen the lesson and didn’t get to try again till the next week. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the challenges was that I'd never taught this stuff before to a live audience, and now I had to figure out how to teach it to a remote audience. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So that was definitely difficult—wrestling with how to\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> make this accessible on technology in a way that [students] can understand. Because you miss the facial expressions, the ways they can instantaneously ask questions in real life.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was hard not being able to check in and see how they're doing—learning from administrators, ‘Oh, yeah, he's taking care of his four younger siblings and that's why he hasn't been doing his math homework,' or hearing from distressed parents, ‘I'm so sorry, we haven't had electricity,’ or ‘We have five kids, and they're all sharing one computer.' And you're like, ‘Oh, there's so much more to this school dynamic and day.’ It helped me remember what's really important in this time.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56477\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56477\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width.png 1600w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-800x324.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-1020x413.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-160x65.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-768x311.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-1536x622.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Jamie Wong Baesa's seventh grade math class in Lorena, Texas. Right: The desk area where she taught during remote learning. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jamie Wong Baesa)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I kept thinking about my students who had hard home lives or [those who] would get really frustrated when they do mathematics, and not being able to just pull them aside and say, ‘Hey, you're doing great. You're going to be okay.’ That was really hard. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And [at times] I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I'm totally failing as a teacher,’ but having to reconcile that with, ‘O.K., everybody's learning, we're doing the best we can do. At the end of the day, if the students don't know this one concept, they're probably going to be okay.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I think, at the end of the year, remote learning helped confirm that I am in teaching for the relationships. Being able to see students learn and grow and develop has been so big for me. Especially because COVID took some of that away, it just made me realize that, without relationships, it would be a lot harder to believe deeply in what I do.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When I think about next year, if we don't have any sort of face-to-face component and we do have to go online,I don't know how that will work. Especially if it's with students who I've never met in the flesh before.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56478\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long-e1597215145530.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Hannah Long\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 26\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">T-K and kindergarten\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School\u003c/b>: Two Rock Union Elementary in Petaluma, Calif.\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Students served:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 20\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One, plus an adorable dog\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: $46,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Passionate, driven, excited\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Devastated, incomplete, hopeless\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After studying painting and printmaking in college, Hannah Long spent a few years as a full-time artist. While working at an art studio for young children, her boss said she was such a natural with kids and ought to become a teacher. And that’s exactly what she did. The irony is that Long’s own experience in school was not wholly positive. She was diagnosed with severe dyslexia and ADHD in third grade, and her elementary school years were shaped by those learning challenges. She describes herself as one of the kids who was “left behind” during the No Child Left Behind era. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Today, she teaches “littles”—T-K and kindergarteners—at a rural elementary school in Northern California, about a 10-minute drive from where she grew up. When school closed during COVID-19, about half of her students lacked internet access or devices, so she used a combination of online learning and paper packets and sent each student handmade sensory bags—filled with items like glue, bubbles, Play-Doh and water beads. Given their young age, Long says it was difficult to teach 4- and 5-year-olds virtually and keep everyone on track. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“COVID-19 happened and we were told we all had to have websites, so we made websites. Then we were told we were using Google Classroom [instead], so we scrapped the websites and made a Google Classroom. And then I was told that six of my kids didn't have internet or devices. It was probably more like 10 kids that either didn't have a device, internet or accessibility—so almost half of my class. So then we were doing paper packets, as well as having all the information online. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Live Zoom meetings] turned into more checking in and talking. They got over—very quickly—doing anything academic. ... I guess the buy-in wasn't there. When I teach in my classroom, I can give the kids games where they don't realize that they're learning, and they can be really enthusiastic. There was less of that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the beginning of quarantine, the idea that ‘It's OK to not be OK’ was floating around. And that's very untrue. When I had a Zoom call, there was no ‘not being OK.’ There was no texting their parents, like, ‘Having a bad day. Your child doesn't get to learn today.’ \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56479\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56479\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photos from Hannah Long teaching in her T-K/K classroom in Petaluma, Calif. before the pandemic. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hannah Long)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So that was hard because it's like, I have a life. I have a mom with cancer. My wedding was being canceled. My fianc\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">é\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is in a high-risk group. It was a scary time. And so to say, ‘Everything is fine’ and to reinforce, ‘It's going to be OK’ and to try to explain that to kids was difficult. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I could say, ‘I'm feeling a little sad today’ or ‘Miss Hannah is having a hard day,’ but I couldn't not show up for my kids. There was a day when I was crying and then my fianc\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">é\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> was like, ‘What's wrong?’ And I was like, ‘This, this, this’ and ‘I’m scared.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh! I have a Zoom meeting’ and wiped the tears off my eyes and [logged in and] was like, ‘GOOD MOOORNING!’ So that was really hard.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And this might be because I'm a novice teacher or just maybe my personality, but I have a hard time setting boundaries. I knew this was hard for parents. And I don't have kids. So when I was done Zooming at the end of the day, I could just go do whatever I wanted. I knew that parents were in a hard situation, and I just wanted to make sure that I was there for them as much as possible. I was getting messages late at night that they couldn't figure out something, so I would get on the computer with them and work it out for an hour. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I feel like there's the 26-year-old me and there's teacher Hannah. I'm Hannah, and then I’m Miss Hannah—the same person, but different. It was exhausting to be constantly ‘on,’ and to have to be OK [even] if you’re having a hard day. But at the same time, the parent involvement and being able to see the parents get really involved with their kids was amazing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Next year, I'll be a second-year teacher. And that’s not what parents want. I mean, I wouldn't want to be on a pilot's first flight. So it's hard. I kind of had to win over my parents this year—and I did, a lot of them—but how do you do that if you’re remote? And the beginning of T-K is like, ‘This is what we do in class.’ And it's repeating myself over and over again: ‘We sit criss-cross applesauce with our hands in our laps … our eyes are on me,’ and then it’s forming a classroom community. How do you create a strong classroom community and a bond with your kids over a computer?\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56480\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora-e1597215241824.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Geri Zamora\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">23\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">10th grade U.S. history\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">George Washington High School in Chicago\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 150\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Yes\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One semester\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> $54,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Excited, determined, eager\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Resilient, relieved, excited\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Everything was falling into place last summer for Geri Zamora, a first-generation college student who was born in Costa Rica and raised in Chicago. They had just landed a job teaching U.S. history at Chicago Public Schools and started their teaching career, a dream of Zamora’s since childhood. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then came the Chicago teacher strike. At the time, Zamora thought the strike would be the biggest event of their first year as a teacher. But it proved to be the first of many major challenges—and losses—that they would weather. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“During the strike, the main concern was financial. [It was] my first year out of college, I had a whole bunch of loans, I had just gotten an apartment in Chicago with my best friend, and I didn't know when I'd go back to work. My mom was in no position to help me financially—I make more than she does. She's a single mom and all of my other family is in Costa Rica.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After the strike, unfortunately, at my school, we had some other tragedies due to gang violence and gun violence. And then there was a really terrible [car] accident where we lost two seniors. So we had a very heavy year already as a school. And then the shift to remote learning happened. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So first semester … woof. But the second semester—that adjustment from not only figuring out what kind of teacher I wanted to be, but [also] how to translate that to a computer—was really difficult.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56481\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56481\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Geri Zamora's classroom at George Washington High School, part of Chicago Public Schools. Right: Zamora’s desk setup for remote learning. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Geri Zamora)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Burnout from remote learning was very real. I'm not sure what about my experience made it so bearable. I had a lot of community support. I have really lovely people in my life that were willing to hear me out, to listen to all my frustrations when I needed support. But some of my coworkers who are veteran teachers were having an incredibly difficult time through this. It just felt like I was seeing all these lovely plants wilt, and it killed me because, you know, I'm just a sapling. I want to grow up to be like them. And if I'm seeing them wilt, I mean, it's discouraging. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But we got to a point [with remote learning] where we were like, well, we're doing our best. And if students come, perfect. But it's a pandemic on their end, too. A lot of my kids were going through battles. These kids carry more on their shoulders than the average adult. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of my students caught COVID … and was on a ventilator—no health issues prior to this—and she almost died. She's fine now, but things like that were going on. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One thing we did to cope was on Friday nights we’d have movie nights, and we’d just watch something together [as a class]. Little virtual things, where I was connecting with my kids, made it at least a little bit more doable. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite all of the changes and turbulence, I really felt like I was where I belonged. It’s now 100 percent ingrained that this was the job I was meant to do. If I could handle this, I can handle anything. And I think that goes for anyone else who is still really into this profession at the end of this. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This year in general was a big self-discovery year for me, not only as a teacher. My gender identity has always been something I kind of questioned. I identify as non-binary. I've told my coworkers. But I wasn't out to students. I wasn't out at school. I was really reflecting, especially during the pandemic, on how I want to present myself in the classroom and what my kids need. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the beginning of the year, I was just Ms. Zamora. But after this year, I'm like, I don't really care what people think. And I have a lot of students that maybe could benefit from knowing that they have a queer teacher. So fall 2020, I'll make my debut as Mx. Zamora.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56482\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier-e1597215332662.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Mikia D. Frazier\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 23\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fourth grade language arts and writing\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joseph Martin Elementary School in Hinesville, Ga.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 125\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Excited, prepared, thankful\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Grateful, impactful, hopeful\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mikia Frazier comes from a family of educators, the most influential of whom is her mother, a high school principal. After dreaming of becoming a teacher for nearly 20 years, Frazier secured a job at a school that serves many military families, due to the district’s proximity to the Fort Stewart Army base in eastern Georgia. While Frazier was teaching in the 2019-20 school year, she was also taking online courses to earn her master’s degree in elementary education, which she recently completed. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her district is one-to-one, and Frazier started using learning technologies with her students in the first semester, but that still didn’t prepare them—or her—for full-time remote learning in the spring. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“My first year was definitely a whirlwind. But \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I loved every minute of it.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I absolutely loved my students. I loved going to work every day. … Then of course, in the middle of the school year, out of literally nowhere, there's a pandemic, and no one really knows what to do. One day it’s, ‘OK, well, we're going to take a week off from school and we'll be back next week.’ And then ‘next week’ turned into two weeks, and then two weeks turned into next month and next month turned into the next semester. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was kind of sad to see my first year of teaching cut short. But one thing I can say is that, as a first-year teacher, it taught me how to adapt. Education is always unpredictable, but we just kind of learned to roll with the punches that came with a pandemic. It was uncharted territory for everyone. No one really knew what to do. So I didn’t feel like the first-year teacher who was just clueless. Everybody was in the same boat at that point.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being that we’re very technology-heavy in our classrooms, it was a more seamless transition to remote learning, because our students had knowledge of what Google Classroom is, what Canvas is and how they can use it at home. The difference was that Ms. Frazier was talking to you through a screen as opposed to sitting in front of you or standing next to your desk. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When we first went digital, I felt like I was trying to continue teaching as if I were still in the classroom. Next year, I want to focus more on having them engage with the content so that they're actually gathering their own thoughts and ideas. Of course, I’ll still teach, but I want to give them more opportunities through digital platforms for them to engage with whatever concepts we're learning.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56483\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56483\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Mikia Frazier’s fourth grade classroom in Hinesville, Ga., Right: Frazier’s remote learning setup. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mikia D. Frazier)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My students surprised me so much. They just kind of jumped right in and they were able to adapt to it. So that was something that brought me a little bit of peace, knowing that, ‘OK, well, it's not all terrible. My kids are still working. They're still learning.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most difficult part of remote learning was not seeing my students. I’m really big on interaction, and seeing them every day really just changes the trajectory of any type of day I’m having. I’m a hugging kind of teacher. Anytime they see me, they want to hug and want to talk for hours. And just not being able to see my students in person, that was really difficult for me personally. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I definitely learned that my passion for teaching stems from seeing my students thrive. I always knew that teaching was my dream career; I always knew that it was what I was going to do. But after going through the strain of a first year such as this one, it really proved to me that this is where I am supposed to be. Because most people would experience this pandemic and they would say, ‘Never again, there's definitely a new career for me somewhere.’ But I feel like this gave me much more strength to know that, no matter what comes in the way of my students’ learning, there's a way to break down that barrier, because COVID definitely became a major barrier to my students.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56484\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer-e1597215443440.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Lauren Bayersdorfer\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 24\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Algebra I and AP Calculus\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weehawken High School in Weehawken, N.J.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: About 100\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: One full-time student teaching placement; three once-a-week school placements\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: $65,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Nervous, excited, optimistic\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Relieved, defeated, inspired\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">By the first day of school, Lauren Bayersdorfer was already wondering if she’d gotten in over her head. She had been a math major in college and was excited to teach the subject, but the then-23-year-old didn’t expect to be teaching AP Calculus to seniors. Nor did she expect to become the high school cheerleading coach, having never cheered a day in her life. In both cases, she had a lot to learn to be able to support her students in the ways they needed. Those commitments made for long days in the first semester. She describes grading papers while eating dinner and agonizing over lesson plans in the shower. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her district had been one-to-one with Chromebooks for several years when the pandemic hit, and she says teachers were given a lot of autonomy around how to conduct remote learning with their students. As a district located just across the Hudson River from New York City, many of Weehawken’s students and staff were affected personally by the pandemic. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“[In the first semester, I wondered], ‘Are the kids going to be able to tell that I have no clue what I'm doing?’ That was my fear: ‘Can they tell how anxious I am, and how intimidated I am?’ With COVID, it was more like, ‘How can I make sure I'm doing my job well, given the circumstances?’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I really struggled to get all of my students into a Google Meet with me. Even if I held it the same time and day every week, I would still only have five to 10 students come—if that. There's not really a way to force kids to come, which is the problem. You can say you'll count it as a grade. They don't care. You can say, ‘We'll play hangman.’ They don't care. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So they don't care to come, and that's fine. [But] I wish I could have all 18 of my kids on camera so we could do a little activity—not even a math activity, just a bonding activity. I wish we were able to do that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There came a point where I just didn't stress it, because it's a tough time for everyone. As long as they were doing the work, that's what I cared about. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56485\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56485\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Lauren Bayersdorfer with students from her cheerleading squad before the pandemic. Right: Bayersdorfer’s remote teaching setup. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lauren Bayersdorfer)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I definitely lost the connection with students. One of the reasons I enjoy my job is being able to see students. A teacher’s favorite sound is, “Ohhhhhh!” Like, when they finally get something? But you don't get to see those moments [online]. You don't get to see them struggling with a problem. You don't get to see them interacting with their peers. Those little memories that I have from the year—those are all pre-March. You don't really have those with virtual teaching, so I definitely missed that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Our school got very lenient toward the end of the year because you can't expect kids to learn quadratics when they’re on their own, [especially] given the whole situation of COVID-19 and how especially impacted we were here [in New Jersey]. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My biggest question is did they actually learn? With math, it's just so easy to cheat—because of all the apps, because of their peers, because they're so connected all the time. It was just an ongoing question I had in my mind: Are they actually learning? And to what extent did they learn? That was a big question mark that me and my entire department had because it's just so easy to get the answers elsewhere.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56486\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-e1597215544219.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Kristen Stein\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">26\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Fourth grade reading, writing, language arts and spelling\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> L W Westfall Elementary in Choctaw, Okla.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 40-45\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Three\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Two\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One semester\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> $36,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Hopeful, but also anxious and inadequate\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Accomplished, confident, thankful\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kristen Stein started college pursuing a career in cybersecurity, but soon switched her major to education, realizing that teaching is where she was “most naturally gifted.” After years of babysitting and working with children at her church, it felt like the right move. But the decision did not come without doubts. Stein’s student teaching experience was difficult, and led her to question whether she was cut out for this work and could continue doing it long-term. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Given the challenges that arose during her first year teaching—at a district a few miles from where she grew up, just outside of Oklahoma City—some of those same concerns and insecurities presented themselves again. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It was really a struggle to drive to work every day and convince myself I have what it takes to do this job. [But] it was really exciting at the end of the day to drive home and say, ‘That was worth doing.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first semester, I remember feeling a lot of stress and anxiety. There's so much more to teaching than writing lesson plans, standing up in front of kids and delivering those lessons. There's paperwork and emails and meetings and committees and entering grades. So I felt really blindsided by just the sheer amount of hours that it takes to really do this job well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I felt like, ‘Soon, they're going to realize I'm a sham and I'm not going to get asked back to teach here.’ And that's so scary. I felt a lot of that pressure and a little bit of imposter syndrome, even though everyone was so welcoming and encouraging. But I put down a lot of those burdens the second semester. I worked less hours. I tried to have a better balance of work and life. And from January to spring break, I laughed with my kids a lot more, and I noticed the fun things that were happening in their friendships. Releasing some of the pressure to perform perfectly helped me to enjoy all the little things that I was missing in that first semester. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56487\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56487\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein.png 1600w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-800x324.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-1020x413.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-160x65.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-768x311.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-1536x622.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Kristen Stein's classroom in Choctaw, Okla. Right: Her remote learning setup from the spring, using a bookshelf as a desk. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kristen Stein)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And then in the fourth quarter, everything was turned upside down. But when I think back on it, I enjoyed [remote learning] more than I expected. I found that it was such a great comfort that no one else knew what they were doing either. All of a sudden, I wasn't the only one that was out of my depths and confused and trying to keep up. And I felt more of a sense of, ‘We're all trying to figure this out together,’ rather than they all know what they're doing and I am the one that has no idea. So I felt more of a sense of belonging and community when everything was up in the air for \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">everyone\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, not just me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My first year … helped me to see that that's the nature of life. There are things that we're going through that are hard, and there are things that we're going through that give us a lot of joy, and those are happening at the same time. I had to choose, a lot of the time, which thing I was gonna focus on—and sometimes the struggle needed more of my attention. But at a certain point, I [could] choose to enjoy a relationship with one student that's going really well, even though I might be struggling in my relationship with another. My first year teaching taught me so much more about balance in life than any previous life stage.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56488\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj-e1597215622355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Ranjini Nagaraj\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">22\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ninth grade science and 10th grade chemistry\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth, Texas via Teach for America\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 150\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$54,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Inspired, excited, nervous\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Relieved, frustrated, reflective \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ranjini Nagaraj, a California native, is a Teach for America corps member serving in Texas while she applies to medical school. She teaches high school science and chemistry at a Title I school in Fort Worth with a student population that is about 70 percent Hispanic, including many English language learners. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When Nagaraj came back from spring break in March, her school was scrambling to adjust to the new realities brought on by COVID-19. To complicate things further, the school had just suffered a malware attack—everything from copy machines to computers had stopped working, which caused delays in online learning among students and staff. In Nagaraj’s telling, the incident cost her class about three weeks of instructional time. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The first day of school, I was very nervous. I really had no idea what I was walking into. Being just out of college, living on my own basically for the first time, doing all of the adult things, along with being responsible for over 120 kids was very overwhelming. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The transition—like August, September and, honestly, most of October—was very difficult because I didn't have my lessons prepared more than two days in advance ... and being in the kind of school I was in, where there was so much emotional trauma and emotional baggage, was also a challenge. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The best part of it, though, was getting to know my kids, having authentic conversations with them and really building those relationships, which helped me so much when I started in January again after the break. It was light years better than the first semester, which is why I was very frustrated when coronavirus hit. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the beginning of March, I felt like I was finding my footing in terms of my relationships with the kids, figuring out the best ways to deliver a lesson, the best kinds of support I could give them. And that all changed when online learning started. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56489\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56489\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Ranjini Nagaraj's classroom in Fort Worth, Texas before her school closed. Right: Nagaraj’s remote learning set-up at home. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ranjini Nagaraj)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We never went back after spring break. … I worried about all my kids all the time, honestly. Because they were in such unique circumstances. A lot of my kids had to look after their younger siblings because [their] parents were considered essential workers. And a lot of them—if they weren't in physical school—were expected to also contribute to their family's income by getting a job, like at a grocery store or in construction. So I worried a lot about their basic needs being met—if my kids had enough to eat, if my kids were doing OK mentally and emotionally. And especially for the kids that I was not able to get in contact with, that was really hard. Because of course my mind is going to worst-case scenarios.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I ended up adjusting my expectations a lot. Instead of being, like, ‘You didn't meet your growth goal of 10 percent over the unit. We're going to have a conversation,’ it was more like, ‘Was I able to have a good conversation with one kid today? Was I able to make one kid smile? Was I able to make one kid's day a little bit better?’ I realized that is what success should be for me in this situation. They're going to forget the chemistry that they learned, but I think it's harder to forget the impact that someone was able to make on them. Switching gears and focusing more on the social-emotional aspects of school was really beneficial for me in terms of the expectations that I had for myself and the expectations I had for my kids.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56475\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy--e1597215767772.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Ashley Levy\u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">23\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Sixth grade\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Newtown Elementary School in Newtown, Pa.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> About 75\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Four (family members)\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">N/A\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nervous, enthusiastic, passionate\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Inspired, dedicated, motivated\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For her first year in the classroom, Ashley Levy taught sixth grade at the elementary school she attended herself in Newtown, Penn. Many of the same staff—the librarian, the music teacher and others—were still at the school, and she enjoyed reintroducing herself to them as “Miss Levy.”\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many of Levy’s colleagues guided her through the first semester, answering the many questions that she had, showing her the ropes and supporting her through a big transition. During the second semester, Levy says, the tables were turned: As the youngest person on staff and one of the most technologically savvy, she got to “return the favor” by assisting other teachers as they adjusted to virtual learning. But even though she had the technology part down, Levy realized that other components of teaching—such as motivating students and maintaining relationships—were difficult to control from a distance. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I fully expected this first year to be very similar to student teaching. While I was student teaching, I was like, ‘Oh, this is what teaching is. This is what working in a school is like. This is great. I love it.’ I still had time to go hang out with friends and do whatever I wanted after school. And it's not that I did not have that this year, but when you walk in and you are the head teacher, you are responsible for so many things behind the scenes that you don't see during student teaching—that you don't see until you are put in the position yourself. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So whether it was grading, benchmark testing, team meetings or planning ahead, it was very different than what I expected, solely because of the amount of work and the amount of dedication that it takes. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I don't want to be in any other profession. But it was a big surprise.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the classroom, you have this routine that you get into. You get used to seeing the kids every morning, and you can feel out their moods. You can feel out how the rest of the day might go, simply based on when they walk in the room and the conversations you have. You can set the tone. You can create an environment where the kids want to be there and are excited to learn. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56476\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56476\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy-.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy-.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy--160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Ashley Levy's sixth grade classroom in Newtown, Pa., before her school closed due to COVID-19. Right: Levy’s remote learning set-up at home. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ashley Levy\u003c/span>\u003cb>)\u003c/b>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And then, when you go virtual, you're totally separated from their personal lives. In school, they could come in and leave anything that was happening at home, at home. When you’re virtual, whatever's happening at home is brought to school because that \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">is\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> their school. That is where they're completing all of that work. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I think the motivation factor was one of the most difficult parts of the second semester, because when you're in person, your attitude, your tone of voice, the things that you plan and the incentives or goals that you set for the class can motivate the students.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Part of me is happy that I got to be part of this crazy year, that I got to experience both virtual learning and in-person learning. Because while I hope that this is not something that we ever do have to experience again, it is always a possibility. So having had the opportunity to be a professional for the entire year and experience everything that came with it—both good and bad—was great. And it helped me gain more confidence for the fall.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56473\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton--e1597215836226.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\">Steve Middleton\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">42\u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003cb>Taught:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Seventh grade digital communications\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ed White DATA Middle School Magnet Program in San Antonio, Texas\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 135\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> None — I live with my wife and two kids (ages 5 and 6)\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No\u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003cb>Student teaching experience: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$56,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Excited, cautious, proud\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Success, relief, sagacious\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About two years ago, after Steve Middleton was let go from his engineering job, he began to wonder if he was in the right field after all. He says he was a good engineer for over 10 years, but something was always missing. Plus, his two young children were growing up fast, and he wanted to be around for that. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This thinking led Middleton to make the leap into education last year. He got a job teaching digital communications to middle schoolers at a design and technology academy (DATA) in San Antonio.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I'm really good at thinking on my feet. As an engineer, I had a job once where I did a lot of computer-aided design, and I had a boss who wanted me to make changes to this big machine that we were designing. That was awful. He'd stand behind me and say, ‘OK, stretch this thing, make this bigger and then change this dimension.’ I had to do it in real time. Nobody does that, but I got really good at it. So that really helped me, when the second semester popped up, [since] no one had any warning. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I was concerned about my family. My kids are 5 and 6, and I had to help them with their distance learning and balance it out with my own work schedule. My kids are my world, and they needed my time. I couldn't stick them in front of a movie all day.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being right next to them, like one wall away from them ... that was hard. But I knew what I was doing was important. It was very unfair for [my students] and their parents, what happened—that suddenly they're at home, and suddenly their parents are at home and they have to become their teacher now. From my point of view, doing that with my own kids—maybe I'm the greatest teacher in the world, but it doesn't matter. At home, I'm Dad. I'm not a teacher,. And so there is some confusion about dynamics and roles.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56474\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56474\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton-.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton-.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton--160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Steve Middleton's seventh grade classroom in San Antonio, Texas. Right: Middleton's remote teaching setup at home. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Steve Middleton)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It turns out that I got a lot more comfortable with ... the parts of myself that I've been kind of putting down, like being a little nerdy—I’m wearing a Stark Industries T-shirt—and being OK with that, and becoming a better, more patient dad from all this. I imagined my [own] kids in five years, thinking, ‘OK, if that was my kid in this classroom, how could I give them the best experience?’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I started the school year thinking teaching is about making students feel important and teaching them to be great people. I put that up on my board and I told the kids, ‘This is our class goal: I don't want you to be great students. No, I don't. I want you to be great people first, and then you will be great at anything that you do.’ That was really the goal. And I left with that being a lot more solidified in my mind, as a philosophy. It’s not about force-feeding students information. It’s about teaching them to navigate their lives, in any situation, and have confidence. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 10 years, how will I see this time? Is it significant to me in my life? Absolutely it is. I have to look at this as two different experiences in the same year, because everything did change and it was the most unique experience teaching, I think, that anybody could have ever had.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv role=\"document\">\n\u003cdiv id=\"Item.MessagePartBody\" class=\"_rp_T4\">\n\u003cdiv id=\"Item.MessageUniqueBody\" class=\"_rp_U4 ms-font-weight-regular ms-font-color-neutralDark rpHighlightAllClass rpHighlightBodyClass\">\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\">\n\u003cdiv>\u003ci>This story \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-08-11-if-i-could-handle-this-i-can-handle-anything-first-year-teachers-reflect-on-the-pandemic\">\u003ci>originally published\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> in EdSurge, a media outlet that covers the future of learning through news and research. Sign up for its weekly newsletters \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://accounts.edsurge.com/subscribers/new\">\u003ci>here\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>.\u003c/i>\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"_pe_d _pe_62\">\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The move to emergency distance learning was tough for all teachers, but first-year teachers had a unique experience last spring. Despite all that COVID-19 took away, many first-year teachers noted that they learned more about teaching and themselves than they likely would have in an average year. ",
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"title": "‘If I Could Handle This, I Can Handle Anything’: First-Year Teachers Reflect on the Pandemic - MindShift",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jamie Wong Baesa had been dreaming of her first year as a teacher since she was 7 years old, when she would line up her stuffed animals and launch into a lesson.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mikia Frazier, too, spent years envisioning the day she would get to walk into her own classroom. Kids from the neighborhood would often stop Frazier’s mother, a school principal, in the supermarket to tell her how much she’d changed their life. Each time that happened, Frazier was that much more certain that teaching was what she wanted to do.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For others, the calling didn’t come as early. Kristen Stein and Lauren Bayersdorfer realized they wanted to be in the classroom midway through college, switching their majors from cybersecurity and accounting, respectively, to pursue careers in teaching. Steve Middleton worked as an engineer for more than a decade before transitioning to education. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regardless of the experiences and interactions that led these educators to the field, each entered their first year of teaching—the 2019-20 school year—filled with excitement, eagerness and anxiety. They didn’t quite know what to expect—what kind of students they’d have in class, what crises may come up, where they would excel or fall short. And certainly none of them could have anticipated the arrival of a global pandemic that would force schools nationwide to close their doors and develop long-term remote learning plans on the fly.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">First-year teachers already face many challenges. The job is unpredictable, and for newcomers, that can be intimidating. Many of the nine first-time teachers featured in this story said that the fall semester was all about getting the hang of teaching—learning how to juggle after-hours responsibilities like grading and emailing, establishing their teaching styles and building relationships with students. When they started the second semester, most felt like, finally, they had figured it out. Then COVID-19 changed everything.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Frazier, a fourth grade teacher in Hinesville, Ga., describes, “I will always remember my first year by the pandemic ... knowing that COVID really just kind of came in and cut the school year almost in half. But I'll also remember we got through it.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though their experiences are unique, nearly every educator interviewed for this story said the hardest part of remote learning was the loss of student connection and the way their relationships suffered. They worried about kids who were already struggling, and about those with unstable home environments. They missed the silly jokes and the sound students make when they finally understand a new concept. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite all that COVID-19 took away, many first-year teachers noted that they learned more about teaching and themselves than they likely would have in an average year. They gained confidence in their abilities. And they found it comforting that during remote learning, none of the teachers—not even the veterans—really knew what they were doing. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In reflecting on the last year, they also expressed concern about the upcoming one. What will it be like to do this all over again, but with students they don’t know? How will they build trust and make the impact that drew them to this field?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The nine educators profiled below together represent seven U.S. states, from California and New Jersey to Oklahoma and Georgia. Some held live video calls with students during remote learning in the spring. Others haven’t seen their students’ faces since March. Some taught students who lost family members to COVID-19, or who nearly succumbed to it themselves. Others haven’t really felt the effects of the virus yet. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here are their stories—as told to EdSurge reporter Emily Tate, lightly edited and condensed for clarity.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56472\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Jamie-Wong-Baesa-e1597214825889.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Jamie Wong Baesa\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 24\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Seventh grade math\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>Lorena Middle School in Lorena, Texas\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>About 140\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Roommates\u003c/b>: One\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Technology classes in teacher prep program: \u003c/b>Four, including one graduate class\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience:\u003c/b> Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Salary\u003c/b>: $40,000\u003cb>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003cb>Started the year feeling: \u003c/b>Excited, nervous, eager\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>Relieved, uncertain, thankful\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Just before spring break, shortly after all the students at Lorena Middle School had finished reading “Call of the Wild,” they went on a field trip to see the film adaptation of the novel in theaters. Everything seemed completely normal, Jamie Wong Baesa recalls. She told students goodbye, expecting to see them after break in a week. That’s when COVID-19 hit. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wong Baesa’s district did not meet in person again after that, and there was no live instruction during remote learning. She didn’t get to see or talk to her seventh graders after spring break. Instead, her middle school assigned a different subject for each day of the week. Wong Baesa, the only seventh-grade math teacher at her school, taught math to all seventh grade students on Mondays via pre-recorded video lessons, and spent the other days grading and planning for upcoming lessons.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a normal school day, in person, I teach six periods. So, during first period, if the lesson doesn't work, it becomes apparent very quickly. And then it's like, ‘Well, scratch that. I'll reteach it tomorrow.’ But with remote learning, it was a lot harder because there were maybe two or three lessons where it just flopped. Students were like, ‘We don't get this at all.’ All their work was wrong. I’m like, ‘Where did I go wrong?’ But by that point it was already too late, because e\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">veryone had already seen the lesson and didn’t get to try again till the next week. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the challenges was that I'd never taught this stuff before to a live audience, and now I had to figure out how to teach it to a remote audience. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So that was definitely difficult—wrestling with how to\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> make this accessible on technology in a way that [students] can understand. Because you miss the facial expressions, the ways they can instantaneously ask questions in real life.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was hard not being able to check in and see how they're doing—learning from administrators, ‘Oh, yeah, he's taking care of his four younger siblings and that's why he hasn't been doing his math homework,' or hearing from distressed parents, ‘I'm so sorry, we haven't had electricity,’ or ‘We have five kids, and they're all sharing one computer.' And you're like, ‘Oh, there's so much more to this school dynamic and day.’ It helped me remember what's really important in this time.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56477\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56477\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width.png 1600w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-800x324.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-1020x413.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-160x65.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-768x311.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Edited-Jamie-Wong-Baesa-full-width-1536x622.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Jamie Wong Baesa's seventh grade math class in Lorena, Texas. Right: The desk area where she taught during remote learning. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jamie Wong Baesa)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I kept thinking about my students who had hard home lives or [those who] would get really frustrated when they do mathematics, and not being able to just pull them aside and say, ‘Hey, you're doing great. You're going to be okay.’ That was really hard. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And [at times] I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I'm totally failing as a teacher,’ but having to reconcile that with, ‘O.K., everybody's learning, we're doing the best we can do. At the end of the day, if the students don't know this one concept, they're probably going to be okay.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I think, at the end of the year, remote learning helped confirm that I am in teaching for the relationships. Being able to see students learn and grow and develop has been so big for me. Especially because COVID took some of that away, it just made me realize that, without relationships, it would be a lot harder to believe deeply in what I do.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When I think about next year, if we don't have any sort of face-to-face component and we do have to go online,I don't know how that will work. Especially if it's with students who I've never met in the flesh before.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56478\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long-e1597215145530.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Hannah Long\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 26\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">T-K and kindergarten\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School\u003c/b>: Two Rock Union Elementary in Petaluma, Calif.\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Students served:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 20\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One, plus an adorable dog\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: $46,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Passionate, driven, excited\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Devastated, incomplete, hopeless\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After studying painting and printmaking in college, Hannah Long spent a few years as a full-time artist. While working at an art studio for young children, her boss said she was such a natural with kids and ought to become a teacher. And that’s exactly what she did. The irony is that Long’s own experience in school was not wholly positive. She was diagnosed with severe dyslexia and ADHD in third grade, and her elementary school years were shaped by those learning challenges. She describes herself as one of the kids who was “left behind” during the No Child Left Behind era. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Today, she teaches “littles”—T-K and kindergarteners—at a rural elementary school in Northern California, about a 10-minute drive from where she grew up. When school closed during COVID-19, about half of her students lacked internet access or devices, so she used a combination of online learning and paper packets and sent each student handmade sensory bags—filled with items like glue, bubbles, Play-Doh and water beads. Given their young age, Long says it was difficult to teach 4- and 5-year-olds virtually and keep everyone on track. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“COVID-19 happened and we were told we all had to have websites, so we made websites. Then we were told we were using Google Classroom [instead], so we scrapped the websites and made a Google Classroom. And then I was told that six of my kids didn't have internet or devices. It was probably more like 10 kids that either didn't have a device, internet or accessibility—so almost half of my class. So then we were doing paper packets, as well as having all the information online. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Live Zoom meetings] turned into more checking in and talking. They got over—very quickly—doing anything academic. ... I guess the buy-in wasn't there. When I teach in my classroom, I can give the kids games where they don't realize that they're learning, and they can be really enthusiastic. There was less of that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the beginning of quarantine, the idea that ‘It's OK to not be OK’ was floating around. And that's very untrue. When I had a Zoom call, there was no ‘not being OK.’ There was no texting their parents, like, ‘Having a bad day. Your child doesn't get to learn today.’ \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56479\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56479\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Hannah-Long-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photos from Hannah Long teaching in her T-K/K classroom in Petaluma, Calif. before the pandemic. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hannah Long)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So that was hard because it's like, I have a life. I have a mom with cancer. My wedding was being canceled. My fianc\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">é\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is in a high-risk group. It was a scary time. And so to say, ‘Everything is fine’ and to reinforce, ‘It's going to be OK’ and to try to explain that to kids was difficult. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I could say, ‘I'm feeling a little sad today’ or ‘Miss Hannah is having a hard day,’ but I couldn't not show up for my kids. There was a day when I was crying and then my fianc\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">é\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> was like, ‘What's wrong?’ And I was like, ‘This, this, this’ and ‘I’m scared.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh! I have a Zoom meeting’ and wiped the tears off my eyes and [logged in and] was like, ‘GOOD MOOORNING!’ So that was really hard.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And this might be because I'm a novice teacher or just maybe my personality, but I have a hard time setting boundaries. I knew this was hard for parents. And I don't have kids. So when I was done Zooming at the end of the day, I could just go do whatever I wanted. I knew that parents were in a hard situation, and I just wanted to make sure that I was there for them as much as possible. I was getting messages late at night that they couldn't figure out something, so I would get on the computer with them and work it out for an hour. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I feel like there's the 26-year-old me and there's teacher Hannah. I'm Hannah, and then I’m Miss Hannah—the same person, but different. It was exhausting to be constantly ‘on,’ and to have to be OK [even] if you’re having a hard day. But at the same time, the parent involvement and being able to see the parents get really involved with their kids was amazing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Next year, I'll be a second-year teacher. And that’s not what parents want. I mean, I wouldn't want to be on a pilot's first flight. So it's hard. I kind of had to win over my parents this year—and I did, a lot of them—but how do you do that if you’re remote? And the beginning of T-K is like, ‘This is what we do in class.’ And it's repeating myself over and over again: ‘We sit criss-cross applesauce with our hands in our laps … our eyes are on me,’ and then it’s forming a classroom community. How do you create a strong classroom community and a bond with your kids over a computer?\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56480\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora-e1597215241824.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Geri Zamora\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">23\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">10th grade U.S. history\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">George Washington High School in Chicago\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 150\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Yes\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One semester\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> $54,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Excited, determined, eager\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Resilient, relieved, excited\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Everything was falling into place last summer for Geri Zamora, a first-generation college student who was born in Costa Rica and raised in Chicago. They had just landed a job teaching U.S. history at Chicago Public Schools and started their teaching career, a dream of Zamora’s since childhood. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then came the Chicago teacher strike. At the time, Zamora thought the strike would be the biggest event of their first year as a teacher. But it proved to be the first of many major challenges—and losses—that they would weather. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“During the strike, the main concern was financial. [It was] my first year out of college, I had a whole bunch of loans, I had just gotten an apartment in Chicago with my best friend, and I didn't know when I'd go back to work. My mom was in no position to help me financially—I make more than she does. She's a single mom and all of my other family is in Costa Rica.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After the strike, unfortunately, at my school, we had some other tragedies due to gang violence and gun violence. And then there was a really terrible [car] accident where we lost two seniors. So we had a very heavy year already as a school. And then the shift to remote learning happened. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So first semester … woof. But the second semester—that adjustment from not only figuring out what kind of teacher I wanted to be, but [also] how to translate that to a computer—was really difficult.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56481\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56481\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Geri-Zamora-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Geri Zamora's classroom at George Washington High School, part of Chicago Public Schools. Right: Zamora’s desk setup for remote learning. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Geri Zamora)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Burnout from remote learning was very real. I'm not sure what about my experience made it so bearable. I had a lot of community support. I have really lovely people in my life that were willing to hear me out, to listen to all my frustrations when I needed support. But some of my coworkers who are veteran teachers were having an incredibly difficult time through this. It just felt like I was seeing all these lovely plants wilt, and it killed me because, you know, I'm just a sapling. I want to grow up to be like them. And if I'm seeing them wilt, I mean, it's discouraging. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But we got to a point [with remote learning] where we were like, well, we're doing our best. And if students come, perfect. But it's a pandemic on their end, too. A lot of my kids were going through battles. These kids carry more on their shoulders than the average adult. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of my students caught COVID … and was on a ventilator—no health issues prior to this—and she almost died. She's fine now, but things like that were going on. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One thing we did to cope was on Friday nights we’d have movie nights, and we’d just watch something together [as a class]. Little virtual things, where I was connecting with my kids, made it at least a little bit more doable. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite all of the changes and turbulence, I really felt like I was where I belonged. It’s now 100 percent ingrained that this was the job I was meant to do. If I could handle this, I can handle anything. And I think that goes for anyone else who is still really into this profession at the end of this. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This year in general was a big self-discovery year for me, not only as a teacher. My gender identity has always been something I kind of questioned. I identify as non-binary. I've told my coworkers. But I wasn't out to students. I wasn't out at school. I was really reflecting, especially during the pandemic, on how I want to present myself in the classroom and what my kids need. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the beginning of the year, I was just Ms. Zamora. But after this year, I'm like, I don't really care what people think. And I have a lot of students that maybe could benefit from knowing that they have a queer teacher. So fall 2020, I'll make my debut as Mx. Zamora.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56482\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier-e1597215332662.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Mikia D. Frazier\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 23\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fourth grade language arts and writing\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joseph Martin Elementary School in Hinesville, Ga.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 125\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Excited, prepared, thankful\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Grateful, impactful, hopeful\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mikia Frazier comes from a family of educators, the most influential of whom is her mother, a high school principal. After dreaming of becoming a teacher for nearly 20 years, Frazier secured a job at a school that serves many military families, due to the district’s proximity to the Fort Stewart Army base in eastern Georgia. While Frazier was teaching in the 2019-20 school year, she was also taking online courses to earn her master’s degree in elementary education, which she recently completed. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her district is one-to-one, and Frazier started using learning technologies with her students in the first semester, but that still didn’t prepare them—or her—for full-time remote learning in the spring. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“My first year was definitely a whirlwind. But \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I loved every minute of it.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I absolutely loved my students. I loved going to work every day. … Then of course, in the middle of the school year, out of literally nowhere, there's a pandemic, and no one really knows what to do. One day it’s, ‘OK, well, we're going to take a week off from school and we'll be back next week.’ And then ‘next week’ turned into two weeks, and then two weeks turned into next month and next month turned into the next semester. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was kind of sad to see my first year of teaching cut short. But one thing I can say is that, as a first-year teacher, it taught me how to adapt. Education is always unpredictable, but we just kind of learned to roll with the punches that came with a pandemic. It was uncharted territory for everyone. No one really knew what to do. So I didn’t feel like the first-year teacher who was just clueless. Everybody was in the same boat at that point.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being that we’re very technology-heavy in our classrooms, it was a more seamless transition to remote learning, because our students had knowledge of what Google Classroom is, what Canvas is and how they can use it at home. The difference was that Ms. Frazier was talking to you through a screen as opposed to sitting in front of you or standing next to your desk. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When we first went digital, I felt like I was trying to continue teaching as if I were still in the classroom. Next year, I want to focus more on having them engage with the content so that they're actually gathering their own thoughts and ideas. Of course, I’ll still teach, but I want to give them more opportunities through digital platforms for them to engage with whatever concepts we're learning.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56483\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56483\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Mikia-Frazier-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Mikia Frazier’s fourth grade classroom in Hinesville, Ga., Right: Frazier’s remote learning setup. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mikia D. Frazier)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My students surprised me so much. They just kind of jumped right in and they were able to adapt to it. So that was something that brought me a little bit of peace, knowing that, ‘OK, well, it's not all terrible. My kids are still working. They're still learning.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most difficult part of remote learning was not seeing my students. I’m really big on interaction, and seeing them every day really just changes the trajectory of any type of day I’m having. I’m a hugging kind of teacher. Anytime they see me, they want to hug and want to talk for hours. And just not being able to see my students in person, that was really difficult for me personally. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I definitely learned that my passion for teaching stems from seeing my students thrive. I always knew that teaching was my dream career; I always knew that it was what I was going to do. But after going through the strain of a first year such as this one, it really proved to me that this is where I am supposed to be. Because most people would experience this pandemic and they would say, ‘Never again, there's definitely a new career for me somewhere.’ But I feel like this gave me much more strength to know that, no matter what comes in the way of my students’ learning, there's a way to break down that barrier, because COVID definitely became a major barrier to my students.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56484\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer-e1597215443440.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Lauren Bayersdorfer\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 24\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Algebra I and AP Calculus\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weehawken High School in Weehawken, N.J.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: About 100\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: One full-time student teaching placement; three once-a-week school placements\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: $65,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Nervous, excited, optimistic\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Relieved, defeated, inspired\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">By the first day of school, Lauren Bayersdorfer was already wondering if she’d gotten in over her head. She had been a math major in college and was excited to teach the subject, but the then-23-year-old didn’t expect to be teaching AP Calculus to seniors. Nor did she expect to become the high school cheerleading coach, having never cheered a day in her life. In both cases, she had a lot to learn to be able to support her students in the ways they needed. Those commitments made for long days in the first semester. She describes grading papers while eating dinner and agonizing over lesson plans in the shower. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her district had been one-to-one with Chromebooks for several years when the pandemic hit, and she says teachers were given a lot of autonomy around how to conduct remote learning with their students. As a district located just across the Hudson River from New York City, many of Weehawken’s students and staff were affected personally by the pandemic. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“[In the first semester, I wondered], ‘Are the kids going to be able to tell that I have no clue what I'm doing?’ That was my fear: ‘Can they tell how anxious I am, and how intimidated I am?’ With COVID, it was more like, ‘How can I make sure I'm doing my job well, given the circumstances?’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I really struggled to get all of my students into a Google Meet with me. Even if I held it the same time and day every week, I would still only have five to 10 students come—if that. There's not really a way to force kids to come, which is the problem. You can say you'll count it as a grade. They don't care. You can say, ‘We'll play hangman.’ They don't care. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So they don't care to come, and that's fine. [But] I wish I could have all 18 of my kids on camera so we could do a little activity—not even a math activity, just a bonding activity. I wish we were able to do that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There came a point where I just didn't stress it, because it's a tough time for everyone. As long as they were doing the work, that's what I cared about. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56485\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56485\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Lauren-Bayersdorfer-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Lauren Bayersdorfer with students from her cheerleading squad before the pandemic. Right: Bayersdorfer’s remote teaching setup. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lauren Bayersdorfer)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I definitely lost the connection with students. One of the reasons I enjoy my job is being able to see students. A teacher’s favorite sound is, “Ohhhhhh!” Like, when they finally get something? But you don't get to see those moments [online]. You don't get to see them struggling with a problem. You don't get to see them interacting with their peers. Those little memories that I have from the year—those are all pre-March. You don't really have those with virtual teaching, so I definitely missed that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Our school got very lenient toward the end of the year because you can't expect kids to learn quadratics when they’re on their own, [especially] given the whole situation of COVID-19 and how especially impacted we were here [in New Jersey]. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My biggest question is did they actually learn? With math, it's just so easy to cheat—because of all the apps, because of their peers, because they're so connected all the time. It was just an ongoing question I had in my mind: Are they actually learning? And to what extent did they learn? That was a big question mark that me and my entire department had because it's just so easy to get the answers elsewhere.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56486\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-e1597215544219.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Kristen Stein\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">26\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Fourth grade reading, writing, language arts and spelling\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> L W Westfall Elementary in Choctaw, Okla.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 40-45\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Three\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Two\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One semester\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> $36,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Hopeful, but also anxious and inadequate\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Accomplished, confident, thankful\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kristen Stein started college pursuing a career in cybersecurity, but soon switched her major to education, realizing that teaching is where she was “most naturally gifted.” After years of babysitting and working with children at her church, it felt like the right move. But the decision did not come without doubts. Stein’s student teaching experience was difficult, and led her to question whether she was cut out for this work and could continue doing it long-term. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Given the challenges that arose during her first year teaching—at a district a few miles from where she grew up, just outside of Oklahoma City—some of those same concerns and insecurities presented themselves again. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It was really a struggle to drive to work every day and convince myself I have what it takes to do this job. [But] it was really exciting at the end of the day to drive home and say, ‘That was worth doing.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first semester, I remember feeling a lot of stress and anxiety. There's so much more to teaching than writing lesson plans, standing up in front of kids and delivering those lessons. There's paperwork and emails and meetings and committees and entering grades. So I felt really blindsided by just the sheer amount of hours that it takes to really do this job well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I felt like, ‘Soon, they're going to realize I'm a sham and I'm not going to get asked back to teach here.’ And that's so scary. I felt a lot of that pressure and a little bit of imposter syndrome, even though everyone was so welcoming and encouraging. But I put down a lot of those burdens the second semester. I worked less hours. I tried to have a better balance of work and life. And from January to spring break, I laughed with my kids a lot more, and I noticed the fun things that were happening in their friendships. Releasing some of the pressure to perform perfectly helped me to enjoy all the little things that I was missing in that first semester. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56487\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56487\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein.png 1600w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-800x324.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-1020x413.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-160x65.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-768x311.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Kristen-Stein-1536x622.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Kristen Stein's classroom in Choctaw, Okla. Right: Her remote learning setup from the spring, using a bookshelf as a desk. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kristen Stein)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And then in the fourth quarter, everything was turned upside down. But when I think back on it, I enjoyed [remote learning] more than I expected. I found that it was such a great comfort that no one else knew what they were doing either. All of a sudden, I wasn't the only one that was out of my depths and confused and trying to keep up. And I felt more of a sense of, ‘We're all trying to figure this out together,’ rather than they all know what they're doing and I am the one that has no idea. So I felt more of a sense of belonging and community when everything was up in the air for \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">everyone\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, not just me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My first year … helped me to see that that's the nature of life. There are things that we're going through that are hard, and there are things that we're going through that give us a lot of joy, and those are happening at the same time. I had to choose, a lot of the time, which thing I was gonna focus on—and sometimes the struggle needed more of my attention. But at a certain point, I [could] choose to enjoy a relationship with one student that's going really well, even though I might be struggling in my relationship with another. My first year teaching taught me so much more about balance in life than any previous life stage.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56488\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj-e1597215622355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Ranjini Nagaraj\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">22\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ninth grade science and 10th grade chemistry\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth, Texas via Teach for America\u003cbr>\n\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 150\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$54,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Inspired, excited, nervous\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Relieved, frustrated, reflective \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ranjini Nagaraj, a California native, is a Teach for America corps member serving in Texas while she applies to medical school. She teaches high school science and chemistry at a Title I school in Fort Worth with a student population that is about 70 percent Hispanic, including many English language learners. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When Nagaraj came back from spring break in March, her school was scrambling to adjust to the new realities brought on by COVID-19. To complicate things further, the school had just suffered a malware attack—everything from copy machines to computers had stopped working, which caused delays in online learning among students and staff. In Nagaraj’s telling, the incident cost her class about three weeks of instructional time. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The first day of school, I was very nervous. I really had no idea what I was walking into. Being just out of college, living on my own basically for the first time, doing all of the adult things, along with being responsible for over 120 kids was very overwhelming. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The transition—like August, September and, honestly, most of October—was very difficult because I didn't have my lessons prepared more than two days in advance ... and being in the kind of school I was in, where there was so much emotional trauma and emotional baggage, was also a challenge. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The best part of it, though, was getting to know my kids, having authentic conversations with them and really building those relationships, which helped me so much when I started in January again after the break. It was light years better than the first semester, which is why I was very frustrated when coronavirus hit. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the beginning of March, I felt like I was finding my footing in terms of my relationships with the kids, figuring out the best ways to deliver a lesson, the best kinds of support I could give them. And that all changed when online learning started. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56489\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56489\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ranjini-Nagaraj-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Ranjini Nagaraj's classroom in Fort Worth, Texas before her school closed. Right: Nagaraj’s remote learning set-up at home. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ranjini Nagaraj)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We never went back after spring break. … I worried about all my kids all the time, honestly. Because they were in such unique circumstances. A lot of my kids had to look after their younger siblings because [their] parents were considered essential workers. And a lot of them—if they weren't in physical school—were expected to also contribute to their family's income by getting a job, like at a grocery store or in construction. So I worried a lot about their basic needs being met—if my kids had enough to eat, if my kids were doing OK mentally and emotionally. And especially for the kids that I was not able to get in contact with, that was really hard. Because of course my mind is going to worst-case scenarios.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I ended up adjusting my expectations a lot. Instead of being, like, ‘You didn't meet your growth goal of 10 percent over the unit. We're going to have a conversation,’ it was more like, ‘Was I able to have a good conversation with one kid today? Was I able to make one kid smile? Was I able to make one kid's day a little bit better?’ I realized that is what success should be for me in this situation. They're going to forget the chemistry that they learned, but I think it's harder to forget the impact that someone was able to make on them. Switching gears and focusing more on the social-emotional aspects of school was really beneficial for me in terms of the expectations that I had for myself and the expectations I had for my kids.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56475\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy--e1597215767772.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\">Ashley Levy\u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">23\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Taught:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Sixth grade\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Newtown Elementary School in Newtown, Pa.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> About 75\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Four (family members)\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">N/A\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> No\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Student teaching experience\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Two semesters\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nervous, enthusiastic, passionate\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Inspired, dedicated, motivated\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For her first year in the classroom, Ashley Levy taught sixth grade at the elementary school she attended herself in Newtown, Penn. Many of the same staff—the librarian, the music teacher and others—were still at the school, and she enjoyed reintroducing herself to them as “Miss Levy.”\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many of Levy’s colleagues guided her through the first semester, answering the many questions that she had, showing her the ropes and supporting her through a big transition. During the second semester, Levy says, the tables were turned: As the youngest person on staff and one of the most technologically savvy, she got to “return the favor” by assisting other teachers as they adjusted to virtual learning. But even though she had the technology part down, Levy realized that other components of teaching—such as motivating students and maintaining relationships—were difficult to control from a distance. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I fully expected this first year to be very similar to student teaching. While I was student teaching, I was like, ‘Oh, this is what teaching is. This is what working in a school is like. This is great. I love it.’ I still had time to go hang out with friends and do whatever I wanted after school. And it's not that I did not have that this year, but when you walk in and you are the head teacher, you are responsible for so many things behind the scenes that you don't see during student teaching—that you don't see until you are put in the position yourself. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So whether it was grading, benchmark testing, team meetings or planning ahead, it was very different than what I expected, solely because of the amount of work and the amount of dedication that it takes. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I don't want to be in any other profession. But it was a big surprise.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the classroom, you have this routine that you get into. You get used to seeing the kids every morning, and you can feel out their moods. You can feel out how the rest of the day might go, simply based on when they walk in the room and the conversations you have. You can set the tone. You can create an environment where the kids want to be there and are excited to learn. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56476\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56476\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy-.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy-.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Ashley-Levy--160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Ashley Levy's sixth grade classroom in Newtown, Pa., before her school closed due to COVID-19. Right: Levy’s remote learning set-up at home. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ashley Levy\u003c/span>\u003cb>)\u003c/b>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And then, when you go virtual, you're totally separated from their personal lives. In school, they could come in and leave anything that was happening at home, at home. When you’re virtual, whatever's happening at home is brought to school because that \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">is\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> their school. That is where they're completing all of that work. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I think the motivation factor was one of the most difficult parts of the second semester, because when you're in person, your attitude, your tone of voice, the things that you plan and the incentives or goals that you set for the class can motivate the students.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Part of me is happy that I got to be part of this crazy year, that I got to experience both virtual learning and in-person learning. Because while I hope that this is not something that we ever do have to experience again, it is always a possibility. So having had the opportunity to be a professional for the entire year and experience everything that came with it—both good and bad—was great. And it helped me gain more confidence for the fall.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56473\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton--e1597215836226.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\">Steve Middleton\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Age: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">42\u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003cb>Taught:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Seventh grade digital communications\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>School: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ed White DATA Middle School Magnet Program in San Antonio, Texas\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Students served: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 135\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Roommates:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> None — I live with my wife and two kids (ages 5 and 6)\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Technology classes in my teacher prep program: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Prior experience with group video calls: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No\u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/b>\u003cb>Student teaching experience: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Salary: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$56,000\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Started the year feeling\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Excited, cautious, proud\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Ended the year feeling:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Success, relief, sagacious\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About two years ago, after Steve Middleton was let go from his engineering job, he began to wonder if he was in the right field after all. He says he was a good engineer for over 10 years, but something was always missing. Plus, his two young children were growing up fast, and he wanted to be around for that. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This thinking led Middleton to make the leap into education last year. He got a job teaching digital communications to middle schoolers at a design and technology academy (DATA) in San Antonio.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I'm really good at thinking on my feet. As an engineer, I had a job once where I did a lot of computer-aided design, and I had a boss who wanted me to make changes to this big machine that we were designing. That was awful. He'd stand behind me and say, ‘OK, stretch this thing, make this bigger and then change this dimension.’ I had to do it in real time. Nobody does that, but I got really good at it. So that really helped me, when the second semester popped up, [since] no one had any warning. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I was concerned about my family. My kids are 5 and 6, and I had to help them with their distance learning and balance it out with my own work schedule. My kids are my world, and they needed my time. I couldn't stick them in front of a movie all day.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being right next to them, like one wall away from them ... that was hard. But I knew what I was doing was important. It was very unfair for [my students] and their parents, what happened—that suddenly they're at home, and suddenly their parents are at home and they have to become their teacher now. From my point of view, doing that with my own kids—maybe I'm the greatest teacher in the world, but it doesn't matter. At home, I'm Dad. I'm not a teacher,. And so there is some confusion about dynamics and roles.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56474\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 512px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56474\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton-.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton-.png 512w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Steve-Middleton--160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Steve Middleton's seventh grade classroom in San Antonio, Texas. Right: Middleton's remote teaching setup at home. (Courtesy of \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Steve Middleton)\u003c/span>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It turns out that I got a lot more comfortable with ... the parts of myself that I've been kind of putting down, like being a little nerdy—I’m wearing a Stark Industries T-shirt—and being OK with that, and becoming a better, more patient dad from all this. I imagined my [own] kids in five years, thinking, ‘OK, if that was my kid in this classroom, how could I give them the best experience?’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I started the school year thinking teaching is about making students feel important and teaching them to be great people. I put that up on my board and I told the kids, ‘This is our class goal: I don't want you to be great students. No, I don't. I want you to be great people first, and then you will be great at anything that you do.’ That was really the goal. And I left with that being a lot more solidified in my mind, as a philosophy. It’s not about force-feeding students information. It’s about teaching them to navigate their lives, in any situation, and have confidence. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 10 years, how will I see this time? Is it significant to me in my life? Absolutely it is. I have to look at this as two different experiences in the same year, because everything did change and it was the most unique experience teaching, I think, that anybody could have ever had.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv role=\"document\">\n\u003cdiv id=\"Item.MessagePartBody\" class=\"_rp_T4\">\n\u003cdiv id=\"Item.MessageUniqueBody\" class=\"_rp_U4 ms-font-weight-regular ms-font-color-neutralDark rpHighlightAllClass rpHighlightBodyClass\">\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\">\n\u003cdiv>\u003ci>This story \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-08-11-if-i-could-handle-this-i-can-handle-anything-first-year-teachers-reflect-on-the-pandemic\">\u003ci>originally published\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> in EdSurge, a media outlet that covers the future of learning through news and research. Sign up for its weekly newsletters \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://accounts.edsurge.com/subscribers/new\">\u003ci>here\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>.\u003c/i>\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"_pe_d _pe_62\">\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "How Safe Is Your School's Reopening Plan? Here's What To Look For",
"title": "How Safe Is Your School's Reopening Plan? Here's What To Look For",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>As schools across the country grapple with bringing kids back into the classroom, parents — and teachers — are worried about safety. We asked pediatricians, infectious disease specialists and education experts for help evaluating school district plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What we learned: There's no such thing as zero risk, but certain practices can lower the risk of an outbreak at school and keep kids, teachers and families safer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you're considering sending your child back to school this fall or in the coming months, start with assessing both your own family's personal risk and the level of \u003ca href=\"https://globalepidemics.org/key-metrics-for-covid-suppression/\">spread in your community\u003c/a>. The American Federation of Teachers says it doesn't consider in-person school to be safe unless fewer than 5% of coronavirus tests in an area are positive. As of late July, that one benchmark disqualified eight of the 10 largest public school districts in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family is relatively healthy and local numbers look good, here's how to weigh the key elements of a school reopening plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>1) Getting to school: Riding the bus\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Limited capacity and physical distancing. Plus masks\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56432 alignnone\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1146\" height=\"645\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd.jpg 1146w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1146px) 100vw, 1146px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Buses combine several risk factors for spread: Kids are in a closed space, for an extended period of time, often with poor ventilation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The best option for children getting to school would be for their parents to drop them off,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=17154\">Dr. Tina Tan\u003c/a>, pediatrics infectious disease specialist at Northwestern University in Chicago. Or walk or bike to school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that's not an option for many families, so to make busing safer, limit capacity to 50%, says \u003ca href=\"https://www.drravinakullar.com/\">Ravina Kullar\u003c/a>, an epidemiologist and spokesperson for the Infectious Disease Society of America. The children and the driver should be physically distanced by at least 6 feet, and everyone should wear masks. Ideally there's assigned seating, and tape marks designating where kids should sit, she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If possible, keep the bus windows open to improve ventilation, says \u003ca href=\"https://www.ohsu.edu/providers/judith-a-guzman-cottrill-do\">Dr. Judith Guzman-Cottrill,\u003c/a> a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Oregon Health & Science University. Airflow helps dilute the virus, thus reducing the risk of infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Students' hands should be sanitized before they enter the bus,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasn.org/people/laurie-combe\">Laurie Combe,\u003c/a> president of the National Association of School Nurses. Combe suggests mounting a sanitizer dispenser at the entrance of the bus.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>2) Entry-to-school guidelines\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Clear policies requiring sick kids and teachers to stay home\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our experts agree: Plans should drive home the message that staff and kids must stay home if they have any \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Fsymptoms.html\">symptoms of COVID-19\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"As a society, we are going to have to learn that if we're sick, we stay home — always,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://cph.osu.edu/people/wmiller\">Dr. William Miller\u003c/a>, an epidemiologist at Ohio State University. It's a big cultural shift, he says, because many of us are used to \"powering through illness, and sometimes, we expect the same of our children.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is no one perfect way to enforce this. Some experts suggest schools rely on messaging, while others prefer schools screening for symptoms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Symptom checks at school may not be foolproof, but they reinforce the message that parents should keep kids home if they're sick, says Laurie Combe. \"If there was optimal staffing for this situation, then the best practice would be to be able to screen as people enter the building.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC currently does not recommend schools conduct widespread symptom screenings. It suggests parents check their children at home before coming to school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids should stay home even if they have only very mild symptoms, \"just a headache or stomachache,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://president.umich.edu/leadership-team/direct-reports/preeti-malani/\">Dr. Preeti Malani\u003c/a>, an infectious disease specialist and chief health officer at the University of Michigan. And when parents are sick, children should stay home too, adds Miller. This may be difficult for economic reasons for many families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If teachers or staff have to miss work, then, Malani says, school \"policies have to support it, whether it's paid time off or making sure that there's not a penalty for missing work.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To encourage symptomatic kids to stay home, some school districts may need to revisit attendance policies that reward students for showing up consistently and penalize them for missing days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Under debate: Temperature checks\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several experts argue for schools conducting daily temperature checks. A good rule of thumb is that any child with a fever exceeding 100.4 F \"should be sent home or to the doctor's office for evaluation,\" says Dr. Dial Hewlett, an infectious disease specialist who has consulted with schools in Westchester County, N.Y.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others, like Malani, are skeptical. She says children infected with the coronavirus may show no symptoms, including fever, so temperature screenings can miss the real cases and could be a waste of resources. And Combe questions \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/non-contact-temperature-assessment-devices-during-covid-19-pandemic\">the accuracy of infrared temperature screening devices\u003c/a> and worries about student privacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>3) Masking policies\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Consistent, mandatory mask usage for kids and adults\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56433\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1146\" height=\"645\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29.jpg 1146w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1146px) 100vw, 1146px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All our experts agree that masks are a vital part of a school's reopening plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Especially \"in those situations where they cannot physically distance 6 feet or more from each other,\" says Tan. This advice is in line with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/cloth-face-cover.html\">CDC's school reopening guidelines\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Miller adds that it's critical that teachers and staff wear masks because \"the distance that airborne particles are dispersed is greater for adults than children.\" Some \u003ca href=\"https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2020/07/08/peds.2020-1576\">studies \u003c/a>suggest adults are more likely to infect children than the other way around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But masks aren't optimal for everyone, including anyone with health problems that affect breathing, those interacting with people who are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/04/29/847925057/new-coronavirus-safety-measures-pose-challenges-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing\">hard of hearing\u003c/a> and very young children. The CDC suggests schools consider using masks with a see-through covering over the mouth for young students or students with disabilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For younger kids especially, schools should structure in times when students can \"take off their masks and have a breather,\" says Hewlett. These mask breaks would preferably be outdoors, he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Under debate: Face shields\u003c/strong> Some educators like the idea of a clear, plastic face shield as a stand-alone face covering for younger children. They're more comfortable, make it harder to touch the face and easier to see expressions. But there's no strong evidence that face shields reduce infection rates, says Miller. And the CDC does not recommend them as a substitute for face masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Face shields or goggles could be used in addition to masks, especially for teachers as a way to protect their eyes\u003ca href=\"https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director\">.\u003c/a> In a virtual town hall with the American Federation of Teachers, \u003ca href=\"https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director\">Dr. Anthony Fauci\u003c/a> was asked what teachers should wear in class. \"The minimum would be the mask, eye shield if you can have it and possibly gloves,\" he replied.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>4) In Class: Social distancing and cohorts\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: 6 feet between desks, small class sizes and cohorts \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56434\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1151\" height=\"646\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263.jpg 1151w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-800x449.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-1020x572.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1151px) 100vw, 1151px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Physical distancing is a cornerstone of coronavirus protection in school, just as it is in the grocery store or at a White House briefing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ideally, desks need to be placed at least 6 feet apart. Some schools are considering moving traditional classes into larger rooms like auditoriums, music rooms or gyms, says Hewlett. Tan advises holding classes outdoors when possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There really is no one right way to do this,\" says Tan. Schools have to adapt their space as best they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One solution many experts recommend is a system of cohorts and staggered schedules. Each class forms a self-contained pod that doesn't interact with other children. The goal, says Miller, is to reduce the number of people any individual is exposed to and to \"reduce the density of people in any given space.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malani suggests bringing special-topic teachers, like art and music teachers, to the pod's classroom. This way, students don't have to rub elbows traveling through hallways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"If the bubble stays safe, then everyone within it stays safe,\" Miller says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of a cohort system, many schools are opting to set up a staggered schedule, in which one group of students goes on Wednesday and Friday for example, while another group goes Tuesday and Thursday, and each group alternates Mondays. Another option is to have one group of students go in the mornings and another in the afternoons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Under debate: Plexiglass dividers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plexiglass dividers have been used in schools in Europe and Asia. But \"the data for plexiglass are limited,\" says Miller, explaining that unless dividers go to the ceiling, \"the air currents will simply flow around them.\" Malani says plexiglass barriers are most useful in front offices, for greeters or security guards sitting in high-traffic areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>5) What to do when someone gets sick\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Requirement for anyone with symptoms to self-isolate — and collaboration with the local health department\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools need to have a plan in place for what to do when kids develop symptoms. It's critical this is communicated clearly, says Hewlett, so that \"everyone understands what's going to happen if a child develops infection.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most scientists we spoke to agreed that any student or staff with symptoms should be tested or evaluated by a doctor. But few school plans we reviewed specify this as a requirement for students; instead they simply ask that anyone with concerning symptoms or a known exposure stay home. (Some districts, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.detroitk12.org/cms/lib/MI50000060/Centricity/Domain/4/DPSCD%20Reopening%20Plan%20-%20July%20RBM%20Final.pdf\">Detroit\u003c/a>, are asking all staff to get tested prior to the start of school.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With or without test results, anyone with symptoms needs to stay home for at least 10 days after symptom onset, and schools should have a protocol for deciding whether others exposed need to quarantine. This would be best done in consultation with the local health department, says Malani, and will be based on the severity of the symptoms and how much interaction the child had with others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If anyone does test positive, schools need to collaborate with local health departments, Hewlett says, so they can provide contact tracing and guidance for when to shut down a school if needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Establishing a stable pod or cohort of students could help prevent school shutdowns, says Guzman-Cottrill, because if a person in the cohort tests positive, exposure is limited to the cohort and only those students need to quarantine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Future goal: Routine testing\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several experts said regular testing of asymptomatic students and staff is not feasible, with current testing shortages and delays. But if it were, it could help schools open safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Weekly testing would be ideal, as it would identify asymptomatic infections,\" says Dr. \u003ca href=\"https://www.seattlechildrens.org/directory/danielle-m-zerr/\">Danielle Zerr,\u003c/a> pediatric infectious disease specialist at Seattle Children's Hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once new technologies are approved and rapid tests are available, schools should do routine testing, says Dr.\u003ca href=\"https://ccdd.hsph.harvard.edu/people/michael-mina/\"> Michael Mina\u003c/a>, an immunologist and epidemiologist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. \"Short of vaccines, daily cheap rapid tests performed at home or at school are a clear avenue to keep cases low and prevent outbreaks from growing,\" he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>6) Sanitizing surfaces\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Focus on hand hygiene and cleaning high-touch surfaces\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56435\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1150\" height=\"647\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb.jpg 1150w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1150px) 100vw, 1150px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC says the\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html\"> major route of COVID-19 transmission \u003c/a>is through droplets that are expelled when we cough, sneeze or talk. But the virus can live on surfaces for hours and possibly days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But rather than worry about constantly cleaning every part of the school, says Zerr, \"focus on frequent hand hygiene and wiping down frequently touched surfaces.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To promote hand hygiene, schools could have sanitizer dispensers in classrooms and hallways, says Malani, and keep bathrooms well-stocked with paper towels and soap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools should focus cleaning efforts on high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, bathroom doors and sink areas multiple times a day. And some opportunities for touching surfaces could be eliminated. \"Classroom doors can be left open until class starts so that each student does not need to open the door,\" Tan says. Cleaning desks is less of a worry, Miller says, because students don't touch one another's desks that often.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's important to thoroughly clean bathrooms that children routinely use, says Hewlett. These are high-touch areas and can get crowded. Miller says, \"Bathrooms must have strong exhaust fans,\" as airflow dilutes virus that may accumulate in the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Open for debate\u003c/strong>: Disinfectant misters may not be worth it, says school nurse Laurie Combe, because spraying disinfectant willy-nilly might create its own hazards. \"I don't know that we have enough data that tells us that that is safe,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>7) Air circulation\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: As much airflow as possible\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While person-to-person spread is the greater risk, scientists are also concerned about the virus accumulating in indoor air. So the guiding principle is to bring in as much fresh air as possible to dilute and disperse viral particles. \"We simply want lots of air exchange with the outside,\" says Miller.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.unmc.edu/pathology/faculty/bios/santarpia.html\">Joshua Santarpia\u003c/a>, a microbiologist who studies biological aerosols at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says that schools should assess their ventilation systems to see if they can be modified to optimize airflow in each classroom. \"The more air changes, the better,\" he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newer school buildings with modern systems typically are set up to recirculate indoor air because this saves energy, says Peter Fehl, president of building management systems for Honeywell. But by adjusting those settings, it's possible to get \"seven or eight times more fresh air,\" says Fehl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, schools can replace their system's HEPA filters — which remove most very fine particles — more frequently, probably once a month, Fehl says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But many schools have older systems that don't have the option of increasing fresh air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For schools that can't afford to update their systems, Santarpia recommends free-standing HEPA filters. He says the size of the room and how much noise will be made need to be considered when choosing a device, but if used correctly, these filters \"could dramatically reduce airborne contaminants.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, the quality of air in classrooms may come down to resources. Wealthier districts will likely have more modern facilities and systems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Open to debate: UV light systems\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are newer technologies such UV light systems that are garnering attention as well, but \"the jury is still out on more novel interventions, like UV light and ionizers,\" Santarpia says. One challenge: When air is moving through a duct system, it can be difficult to get the kind of UV intensity and exposure time necessary to kill viruses.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>8) Lunch and snacks\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Staggered cafeteria times or in-classroom dining\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56436\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1144\" height=\"642\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5.jpg 1144w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-800x449.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-1020x572.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\">Eating lunch and snacks requires removing face masks, so social distancing is the key here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools should avoid having kids eat in a crowded cafeteria. \"This may mean eating in classrooms,\" says Zerr, adding that kids should stick with their designated pod and \"remove masks only to eat.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other experts suggest staggering lunchtimes to reduce the number of students who are in the cafeteria so they can socially distance and keep students in their social bubbles, whether they are eating in their classrooms or the cafeteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Purchasing lunches should be OK if students are spaced out and classes do not intermingle,\" Miller says. Many schools are planning to serve a bag lunch which students can carry back to their classroom, although there are concerns these lunches may not be as nutritious.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>9) Recess\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Outdoor recess in small supervised groups\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56437\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1144\" height=\"644\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f.jpg 1144w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids need to run, play and take breaks, says Kullar. And \"we know outdoor time is less risky than indoor time,\" she says. Most of our experts agree — recess should take place outside, ideally with enough room for kids to socially distance, so they can remove their masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If kids can't stay 6 feet apart while at recess, our experts agreed they should not remove their masks, especially if inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kullar advises staggering recess times, sending kids out in \"small, supervised groups.\" And everyone should immediately wash hands when reentering the building, she adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of our experts recommended not just a single recess, but multiple \"mask breaks\" during the day. This could increase chances that kids comply with mask use the rest of the time, says Miller.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>10) Gym and sports\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Outdoor activities and no contact sports\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Games should be outside and spaced as much as possible, says Miller, adding that kickball is \"relatively safe.\" Modified forms of no-contact tag, hide-and-go-seek or anything where kids are running around and generally staying away from one another also work, he says. \"If you can't go outside, use the gym or the cafeteria as a larger play space,\" Miller says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Avoid sports that involve physical contact, cautioned several of our experts. \"Contact sports should be suspended until we see a decrease in cases,\" says Kullar. This means no team sports like basketball, football, baseball, wrestling and cheerleading, Tan added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cross-country running and tennis are safer bets than other sports, says Malani. \"With tennis, there's enough distance, particularly with singles play, that other than making sure that you keep your hands clean, there's not a lot of additional precautions that would be needed.\" Malani says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Masks can come off if students are breathing hard, as long as they are well-distanced, Zerr says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>11) The missing ingredient\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: A boost in funding\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also asked our experts for other ideas that should be the components of any good back-to-school plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The No. 1 answer? Money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.nea.org/home/NEA-President-Profile.html\">Lily Eskelsen García\u003c/a>, president of the National Education Association, says of the things schools need to keep students safe and healthy — from face masks to hand sanitizer — \"everything costs money.\" While recently lobbying for school funding, she recalls one politician complained, \"Money, money money, all you guys want is money.\" What schools really needed, the politician said, was plexiglass dividers. And Eskelsen García said, \"Oh, I had no idea they were giving those away! Put me down for 52 million!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Council of Chief State School Officers has estimated that schools need as much \u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2020-06-24/schools-need-245-billion-from-federal-government-to-reopen-safely\">as $245 billion \u003c/a>to reopen safely and to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/05/26/858257200/the-pandemic-is-driving-americas-schools-toward-a-financial-meltdown\">plug holes in state budgets\u003c/a> caused by the pandemic-induced recession. The White House has recommended \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/23/894926364/trump-announces-new-guidelines-for-reopening-schools\">allocating $105 billion \u003c/a>in current negotiations but wants to tie much of that money to schools physically reopening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And of course, some schools have more resources to start with. The bottom line is wealthier school districts will have an easier time implementing some of these safety measures. Without an influx of funding \"inequities that exist now will likely be increased,\" Malani says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=How+Safe+Is+Your+School%27s+Reopening+Plan%3F+Here%27s+What+To+Look+For&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "As schools weigh the risks of reopening, many are making plans to lower the risks of coronavirus transmission. Here's how to vet your school's proposals.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As schools across the country grapple with bringing kids back into the classroom, parents — and teachers — are worried about safety. We asked pediatricians, infectious disease specialists and education experts for help evaluating school district plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What we learned: There's no such thing as zero risk, but certain practices can lower the risk of an outbreak at school and keep kids, teachers and families safer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you're considering sending your child back to school this fall or in the coming months, start with assessing both your own family's personal risk and the level of \u003ca href=\"https://globalepidemics.org/key-metrics-for-covid-suppression/\">spread in your community\u003c/a>. The American Federation of Teachers says it doesn't consider in-person school to be safe unless fewer than 5% of coronavirus tests in an area are positive. As of late July, that one benchmark disqualified eight of the 10 largest public school districts in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family is relatively healthy and local numbers look good, here's how to weigh the key elements of a school reopening plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>1) Getting to school: Riding the bus\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Limited capacity and physical distancing. Plus masks\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56432 alignnone\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1146\" height=\"645\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd.jpg 1146w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/bus-1_wide-f5773129b6faf1a243c579e55fab47d9fa550abd-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1146px) 100vw, 1146px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Buses combine several risk factors for spread: Kids are in a closed space, for an extended period of time, often with poor ventilation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The best option for children getting to school would be for their parents to drop them off,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=17154\">Dr. Tina Tan\u003c/a>, pediatrics infectious disease specialist at Northwestern University in Chicago. Or walk or bike to school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that's not an option for many families, so to make busing safer, limit capacity to 50%, says \u003ca href=\"https://www.drravinakullar.com/\">Ravina Kullar\u003c/a>, an epidemiologist and spokesperson for the Infectious Disease Society of America. The children and the driver should be physically distanced by at least 6 feet, and everyone should wear masks. Ideally there's assigned seating, and tape marks designating where kids should sit, she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If possible, keep the bus windows open to improve ventilation, says \u003ca href=\"https://www.ohsu.edu/providers/judith-a-guzman-cottrill-do\">Dr. Judith Guzman-Cottrill,\u003c/a> a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Oregon Health & Science University. Airflow helps dilute the virus, thus reducing the risk of infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Students' hands should be sanitized before they enter the bus,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasn.org/people/laurie-combe\">Laurie Combe,\u003c/a> president of the National Association of School Nurses. Combe suggests mounting a sanitizer dispenser at the entrance of the bus.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>2) Entry-to-school guidelines\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Clear policies requiring sick kids and teachers to stay home\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our experts agree: Plans should drive home the message that staff and kids must stay home if they have any \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Fsymptoms.html\">symptoms of COVID-19\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"As a society, we are going to have to learn that if we're sick, we stay home — always,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://cph.osu.edu/people/wmiller\">Dr. William Miller\u003c/a>, an epidemiologist at Ohio State University. It's a big cultural shift, he says, because many of us are used to \"powering through illness, and sometimes, we expect the same of our children.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is no one perfect way to enforce this. Some experts suggest schools rely on messaging, while others prefer schools screening for symptoms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Symptom checks at school may not be foolproof, but they reinforce the message that parents should keep kids home if they're sick, says Laurie Combe. \"If there was optimal staffing for this situation, then the best practice would be to be able to screen as people enter the building.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC currently does not recommend schools conduct widespread symptom screenings. It suggests parents check their children at home before coming to school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids should stay home even if they have only very mild symptoms, \"just a headache or stomachache,\" says \u003ca href=\"https://president.umich.edu/leadership-team/direct-reports/preeti-malani/\">Dr. Preeti Malani\u003c/a>, an infectious disease specialist and chief health officer at the University of Michigan. And when parents are sick, children should stay home too, adds Miller. This may be difficult for economic reasons for many families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If teachers or staff have to miss work, then, Malani says, school \"policies have to support it, whether it's paid time off or making sure that there's not a penalty for missing work.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To encourage symptomatic kids to stay home, some school districts may need to revisit attendance policies that reward students for showing up consistently and penalize them for missing days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Under debate: Temperature checks\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several experts argue for schools conducting daily temperature checks. A good rule of thumb is that any child with a fever exceeding 100.4 F \"should be sent home or to the doctor's office for evaluation,\" says Dr. Dial Hewlett, an infectious disease specialist who has consulted with schools in Westchester County, N.Y.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others, like Malani, are skeptical. She says children infected with the coronavirus may show no symptoms, including fever, so temperature screenings can miss the real cases and could be a waste of resources. And Combe questions \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/non-contact-temperature-assessment-devices-during-covid-19-pandemic\">the accuracy of infrared temperature screening devices\u003c/a> and worries about student privacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>3) Masking policies\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Consistent, mandatory mask usage for kids and adults\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56433\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1146\" height=\"645\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29.jpg 1146w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/masks-1_wide-69d2c08a6f757310b4c8141fe3b2561eeb205a29-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1146px) 100vw, 1146px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All our experts agree that masks are a vital part of a school's reopening plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Especially \"in those situations where they cannot physically distance 6 feet or more from each other,\" says Tan. This advice is in line with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/cloth-face-cover.html\">CDC's school reopening guidelines\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Miller adds that it's critical that teachers and staff wear masks because \"the distance that airborne particles are dispersed is greater for adults than children.\" Some \u003ca href=\"https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2020/07/08/peds.2020-1576\">studies \u003c/a>suggest adults are more likely to infect children than the other way around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But masks aren't optimal for everyone, including anyone with health problems that affect breathing, those interacting with people who are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/04/29/847925057/new-coronavirus-safety-measures-pose-challenges-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing\">hard of hearing\u003c/a> and very young children. The CDC suggests schools consider using masks with a see-through covering over the mouth for young students or students with disabilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For younger kids especially, schools should structure in times when students can \"take off their masks and have a breather,\" says Hewlett. These mask breaks would preferably be outdoors, he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Under debate: Face shields\u003c/strong> Some educators like the idea of a clear, plastic face shield as a stand-alone face covering for younger children. They're more comfortable, make it harder to touch the face and easier to see expressions. But there's no strong evidence that face shields reduce infection rates, says Miller. And the CDC does not recommend them as a substitute for face masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Face shields or goggles could be used in addition to masks, especially for teachers as a way to protect their eyes\u003ca href=\"https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director\">.\u003c/a> In a virtual town hall with the American Federation of Teachers, \u003ca href=\"https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director\">Dr. Anthony Fauci\u003c/a> was asked what teachers should wear in class. \"The minimum would be the mask, eye shield if you can have it and possibly gloves,\" he replied.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>4) In Class: Social distancing and cohorts\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: 6 feet between desks, small class sizes and cohorts \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56434\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1151\" height=\"646\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263.jpg 1151w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-800x449.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-1020x572.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/classrooms-1_wide-0c51f3247b37c836664d15218e863d539b27d263-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1151px) 100vw, 1151px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Physical distancing is a cornerstone of coronavirus protection in school, just as it is in the grocery store or at a White House briefing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ideally, desks need to be placed at least 6 feet apart. Some schools are considering moving traditional classes into larger rooms like auditoriums, music rooms or gyms, says Hewlett. Tan advises holding classes outdoors when possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There really is no one right way to do this,\" says Tan. Schools have to adapt their space as best they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One solution many experts recommend is a system of cohorts and staggered schedules. Each class forms a self-contained pod that doesn't interact with other children. The goal, says Miller, is to reduce the number of people any individual is exposed to and to \"reduce the density of people in any given space.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malani suggests bringing special-topic teachers, like art and music teachers, to the pod's classroom. This way, students don't have to rub elbows traveling through hallways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"If the bubble stays safe, then everyone within it stays safe,\" Miller says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of a cohort system, many schools are opting to set up a staggered schedule, in which one group of students goes on Wednesday and Friday for example, while another group goes Tuesday and Thursday, and each group alternates Mondays. Another option is to have one group of students go in the mornings and another in the afternoons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Under debate: Plexiglass dividers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plexiglass dividers have been used in schools in Europe and Asia. But \"the data for plexiglass are limited,\" says Miller, explaining that unless dividers go to the ceiling, \"the air currents will simply flow around them.\" Malani says plexiglass barriers are most useful in front offices, for greeters or security guards sitting in high-traffic areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>5) What to do when someone gets sick\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Requirement for anyone with symptoms to self-isolate — and collaboration with the local health department\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools need to have a plan in place for what to do when kids develop symptoms. It's critical this is communicated clearly, says Hewlett, so that \"everyone understands what's going to happen if a child develops infection.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most scientists we spoke to agreed that any student or staff with symptoms should be tested or evaluated by a doctor. But few school plans we reviewed specify this as a requirement for students; instead they simply ask that anyone with concerning symptoms or a known exposure stay home. (Some districts, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.detroitk12.org/cms/lib/MI50000060/Centricity/Domain/4/DPSCD%20Reopening%20Plan%20-%20July%20RBM%20Final.pdf\">Detroit\u003c/a>, are asking all staff to get tested prior to the start of school.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With or without test results, anyone with symptoms needs to stay home for at least 10 days after symptom onset, and schools should have a protocol for deciding whether others exposed need to quarantine. This would be best done in consultation with the local health department, says Malani, and will be based on the severity of the symptoms and how much interaction the child had with others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If anyone does test positive, schools need to collaborate with local health departments, Hewlett says, so they can provide contact tracing and guidance for when to shut down a school if needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Establishing a stable pod or cohort of students could help prevent school shutdowns, says Guzman-Cottrill, because if a person in the cohort tests positive, exposure is limited to the cohort and only those students need to quarantine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Future goal: Routine testing\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several experts said regular testing of asymptomatic students and staff is not feasible, with current testing shortages and delays. But if it were, it could help schools open safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Weekly testing would be ideal, as it would identify asymptomatic infections,\" says Dr. \u003ca href=\"https://www.seattlechildrens.org/directory/danielle-m-zerr/\">Danielle Zerr,\u003c/a> pediatric infectious disease specialist at Seattle Children's Hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once new technologies are approved and rapid tests are available, schools should do routine testing, says Dr.\u003ca href=\"https://ccdd.hsph.harvard.edu/people/michael-mina/\"> Michael Mina\u003c/a>, an immunologist and epidemiologist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. \"Short of vaccines, daily cheap rapid tests performed at home or at school are a clear avenue to keep cases low and prevent outbreaks from growing,\" he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>6) Sanitizing surfaces\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Focus on hand hygiene and cleaning high-touch surfaces\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56435\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1150\" height=\"647\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb.jpg 1150w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/sanitizing-surfaces-1_wide-91f2f4e0014dc394e44953ca4381f51a4c8facbb-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1150px) 100vw, 1150px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC says the\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html\"> major route of COVID-19 transmission \u003c/a>is through droplets that are expelled when we cough, sneeze or talk. But the virus can live on surfaces for hours and possibly days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But rather than worry about constantly cleaning every part of the school, says Zerr, \"focus on frequent hand hygiene and wiping down frequently touched surfaces.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To promote hand hygiene, schools could have sanitizer dispensers in classrooms and hallways, says Malani, and keep bathrooms well-stocked with paper towels and soap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools should focus cleaning efforts on high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, bathroom doors and sink areas multiple times a day. And some opportunities for touching surfaces could be eliminated. \"Classroom doors can be left open until class starts so that each student does not need to open the door,\" Tan says. Cleaning desks is less of a worry, Miller says, because students don't touch one another's desks that often.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's important to thoroughly clean bathrooms that children routinely use, says Hewlett. These are high-touch areas and can get crowded. Miller says, \"Bathrooms must have strong exhaust fans,\" as airflow dilutes virus that may accumulate in the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Open for debate\u003c/strong>: Disinfectant misters may not be worth it, says school nurse Laurie Combe, because spraying disinfectant willy-nilly might create its own hazards. \"I don't know that we have enough data that tells us that that is safe,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>7) Air circulation\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: As much airflow as possible\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While person-to-person spread is the greater risk, scientists are also concerned about the virus accumulating in indoor air. So the guiding principle is to bring in as much fresh air as possible to dilute and disperse viral particles. \"We simply want lots of air exchange with the outside,\" says Miller.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.unmc.edu/pathology/faculty/bios/santarpia.html\">Joshua Santarpia\u003c/a>, a microbiologist who studies biological aerosols at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says that schools should assess their ventilation systems to see if they can be modified to optimize airflow in each classroom. \"The more air changes, the better,\" he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newer school buildings with modern systems typically are set up to recirculate indoor air because this saves energy, says Peter Fehl, president of building management systems for Honeywell. But by adjusting those settings, it's possible to get \"seven or eight times more fresh air,\" says Fehl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, schools can replace their system's HEPA filters — which remove most very fine particles — more frequently, probably once a month, Fehl says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But many schools have older systems that don't have the option of increasing fresh air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For schools that can't afford to update their systems, Santarpia recommends free-standing HEPA filters. He says the size of the room and how much noise will be made need to be considered when choosing a device, but if used correctly, these filters \"could dramatically reduce airborne contaminants.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, the quality of air in classrooms may come down to resources. Wealthier districts will likely have more modern facilities and systems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Open to debate: UV light systems\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are newer technologies such UV light systems that are garnering attention as well, but \"the jury is still out on more novel interventions, like UV light and ionizers,\" Santarpia says. One challenge: When air is moving through a duct system, it can be difficult to get the kind of UV intensity and exposure time necessary to kill viruses.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>8) Lunch and snacks\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Staggered cafeteria times or in-classroom dining\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56436\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1144\" height=\"642\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5.jpg 1144w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-800x449.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-1020x572.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/desk-lunch-1_wide-412e41d5ff86a9dd6887d166dbd5f24b787f27d5-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\">Eating lunch and snacks requires removing face masks, so social distancing is the key here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools should avoid having kids eat in a crowded cafeteria. \"This may mean eating in classrooms,\" says Zerr, adding that kids should stick with their designated pod and \"remove masks only to eat.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other experts suggest staggering lunchtimes to reduce the number of students who are in the cafeteria so they can socially distance and keep students in their social bubbles, whether they are eating in their classrooms or the cafeteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Purchasing lunches should be OK if students are spaced out and classes do not intermingle,\" Miller says. Many schools are planning to serve a bag lunch which students can carry back to their classroom, although there are concerns these lunches may not be as nutritious.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>9) Recess\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Outdoor recess in small supervised groups\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56437\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1144\" height=\"644\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f.jpg 1144w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/recess-1_wide-464b2093d641f298004fc1be1705b29e958c0f9f-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids need to run, play and take breaks, says Kullar. And \"we know outdoor time is less risky than indoor time,\" she says. Most of our experts agree — recess should take place outside, ideally with enough room for kids to socially distance, so they can remove their masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If kids can't stay 6 feet apart while at recess, our experts agreed they should not remove their masks, especially if inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kullar advises staggering recess times, sending kids out in \"small, supervised groups.\" And everyone should immediately wash hands when reentering the building, she adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of our experts recommended not just a single recess, but multiple \"mask breaks\" during the day. This could increase chances that kids comply with mask use the rest of the time, says Miller.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>10) Gym and sports\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: Outdoor activities and no contact sports\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Games should be outside and spaced as much as possible, says Miller, adding that kickball is \"relatively safe.\" Modified forms of no-contact tag, hide-and-go-seek or anything where kids are running around and generally staying away from one another also work, he says. \"If you can't go outside, use the gym or the cafeteria as a larger play space,\" Miller says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Avoid sports that involve physical contact, cautioned several of our experts. \"Contact sports should be suspended until we see a decrease in cases,\" says Kullar. This means no team sports like basketball, football, baseball, wrestling and cheerleading, Tan added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cross-country running and tennis are safer bets than other sports, says Malani. \"With tennis, there's enough distance, particularly with singles play, that other than making sure that you keep your hands clean, there's not a lot of additional precautions that would be needed.\" Malani says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Masks can come off if students are breathing hard, as long as they are well-distanced, Zerr says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>11) The missing ingredient\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look for: A boost in funding\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also asked our experts for other ideas that should be the components of any good back-to-school plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The No. 1 answer? Money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.nea.org/home/NEA-President-Profile.html\">Lily Eskelsen García\u003c/a>, president of the National Education Association, says of the things schools need to keep students safe and healthy — from face masks to hand sanitizer — \"everything costs money.\" While recently lobbying for school funding, she recalls one politician complained, \"Money, money money, all you guys want is money.\" What schools really needed, the politician said, was plexiglass dividers. And Eskelsen García said, \"Oh, I had no idea they were giving those away! Put me down for 52 million!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Council of Chief State School Officers has estimated that schools need as much \u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2020-06-24/schools-need-245-billion-from-federal-government-to-reopen-safely\">as $245 billion \u003c/a>to reopen safely and to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/05/26/858257200/the-pandemic-is-driving-americas-schools-toward-a-financial-meltdown\">plug holes in state budgets\u003c/a> caused by the pandemic-induced recession. The White House has recommended \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/23/894926364/trump-announces-new-guidelines-for-reopening-schools\">allocating $105 billion \u003c/a>in current negotiations but wants to tie much of that money to schools physically reopening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And of course, some schools have more resources to start with. The bottom line is wealthier school districts will have an easier time implementing some of these safety measures. Without an influx of funding \"inequities that exist now will likely be increased,\" Malani says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=How+Safe+Is+Your+School%27s+Reopening+Plan%3F+Here%27s+What+To+Look+For&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "Most Teachers Concerned About In-Person School; 2 In 3 Want To Start The Year Online",
"title": "Most Teachers Concerned About In-Person School; 2 In 3 Want To Start The Year Online",
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"content": "\u003cp>As the school year starts in many districts across the country, a new national poll of teachers from NPR/Ipsos finds overwhelming trepidation about returning to the physical classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eighty-two percent of K-12 teachers say they are concerned about returning to in-person teaching this fall, and two-thirds prefer to teach primarily remotely. On the latter point, teachers are aligned with parents and the general public: \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/08/04/898522180/despite-mask-wars-americans-support-aggressive-measures-to-stop-covid-19-poll-fi\">Another recent NPR/Ipsos poll\u003c/a> found two-thirds of respondents thought schools in their area should be primarily remote, including 62% of parents of children under 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The teacher poll was conducted July 21-24 and included 505 respondents. Half teach at low-income schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it comes to going back to the classroom, 77% of teachers are worried about risking their own health. Robin Stauffer is one of them. She's taught high school English for four decades, most recently in Katy, Texas, a suburb west of Houston. She says working with kids has kept her young and lighthearted, and she has a strong sense of mission \"to be the type of teacher that I wish I would have had when I was in public school, to kind of right the wrongs that I experienced.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">Teacher Preferences For Remote Vs. In-Person\u003cspan class=\"widont\"> \u003c/span>Classes\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56443\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-56443 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/fallback.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"502\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/fallback.png 600w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/fallback-160x134.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: NPR/Ipsos poll of 505 U.S. K-12 teachers conducted July 21-24. The credibility interval is plus or minus 5 percentage points. Credit: Audrey Carlsen/NPR\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But she's also 66 years old and has diabetes, both of which make her more vulnerable to the coronavirus. According to the U.S. Department of Education, almost \u003ca href=\"https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020142.pdf\">30% \u003c/a>of teachers are 50 and older, putting them in a higher-risk category for the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I just don't trust the school district to safeguard my health during this pandemic,\" Stauffer says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the poll, 78% of teachers said they are concerned specifically about accessing sufficient personal protective equipment and even cleaning materials for teaching in person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stauffer says her district cut custodial staff several years ago, and after that it was often up to teachers to clean their own rooms. \"They don't supply hand sanitizer. They don't supply wipes. None of these supplies were ever given to us. You just use what you had or what teachers themselves purchased.\" She says she doubts her school will be able to keep up with the increased cleaning measures \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html\">recommended\u003c/a> by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charlie McGeehan, a high school teacher in Philadelphia, has similar concerns. In an email to NPR, he said, \"Much of my hesitation comes from the persistent underfunding of my district, and its proven inability to provide for the safety of staff and students.\" McGeehan notes that several school buildings in the School District of Philadelphia \u003ca href=\"https://whyy.org/articles/two-more-philly-schools-to-close-for-asbestos-cleanup/\">closed for asbestos cleanup\u003c/a> in the last school year, and one teacher \u003ca href=\"https://whyy.org/articles/cancer-stricken-teacher-settles-with-philly-school-district-for-850k/#:~:text=The%20Philadelphia%20Board%20of%20Education,she%20learned%20she%20had%20mesothelioma\">settled with the district\u003c/a> for $850,000 over her mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to the toxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"These issues have been ongoing, and repeatedly raised, for more than 30 years — and they still persist,\" McGeehan says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to their health concerns about coming back, teachers are also worried that coronavirus safety measures will interfere with teaching and learning. Seventy-three percent of teachers say they are concerned about connecting with students while wearing a mask. And 84% of teachers say they are likely to have difficulty enforcing social distancing among their students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56448\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 947px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56448\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"947\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5.png 947w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5-800x351.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5-160x70.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5-768x337.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 947px) 100vw, 947px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: NPR/Ipsos poll of 505 U.S. K-12 teachers conducted July 21-24. The credibility interval is plus or minus 5 percentage points.\u003cbr>Credit: Audrey Carlsen/NPR\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\"I want to go back, and I don't want to go back,\" says Felicia Tinsley, who teaches elementary school students with special needs in Chester County, S.C. She expects to navigate a steep learning curve with her students. \"You have to teach kids how to wear masks properly and teach them '6 feet apart.' ... We're going to be doing, basically, instructions on how to operate in our new society.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tinsley says it may be especially difficult for her to enforce mask wearing because the topic has been politicized in her area of the country. \"Some people, they have their own beliefs,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She plans to impress the seriousness of the issue on her students by letting them know she contracted the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McGeehan, in Philadelphia, has a different concern around mask enforcement: \"As a white teacher who works with predominantly Black students, I think a lot about the ways that I exert control in my classroom — and how that manifests white supremacy and racism. ... [I'm] considering going back to a school environment where I'm asked to constantly police how far away students are from each other, whether or not they are wearing masks, where they're allowed to go during the day, etc. If this is the type of classroom I'm going to have to facilitate, is in-person learning worth all the risks?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By nearly a 2-to-1 margin, teachers prefer the idea of teaching online to coming back in person. One bright spot in the poll is that, compared with the spring, 4 out of 5 teachers feel more prepared to teach online this fall. And 70% think their school district's online or distance-learning effort is headed in the right direction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56447\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1012px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56447\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1012\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4.png 1012w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4-800x300.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4-160x60.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4-768x288.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: NPR/Ipsos poll of 505 U.S. K-12 teachers conducted July 21-24. The credibility interval is plus or minus 5 percentage points. \"Don't know\" responses not shown.\u003cbr>Credit: Audrey Carlsen/NPR\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\"Every teacher in the nation basically was thrown into some crash course in March and April,\" says Danielle Simpson, who teaches fourth grade at Crescent Academy International, an Islamic private school in Canton, Mich. Going into the fall, she says, the bar is going to be raised.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I've been taking some courses online and watching professional development webinars to give myself a boost. And there's probably a lot of other teachers doing that, too,\" she says. \"We're developing students' digital citizenship skills, which will support them after graduation.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jenny White, who teaches middle school English language arts in Fort Worth, Texas, has also been doing professional development to design more collaborative online classes. She says she's relieved the school year will be starting remote-only in her district, because she feels her classes will be more interactive and less stilted online than in a classroom, where she would have to enforce social distancing and children would be speaking through masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will be \"not so fun for them\" in person, she predicts: \"We won't be able to allow them to sit with their friends. There's not going to be chances really for collaboration, where they get to work in groups and have those real rich conversations that they need to have, especially in language arts.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yet more than half of surveyed teachers, 55%, say they cannot properly do their job online. Eighty-four percent say online learning creates gaps in opportunities for students. And 83% are also concerned about connecting with students they've never met when online classes begin this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly half of the respondents have their own children at home, and 57% of those parent-teachers agree with the statement, \"I cannot properly do my job from home while also taking care of my own child(ren).\" Meanwhile, fewer than half of teachers, 43%, feel comfortable sending their own children to school this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I do not believe there is any reasonable plan that could be made that would keep my son safe,\" says Eric Schavrda, who visits multiple campuses to teach the visually impaired in Austin, Texas. He says he doesn't see a way to do his job safely either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Unless daily tests of all students and contact tracing support were to be available statewide, there is no way to ensure a safe return to school,\" he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caught between anxieties about returning to school and about teaching remotely, U.S. teachers have been feeling a lot of uncertainty. In the third week of July, when in many places teachers would normally be working on lesson plans and dusting off classroom decorations, just 11% said their school district's plan for how to start the school year during the pandemic was finalized and clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Simpson, in Michigan, says, \"There's certain things that still haven't been answered\" as of the first week of August. Her school is planning to open at the end of August with a hybrid schedule, with three rotating cohorts of students. \"With this new rotating schedule, it feels like I'm going to lose some of my prep time from before. So that's one of the things that I'm still waiting to hear about.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eighty-three percent of instructors are also concerned the plans will change after the year starts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tinsley, in South Carolina, is resigned to that — she says her district has already pushed back the start of the school year and gone from offering five days a week in person to a hybrid schedule. \"I'll just see what happens, because every day something changes,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite all the difficulties, 70% of respondents tell NPR/Ipsos that if they could pick a career all over again, they would still choose to be teachers. And just 16% say they would leave the profession if they were called back to the classroom. Stauffer, in Texas, made that hard decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says she was upset, sad and torn, but her health concerns won out. She decided to retire and had to say goodbye to her students over Zoom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Most+Teachers+Concerned+About+In-Person+School%3B+2+In+3+Want+To+Start+The+Year+Online&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As the school year starts in many districts across the country, a new national poll of teachers from NPR/Ipsos finds overwhelming trepidation about returning to the physical classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eighty-two percent of K-12 teachers say they are concerned about returning to in-person teaching this fall, and two-thirds prefer to teach primarily remotely. On the latter point, teachers are aligned with parents and the general public: \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/08/04/898522180/despite-mask-wars-americans-support-aggressive-measures-to-stop-covid-19-poll-fi\">Another recent NPR/Ipsos poll\u003c/a> found two-thirds of respondents thought schools in their area should be primarily remote, including 62% of parents of children under 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The teacher poll was conducted July 21-24 and included 505 respondents. Half teach at low-income schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it comes to going back to the classroom, 77% of teachers are worried about risking their own health. Robin Stauffer is one of them. She's taught high school English for four decades, most recently in Katy, Texas, a suburb west of Houston. She says working with kids has kept her young and lighthearted, and she has a strong sense of mission \"to be the type of teacher that I wish I would have had when I was in public school, to kind of right the wrongs that I experienced.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">Teacher Preferences For Remote Vs. In-Person\u003cspan class=\"widont\"> \u003c/span>Classes\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56443\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-56443 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/fallback.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"502\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/fallback.png 600w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/fallback-160x134.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: NPR/Ipsos poll of 505 U.S. K-12 teachers conducted July 21-24. The credibility interval is plus or minus 5 percentage points. Credit: Audrey Carlsen/NPR\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But she's also 66 years old and has diabetes, both of which make her more vulnerable to the coronavirus. According to the U.S. Department of Education, almost \u003ca href=\"https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020142.pdf\">30% \u003c/a>of teachers are 50 and older, putting them in a higher-risk category for the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I just don't trust the school district to safeguard my health during this pandemic,\" Stauffer says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the poll, 78% of teachers said they are concerned specifically about accessing sufficient personal protective equipment and even cleaning materials for teaching in person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stauffer says her district cut custodial staff several years ago, and after that it was often up to teachers to clean their own rooms. \"They don't supply hand sanitizer. They don't supply wipes. None of these supplies were ever given to us. You just use what you had or what teachers themselves purchased.\" She says she doubts her school will be able to keep up with the increased cleaning measures \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html\">recommended\u003c/a> by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charlie McGeehan, a high school teacher in Philadelphia, has similar concerns. In an email to NPR, he said, \"Much of my hesitation comes from the persistent underfunding of my district, and its proven inability to provide for the safety of staff and students.\" McGeehan notes that several school buildings in the School District of Philadelphia \u003ca href=\"https://whyy.org/articles/two-more-philly-schools-to-close-for-asbestos-cleanup/\">closed for asbestos cleanup\u003c/a> in the last school year, and one teacher \u003ca href=\"https://whyy.org/articles/cancer-stricken-teacher-settles-with-philly-school-district-for-850k/#:~:text=The%20Philadelphia%20Board%20of%20Education,she%20learned%20she%20had%20mesothelioma\">settled with the district\u003c/a> for $850,000 over her mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to the toxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"These issues have been ongoing, and repeatedly raised, for more than 30 years — and they still persist,\" McGeehan says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to their health concerns about coming back, teachers are also worried that coronavirus safety measures will interfere with teaching and learning. Seventy-three percent of teachers say they are concerned about connecting with students while wearing a mask. And 84% of teachers say they are likely to have difficulty enforcing social distancing among their students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56448\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 947px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56448\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"947\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5.png 947w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5-800x351.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5-160x70.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-5-768x337.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 947px) 100vw, 947px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: NPR/Ipsos poll of 505 U.S. K-12 teachers conducted July 21-24. The credibility interval is plus or minus 5 percentage points.\u003cbr>Credit: Audrey Carlsen/NPR\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\"I want to go back, and I don't want to go back,\" says Felicia Tinsley, who teaches elementary school students with special needs in Chester County, S.C. She expects to navigate a steep learning curve with her students. \"You have to teach kids how to wear masks properly and teach them '6 feet apart.' ... We're going to be doing, basically, instructions on how to operate in our new society.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tinsley says it may be especially difficult for her to enforce mask wearing because the topic has been politicized in her area of the country. \"Some people, they have their own beliefs,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She plans to impress the seriousness of the issue on her students by letting them know she contracted the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McGeehan, in Philadelphia, has a different concern around mask enforcement: \"As a white teacher who works with predominantly Black students, I think a lot about the ways that I exert control in my classroom — and how that manifests white supremacy and racism. ... [I'm] considering going back to a school environment where I'm asked to constantly police how far away students are from each other, whether or not they are wearing masks, where they're allowed to go during the day, etc. If this is the type of classroom I'm going to have to facilitate, is in-person learning worth all the risks?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By nearly a 2-to-1 margin, teachers prefer the idea of teaching online to coming back in person. One bright spot in the poll is that, compared with the spring, 4 out of 5 teachers feel more prepared to teach online this fall. And 70% think their school district's online or distance-learning effort is headed in the right direction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56447\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1012px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56447\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1012\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4.png 1012w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4-800x300.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4-160x60.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/Fallback-4-768x288.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: NPR/Ipsos poll of 505 U.S. K-12 teachers conducted July 21-24. The credibility interval is plus or minus 5 percentage points. \"Don't know\" responses not shown.\u003cbr>Credit: Audrey Carlsen/NPR\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\"Every teacher in the nation basically was thrown into some crash course in March and April,\" says Danielle Simpson, who teaches fourth grade at Crescent Academy International, an Islamic private school in Canton, Mich. Going into the fall, she says, the bar is going to be raised.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I've been taking some courses online and watching professional development webinars to give myself a boost. And there's probably a lot of other teachers doing that, too,\" she says. \"We're developing students' digital citizenship skills, which will support them after graduation.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jenny White, who teaches middle school English language arts in Fort Worth, Texas, has also been doing professional development to design more collaborative online classes. She says she's relieved the school year will be starting remote-only in her district, because she feels her classes will be more interactive and less stilted online than in a classroom, where she would have to enforce social distancing and children would be speaking through masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will be \"not so fun for them\" in person, she predicts: \"We won't be able to allow them to sit with their friends. There's not going to be chances really for collaboration, where they get to work in groups and have those real rich conversations that they need to have, especially in language arts.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yet more than half of surveyed teachers, 55%, say they cannot properly do their job online. Eighty-four percent say online learning creates gaps in opportunities for students. And 83% are also concerned about connecting with students they've never met when online classes begin this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly half of the respondents have their own children at home, and 57% of those parent-teachers agree with the statement, \"I cannot properly do my job from home while also taking care of my own child(ren).\" Meanwhile, fewer than half of teachers, 43%, feel comfortable sending their own children to school this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I do not believe there is any reasonable plan that could be made that would keep my son safe,\" says Eric Schavrda, who visits multiple campuses to teach the visually impaired in Austin, Texas. He says he doesn't see a way to do his job safely either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Unless daily tests of all students and contact tracing support were to be available statewide, there is no way to ensure a safe return to school,\" he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caught between anxieties about returning to school and about teaching remotely, U.S. teachers have been feeling a lot of uncertainty. In the third week of July, when in many places teachers would normally be working on lesson plans and dusting off classroom decorations, just 11% said their school district's plan for how to start the school year during the pandemic was finalized and clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Simpson, in Michigan, says, \"There's certain things that still haven't been answered\" as of the first week of August. Her school is planning to open at the end of August with a hybrid schedule, with three rotating cohorts of students. \"With this new rotating schedule, it feels like I'm going to lose some of my prep time from before. So that's one of the things that I'm still waiting to hear about.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eighty-three percent of instructors are also concerned the plans will change after the year starts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tinsley, in South Carolina, is resigned to that — she says her district has already pushed back the start of the school year and gone from offering five days a week in person to a hybrid schedule. \"I'll just see what happens, because every day something changes,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite all the difficulties, 70% of respondents tell NPR/Ipsos that if they could pick a career all over again, they would still choose to be teachers. And just 16% say they would leave the profession if they were called back to the classroom. Stauffer, in Texas, made that hard decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says she was upset, sad and torn, but her health concerns won out. She decided to retire and had to say goodbye to her students over Zoom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Most+Teachers+Concerned+About+In-Person+School%3B+2+In+3+Want+To+Start+The+Year+Online&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "Why Student Voice is Critical for Managing Discipline When Schools Reopen",
"title": "Why Student Voice is Critical for Managing Discipline When Schools Reopen",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56259/as-school-year-approaches-parents-and-educators-struggle-with-uncertainty\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">unclear\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> when school buildings will \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2020/07/reopening_schools_district_plans.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">reopen\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> across the U.S., but when they do, it \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56118/5-radical-schooling-ideas-for-an-uncertain-fall-and-beyond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">won’t be education as usual\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/coronavirus\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Coronavirus precautions\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> may include wearing masks, spacing desks six feet apart, restricting hallway movement and eating lunch inside classrooms. Students will be reconnecting with peers after months of limited contact, and some will still be dealing with the stress caused by the pandemic’s medical or financial impact on their families. This unusual brew of circumstances has some educators \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://thebolditalic.com/we-cannot-return-to-campus-this-fall-1ad91b8a65e0\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">worried\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about more than just the spread of germs. Will enforcement of new health and safety measures \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/tchkimpossible/status/1272573185523961857?s=12\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">lead to increased disciplinary actions\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, further disrupting students’ education? And if so, will it exacerbate the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2018/12/17/677508707/suspensions-are-down-in-u-s-schools-but-large-racial-gaps-remain\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">disproportionate punishment rates\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that Black students and students with disabilities already experience?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I can just see people coming back and being like, ‘No, these are the rules. You violate the rules and this is what’s going to happen to you,’” said Michael Essien, principal at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle School (MLK) in San Francisco. That rigid approach is not how he plans to lead. Perhaps that’s because he has already been through the mill to find an effective way to rein in behavioral issues at his school. Prior to his arrival at MLK and during his \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10447247/with-suspensions-down-some-schools-struggle-to-increase-learning\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">first few years\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as assistant principal, the climate was \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/archive/8807013/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">chaotic\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Essien acknowledges. The school had one of the highest \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/bay-only-school-draft/1927926/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">suspension rates\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the region and so many of those suspensions were for Black students that the state was monitoring the issue. When he moved up to the lead principal role, he implemented a system called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/49558/a-deeper-look-at-the-whole-school-approach-to-behavior\">push-in\u003c/a>” services, in which support staff come to classrooms to de-escalate and resolve problems, rather than \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/03/14/815778434/new-documentary-examines-how-black-girls-are-disproportionately-punished-in-scho\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">yanking students out\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The introduction of push-in services has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/49558/a-deeper-look-at-the-whole-school-approach-to-behavior\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">transformed the learning environment\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and led to a big drop in disciplinary actions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But it’s not just that track record that gives Essien confidence about managing discipline during the pandemic. It’s something deeper that he has promoted as a school administrator: student voice. When students return to MLK, they won’t immediately be lectured about masks and other new rules. “It's going to be a conversation,” Essien said. “When we come up with what we're going to agree upon, then that will be what we will implement.” That doesn’t mean students can reject state or district mandates. MLK staff will be up front about non-negotiables, but Essien said that \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/38102/how-can-students-have-more-say-in-school-decisions\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">listening to young people’s ideas\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about how to handle the changes will give students agency and increase their investment in the solutions. “(School is) going to be a lot different. I have feelings, and I know they're going to have feelings,” he said.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56395\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 667px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56395\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/See-Feel-Do-Hear-Chart-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"667\" height=\"1074\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/See-Feel-Do-Hear-Chart-1.png 667w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/See-Feel-Do-Hear-Chart-1-160x258.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Example of a See, Hear, Feel, Do chart. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Michael Essien)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch1>\u003cb>Student onboarding\u003c/b>\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under normal circumstances, during the first four weeks of school, MLK students would spend homeroom and the elective period doing onboarding activities that range from social-emotional lessons to discussions about sexual harassment to outdoor games. Though the logistics of this year’s onboarding will depend on when and how the school building opens, Essien said that one particular activity will be critical for a positive return. That exercise, which comes from the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodbehaviorgame.org/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pax Good Behavior Game\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, is called a “See, Hear, Feel, Do” chart. To kick it off, a teacher asks students to envision their dream school — the place where they would be the happiest learner. Students individually brainstorm what they would see, hear, feel and do in that school. They take three minutes of silent writing time for each verb before sharing their ideas in small groups and with the class. Next the teacher asks them to envision the worst school and come up with the things that might happen there. By the end of this process, the class creates a large chart listing out the things they want to experience more and less of in their own school. Some examples from previous students include wanting to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/45322/how-trauma-informed-teaching-builds-a-sense-of-safety-and-care\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">feel safe\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and not threatened, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/52421/what-giving-students-choice-looks-like-in-the-classroom\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">choose their own seats\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and do less busywork, see more \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/50925/4-tools-for-teaching-teamwork-and-collaboration-in-the-classroom\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">teamwork\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and less trash on the floor, and hear more music and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56187/6-things-anti-racist-educators-want-grown-ups-to-know-about-teaching-and-raising-kids\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fewer racist remarks\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The See, Hear, Feel, Do charts created by homeroom sections are combined into one for each grade level. Essien said that in the new school year, this will be the first step in “co-constructing what discipline is going to look like around us.” Teachers and administrators refer back to the charts throughout the year, so it’s important that the ideas are \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/student-centered-learning\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">student-driven\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. “The whole point of this is we need to have kids give their perspective, because (then) it's a different conversation. Then the adults in the building, we’re not disciplining you, we’re reminding you of what you wanted.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When problems arise, if push-in support fails and a student winds up in Essien’s office, the principal continues to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/student-voice\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">elevate student voice\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in his response. He starts by asking the child if their student rights were violated, then digs for the context of the issue and eventually asks the student what they think will resolve the situation. There’s no script for those conversations, because it is individualized. Some students might suggest a too-harsh consequence, and others might suggest something that’s too light. Either way, Essien guides them to a reasonable solution, which may involve repairing damaged relationships or may lead to increased academic or emotional support for the student. In some cases, the student might point out a policy that Essien needs to revise.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003cb>Listening to Kids\u003c/b>\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Essien’s emphasis on student voice contrasts with his own experiences as a child and teenager growing up in a Southern Baptist household. “I clearly remember how I felt knowing that I couldn’t share my opinion,” he said. “Adults did things to me and I had to accept it. I was very angry and frustrated. And so seeing that same anger and frustration when I was the assistant principal, and we had all those referrals, suspensions, fights, it was like, whoa, we need to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/52616/why-adults-should-listen-learn-trust-and-expect-more-from-kids\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">listen to kids\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. We need to talk to kids.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Listening and talking happens in many spaces beyond MLK’s onboarding process and the principal’s office. Essien spends one day per month attending gym classes to hear students’ concerns and complaints on any topic, including his own actions. The school also has a peer resources class in which about 15 students review school policies and report on how they are affecting students. This past spring, Essien’s staff \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/44360/how-meaningful-feedback-for-teachers-and-students-improves-relationships\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">gathered feedback\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56068/how-teachers-want-emergency-distance-learning-improved\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">emergency distance learning\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> through multiple student surveys. A common frustration was that instructions for digital work were confusing. That helped teachers realize that they needed to provide video or audio instructions, too, because of low literacy levels. “It’s a different kind of conversation trying to integrate the kids into the community as opposed to having the kids sit outside the community,” Essien said. So whether it’s a new requirement to wear masks or any other changes related to COVID-19, he sees the return to school as “a great opportunity for us to continue to develop (students’) agency and their voice.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This story is part of a MindShift series that explores solutions for returning to school during the COVID19 pandemic, supported in part by the \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.schusterman.org/\">\u003cspan class=\"s2\">\u003ci>Charles\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s3\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s4\">\u003ci>and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. MindShift retains sole editorial control over all content. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Coronavirus safety procedures will mean new rules, and new rules will mean consequences for students who don't comply. Educators like Michael Essien are developing ways to have students learn safely while co-creating the kind of schools they want with an extended onboarding procedure for students at the beginning of the year. ",
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"description": "Coronavirus safety procedures will mean new rules, and new rules will mean consequences for students who don't comply. Educators like Michael Essien are developing ways to have students learn safely while co-creating the kind of schools they want with an extended onboarding procedure for students at the beginning of the year. ",
"title": "Why Student Voice is Critical for Managing Discipline When Schools Reopen - MindShift",
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"headline": "Why Student Voice is Critical for Managing Discipline When Schools Reopen",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56259/as-school-year-approaches-parents-and-educators-struggle-with-uncertainty\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">unclear\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> when school buildings will \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2020/07/reopening_schools_district_plans.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">reopen\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> across the U.S., but when they do, it \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56118/5-radical-schooling-ideas-for-an-uncertain-fall-and-beyond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">won’t be education as usual\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/coronavirus\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Coronavirus precautions\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> may include wearing masks, spacing desks six feet apart, restricting hallway movement and eating lunch inside classrooms. Students will be reconnecting with peers after months of limited contact, and some will still be dealing with the stress caused by the pandemic’s medical or financial impact on their families. This unusual brew of circumstances has some educators \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://thebolditalic.com/we-cannot-return-to-campus-this-fall-1ad91b8a65e0\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">worried\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about more than just the spread of germs. Will enforcement of new health and safety measures \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/tchkimpossible/status/1272573185523961857?s=12\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">lead to increased disciplinary actions\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, further disrupting students’ education? And if so, will it exacerbate the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2018/12/17/677508707/suspensions-are-down-in-u-s-schools-but-large-racial-gaps-remain\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">disproportionate punishment rates\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that Black students and students with disabilities already experience?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I can just see people coming back and being like, ‘No, these are the rules. You violate the rules and this is what’s going to happen to you,’” said Michael Essien, principal at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle School (MLK) in San Francisco. That rigid approach is not how he plans to lead. Perhaps that’s because he has already been through the mill to find an effective way to rein in behavioral issues at his school. Prior to his arrival at MLK and during his \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10447247/with-suspensions-down-some-schools-struggle-to-increase-learning\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">first few years\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as assistant principal, the climate was \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/archive/8807013/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">chaotic\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Essien acknowledges. The school had one of the highest \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/bay-only-school-draft/1927926/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">suspension rates\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the region and so many of those suspensions were for Black students that the state was monitoring the issue. When he moved up to the lead principal role, he implemented a system called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/49558/a-deeper-look-at-the-whole-school-approach-to-behavior\">push-in\u003c/a>” services, in which support staff come to classrooms to de-escalate and resolve problems, rather than \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/03/14/815778434/new-documentary-examines-how-black-girls-are-disproportionately-punished-in-scho\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">yanking students out\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The introduction of push-in services has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/49558/a-deeper-look-at-the-whole-school-approach-to-behavior\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">transformed the learning environment\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and led to a big drop in disciplinary actions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But it’s not just that track record that gives Essien confidence about managing discipline during the pandemic. It’s something deeper that he has promoted as a school administrator: student voice. When students return to MLK, they won’t immediately be lectured about masks and other new rules. “It's going to be a conversation,” Essien said. “When we come up with what we're going to agree upon, then that will be what we will implement.” That doesn’t mean students can reject state or district mandates. MLK staff will be up front about non-negotiables, but Essien said that \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/38102/how-can-students-have-more-say-in-school-decisions\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">listening to young people’s ideas\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about how to handle the changes will give students agency and increase their investment in the solutions. “(School is) going to be a lot different. I have feelings, and I know they're going to have feelings,” he said.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56395\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 667px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-56395\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/See-Feel-Do-Hear-Chart-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"667\" height=\"1074\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/See-Feel-Do-Hear-Chart-1.png 667w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/08/See-Feel-Do-Hear-Chart-1-160x258.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Example of a See, Hear, Feel, Do chart. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Michael Essien)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch1>\u003cb>Student onboarding\u003c/b>\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under normal circumstances, during the first four weeks of school, MLK students would spend homeroom and the elective period doing onboarding activities that range from social-emotional lessons to discussions about sexual harassment to outdoor games. Though the logistics of this year’s onboarding will depend on when and how the school building opens, Essien said that one particular activity will be critical for a positive return. That exercise, which comes from the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodbehaviorgame.org/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pax Good Behavior Game\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, is called a “See, Hear, Feel, Do” chart. To kick it off, a teacher asks students to envision their dream school — the place where they would be the happiest learner. Students individually brainstorm what they would see, hear, feel and do in that school. They take three minutes of silent writing time for each verb before sharing their ideas in small groups and with the class. Next the teacher asks them to envision the worst school and come up with the things that might happen there. By the end of this process, the class creates a large chart listing out the things they want to experience more and less of in their own school. Some examples from previous students include wanting to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/45322/how-trauma-informed-teaching-builds-a-sense-of-safety-and-care\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">feel safe\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and not threatened, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/52421/what-giving-students-choice-looks-like-in-the-classroom\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">choose their own seats\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and do less busywork, see more \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/50925/4-tools-for-teaching-teamwork-and-collaboration-in-the-classroom\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">teamwork\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and less trash on the floor, and hear more music and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56187/6-things-anti-racist-educators-want-grown-ups-to-know-about-teaching-and-raising-kids\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fewer racist remarks\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The See, Hear, Feel, Do charts created by homeroom sections are combined into one for each grade level. Essien said that in the new school year, this will be the first step in “co-constructing what discipline is going to look like around us.” Teachers and administrators refer back to the charts throughout the year, so it’s important that the ideas are \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/student-centered-learning\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">student-driven\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. “The whole point of this is we need to have kids give their perspective, because (then) it's a different conversation. Then the adults in the building, we’re not disciplining you, we’re reminding you of what you wanted.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When problems arise, if push-in support fails and a student winds up in Essien’s office, the principal continues to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/student-voice\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">elevate student voice\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in his response. He starts by asking the child if their student rights were violated, then digs for the context of the issue and eventually asks the student what they think will resolve the situation. There’s no script for those conversations, because it is individualized. Some students might suggest a too-harsh consequence, and others might suggest something that’s too light. Either way, Essien guides them to a reasonable solution, which may involve repairing damaged relationships or may lead to increased academic or emotional support for the student. In some cases, the student might point out a policy that Essien needs to revise.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003cb>Listening to Kids\u003c/b>\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Essien’s emphasis on student voice contrasts with his own experiences as a child and teenager growing up in a Southern Baptist household. “I clearly remember how I felt knowing that I couldn’t share my opinion,” he said. “Adults did things to me and I had to accept it. I was very angry and frustrated. And so seeing that same anger and frustration when I was the assistant principal, and we had all those referrals, suspensions, fights, it was like, whoa, we need to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/52616/why-adults-should-listen-learn-trust-and-expect-more-from-kids\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">listen to kids\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. We need to talk to kids.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Listening and talking happens in many spaces beyond MLK’s onboarding process and the principal’s office. Essien spends one day per month attending gym classes to hear students’ concerns and complaints on any topic, including his own actions. The school also has a peer resources class in which about 15 students review school policies and report on how they are affecting students. This past spring, Essien’s staff \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/44360/how-meaningful-feedback-for-teachers-and-students-improves-relationships\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">gathered feedback\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56068/how-teachers-want-emergency-distance-learning-improved\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">emergency distance learning\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> through multiple student surveys. A common frustration was that instructions for digital work were confusing. That helped teachers realize that they needed to provide video or audio instructions, too, because of low literacy levels. “It’s a different kind of conversation trying to integrate the kids into the community as opposed to having the kids sit outside the community,” Essien said. So whether it’s a new requirement to wear masks or any other changes related to COVID-19, he sees the return to school as “a great opportunity for us to continue to develop (students’) agency and their voice.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This story is part of a MindShift series that explores solutions for returning to school during the COVID19 pandemic, supported in part by the \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.schusterman.org/\">\u003cspan class=\"s2\">\u003ci>Charles\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s3\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s4\">\u003ci>and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. MindShift retains sole editorial control over all content. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "What Are Parents Doing For Child Care? Here Are 3 Options (With Trade-Offs)",
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"content": "\u003cp>Kirk Gallegos is a single father of four. He works construction in Barstow, Calif. Prudence Carter is a single mother of one. She's the dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both share the same problem with tens of millions of other parents around the country: Their public schools aren't operating full time in-person this fall. And the rest of the child care system, which had been stretched even before the pandemic, is itself under pressure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The child care sector consists for the most part of small businesses and nonprofits supported by a patchwork of public subsidies. Centers and in-home day cares are mostly owned and operated by women, disproportionately women of color, many of whom live at poverty wages. Child care centers and after-school programs have lost income during shutdowns and because of state and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccnewyork.org/blog/state-fy-21-executive-budget-would-exacerbate-needs-of-nycs-children-families/\">local budget cuts\u003c/a>, and many have been forced to close for safety reasons. Republicans \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/republicans-15-billion-bailout-of-child-care-industry-falls-short.html\">have proposed $15 billion\u003c/a> for the child care sector in the latest coronavirus aid package; Democrats are seeking \u003ca href=\"https://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-smith-warren-childcare-bailout-coronavirus-relief-package\">more than three times \u003c/a>that amount.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the interim, families are being left to improvise. They're having to consider not only their children's safety but also their academic progress and their well-being after months of isolation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think parents are just trying to do what they have to do to survive in this moment,\" sums up Carter, who is a scholar of inequality in education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents have a few options, but none of them come without trade-offs, and they aren't available to all families equally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Option 1: Step back from the workforce \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first resort for parents, and particularly mothers, is working less to take care of their own children. We're in an employment crisis anyway, but caregiving responsibilities are keeping some parents from even looking for work. A recent survey from the Bipartisan Policy Center found that 55% of Hispanic and 44% of Black parents on unemployment insurance were not planning to or did not accept an offer to return to work due to caregiving needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gallegos, the construction worker, until recently had to juggle job hunting with taking care of his girls, who range in age from 1 to 10. \"I would take them with me [on interviews] or [search] online. I didn't want to use the day care unless I really, really, really needed to.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who have the relative privilege to work from home, there is a subtler toll on productivity and well-being, particularly for mothers. Many are splitting their schedules, getting up early and staying up late to work while children sleep. Carter cites\u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01294-9\"> an analysis \u003c/a> from her own field of higher education, suggesting that across disciplines, male scholars are producing relatively more work than their female counterparts, more so than before the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even as she's working to shift policies to make sure that her own faculty, staff and students who are caregivers aren't penalized for lagging research and publication under these conditions, Carter laments her own loss of \"concentrated time.\" \"It's really hard to write. I was hoping to get a new project off the ground this summer.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Option 2: In-home day cares\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For school-age children who don't have a family member to watch them for free,\u003ca href=\"https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/102621/meeting-the-school-age-child-care-needs-of-working-parents-facing-covid-19-distance-learning.pdf\"> organized group child care and after-school programs \u003c/a>are the most common option, according to a recent policy analysis by the Urban Institute. But the pandemic has shut many of those as well, because the group sizes are too large for social distancing and cohorting, or because they've lost access to public school buildings, or both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That leaves the next most popular option: in-home day cares. Pre-pandemic, these small neighborhood businesses took care of 7 million children, including around 30% of infants and toddlers, according to the nonprofit Home Grown. Across the country almost all of these providers are women, and almost half are women of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In-home care is the most affordable option for most families, too — averaging around $300 a week for up to 11 or 12 hours a day, depending on the location and the age of children. The costs tend to be lower if you qualify for public subsidies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of their size, these in home day cares have fewer licensing requirements. And industry experts said less staffing and overhead mean that women who run their own home-based day cares can make more money than they can in a standalone center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The long-term vision of our company is to get more people to actually start their own home day care,\" said Jessica Chang, CEO of WeeCare. WeeCare is a platform that works sort of like a Lyft for in-home day cares, making thousands of these businesses searchable and helping with overhead such as marketing and billing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chang and Chris Bennett of Wonderschool, a similar platform, both argue this is a model that is nimble enough potentially to scale up to meet the sudden demand for care for school-age children — if it had the right support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're getting a lot of interest from folks who want to start micro-schools, and a number of our providers are expanding, too,\" Bennett said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gallegos qualified for a county subsidy to send his four daughters to Little Barstow WeeCare. He drops them off at 6:30 or 7 a.m. and picks them up in the evening. \"They love it. I drop them off, and sometimes they forget to say bye, they're running down the hallway to do whatever they want to do,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria Jensen, the owner-operator, helped him get in touch with the principal at his older daughters' public school to make sure they would have computers to do their schoolwork. When school starts remotely Aug. 10, Jensen will oversee them while they study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I talked to a few other day cares, they said they had room and they could take them, but they weren't doing the school part — the academic part,\" Gallegos said. \"That was one of the most important parts to me.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Natalie Renew directs Home Grown, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of in-home child care. She said many centers already take older kids after school, and she sees this sector stepping up to care for school-age children during the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're definitely hearing that there is demand, and providers are getting calls from parents as school districts release their plans for the fall,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even as demand is growing, supply is in danger of falling. Child care providers who lost head count and revenue during shutdowns are in danger of losing not only their businesses but their homes. Without a bailout, Renew said, \"It's really sort of looking over the edge of a cliff. Many, many providers are already starting to close.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health and safety is another key concern for in-home providers, as it is for anywhere people gather indoors during the pandemic. Renew said there isn't a lot of good evidence yet on just how safe these settings might be. But there are hopes that, \"given the small group size of home-based child care, that the threat of transmission may be lower there.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ani Angel Gharibian runs Busy Bee, another WeeCare, in Los Angeles. She serves many children of essential workers, and is investing in desks and other equipment to expand to take in more school-age kids during the day, as LA schools are coming back online-only. She said it's impossible to socially distance from infants, and she doesn't like making children wear masks all day, because, she said, it's bad for their language development and makes them \"timid.\" She and her employees are nervous, but she said, \"People are desperate for income at the moment. So even if they do have some reservations, priorities take over.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Option 3: \"Pandemic pod\" \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the options that's gotten the most attention is associated with families of greater means — variously known as a \"learning pod,\" or \"pandemic pod.\" Generally, this means getting together a group of a few children to share the cost of a tutor, typically hosted at families' homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ivan Kerbel is the founder of the Seattle area Facebook group for founders of what he calls \"pandemic-era nano-schools.\" He has two young children. Like so many parents, he said he's \"in this impossible pickle of child care, parenting and schooling while doing our ostensible jobs.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kerbel also wants his children to be able to play safely with other kids and to learn subjects such as math and science by cooking and gardening, not just on the computer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So he started this group to find other families who were interested in doing the same. There are now over \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/seattle.micro.schools/\">4,000 members\u003c/a> in the Seattle area. Pandemic pod matchmaking groups such as these have sprung up quickly all over the country. And the critiques have come just as fast and furious. In Oakland, Calif., a group of 14 public school principals signed an \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gv0ZfYylWmvx6Q2mMKRJiDdAJiHx_wY_-FFmkP-FK8M/mobilebasic\">open letter \u003c/a>this week criticizing the practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One aspect that particularly bothers critics is the idea of hiring teachers directly away from public schools who may be wary of the classroom this fall for safety reasons. Melinda Anderson, a journalist covering education and equity, calls the practice \"pandemic-driven opportunity hoarding.\" \"Opportunity hoarding\" is a sociological concept that basically means a group in power is grabbing up resources and excluding a less powerful group. Anderson said, \"Parents forming pandemic pods and micro-schools did not create school inequalities, but they're certainly exacerbating inequalities by seeking out options unavailable to everyone.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some critics have gone further. \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/07/22/huge-problem-with-education-pandemic-pods-suddenly-popping-up/\">A Washington Post column \u003c/a>compared the practice to that of white families a half-century ago seceding from the public school system and forming \"segregation academies\" in resistance to \u003cem>Brown v. Board of Education\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter, the dean of the Graduate School of Education at Berkeley, doesn't see things in quite those terms. \"Is this like post-\u003cem>Brown\u003c/em>? I don't think so. I think the country's consciousness is at a different level.\" Casting these issues in terms of race and class leaves out affluent, educated parents of color such as herself, she said, and \"there is a presumption that working-class and poor parents don't want these pods themselves.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter happens to be thinking about forming a learning pod, not only to get more time to write, but also because her son is lonely. \"My child is crying, as an only child, saying, 'I miss my friends.' \" At the same time, as a scholar, she said she's \" thinking about how to minimize the impact of privilege on children's learning.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, Carter said it's important that pandemic pods be as temporary and informal as possible, and that families keep their spot in public schools, if possible, using the remote learning offered by the district, so that schools can hold on to the funding. She doesn't like the idea of parents going fully out on their own — leasing spaces and forming more permanent micro-schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I am not interested in the privatization of public education and this becoming an alternative.\" She also suggests that parents of means not push their children too hard academically this year. Everyone will have catching up to do when in-person schooling resumes, and age-based standards, she said, are arbitrary anyway. \"I don't know about you, but when I was a little girl, I wasn't reading by the end of kindergarten.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One idea that's popped up to address equity concerns is to have each pod include a sliding scale or scholarship spot. Kerbel said he's trying to institute a rule in his Seattle group: \"If you have a group of four kids, the fourth kid is free, if you have a group of five kids, the fifth kid is free.\" For example, Kerbel said that he's planning to set up ukulele lessons for his 5-year-old. He is in touch with a local refugee resettlement agency to see if a Somali refugee child is able to join.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter cautions that pods that include a \"diversity\" slot also have to work hard to be inclusive. \"What are you going to do socially and culturally to make sure that that child feels deeply included?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kerbel has personal experience with this. He said when he emigrated from Eastern Europe as a child, barely speaking English, a classmate was assigned to be his friend. He remembers feeling grateful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He added that he feels that children are going to learn not only math or music right now but also directly from the choices we make: \"How did their parents respond to the pandemic? Did they widen their social circle? Did they broaden their horizons? Or did they just sort of hunker down and, you know, shut the rest of the world out?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter sees the pandemic magnifying all kinds of inequities, but in some ways it's also putting many different kinds of families in the same boat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We don't have leadership. Resources are so minimal. And so people are trying to use their innovation to just make things work so that they can actually continue to support the families.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=What+Are+Parents+Doing+For+Child+Care%3F+Here+Are+3+Options+%28With+Trade-Offs%29+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Kirk Gallegos is a single father of four. He works construction in Barstow, Calif. Prudence Carter is a single mother of one. She's the dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both share the same problem with tens of millions of other parents around the country: Their public schools aren't operating full time in-person this fall. And the rest of the child care system, which had been stretched even before the pandemic, is itself under pressure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The child care sector consists for the most part of small businesses and nonprofits supported by a patchwork of public subsidies. Centers and in-home day cares are mostly owned and operated by women, disproportionately women of color, many of whom live at poverty wages. Child care centers and after-school programs have lost income during shutdowns and because of state and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccnewyork.org/blog/state-fy-21-executive-budget-would-exacerbate-needs-of-nycs-children-families/\">local budget cuts\u003c/a>, and many have been forced to close for safety reasons. Republicans \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/republicans-15-billion-bailout-of-child-care-industry-falls-short.html\">have proposed $15 billion\u003c/a> for the child care sector in the latest coronavirus aid package; Democrats are seeking \u003ca href=\"https://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-smith-warren-childcare-bailout-coronavirus-relief-package\">more than three times \u003c/a>that amount.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the interim, families are being left to improvise. They're having to consider not only their children's safety but also their academic progress and their well-being after months of isolation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think parents are just trying to do what they have to do to survive in this moment,\" sums up Carter, who is a scholar of inequality in education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents have a few options, but none of them come without trade-offs, and they aren't available to all families equally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Option 1: Step back from the workforce \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first resort for parents, and particularly mothers, is working less to take care of their own children. We're in an employment crisis anyway, but caregiving responsibilities are keeping some parents from even looking for work. A recent survey from the Bipartisan Policy Center found that 55% of Hispanic and 44% of Black parents on unemployment insurance were not planning to or did not accept an offer to return to work due to caregiving needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gallegos, the construction worker, until recently had to juggle job hunting with taking care of his girls, who range in age from 1 to 10. \"I would take them with me [on interviews] or [search] online. I didn't want to use the day care unless I really, really, really needed to.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who have the relative privilege to work from home, there is a subtler toll on productivity and well-being, particularly for mothers. Many are splitting their schedules, getting up early and staying up late to work while children sleep. Carter cites\u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01294-9\"> an analysis \u003c/a> from her own field of higher education, suggesting that across disciplines, male scholars are producing relatively more work than their female counterparts, more so than before the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even as she's working to shift policies to make sure that her own faculty, staff and students who are caregivers aren't penalized for lagging research and publication under these conditions, Carter laments her own loss of \"concentrated time.\" \"It's really hard to write. I was hoping to get a new project off the ground this summer.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Option 2: In-home day cares\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For school-age children who don't have a family member to watch them for free,\u003ca href=\"https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/102621/meeting-the-school-age-child-care-needs-of-working-parents-facing-covid-19-distance-learning.pdf\"> organized group child care and after-school programs \u003c/a>are the most common option, according to a recent policy analysis by the Urban Institute. But the pandemic has shut many of those as well, because the group sizes are too large for social distancing and cohorting, or because they've lost access to public school buildings, or both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That leaves the next most popular option: in-home day cares. Pre-pandemic, these small neighborhood businesses took care of 7 million children, including around 30% of infants and toddlers, according to the nonprofit Home Grown. Across the country almost all of these providers are women, and almost half are women of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In-home care is the most affordable option for most families, too — averaging around $300 a week for up to 11 or 12 hours a day, depending on the location and the age of children. The costs tend to be lower if you qualify for public subsidies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of their size, these in home day cares have fewer licensing requirements. And industry experts said less staffing and overhead mean that women who run their own home-based day cares can make more money than they can in a standalone center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The long-term vision of our company is to get more people to actually start their own home day care,\" said Jessica Chang, CEO of WeeCare. WeeCare is a platform that works sort of like a Lyft for in-home day cares, making thousands of these businesses searchable and helping with overhead such as marketing and billing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chang and Chris Bennett of Wonderschool, a similar platform, both argue this is a model that is nimble enough potentially to scale up to meet the sudden demand for care for school-age children — if it had the right support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're getting a lot of interest from folks who want to start micro-schools, and a number of our providers are expanding, too,\" Bennett said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gallegos qualified for a county subsidy to send his four daughters to Little Barstow WeeCare. He drops them off at 6:30 or 7 a.m. and picks them up in the evening. \"They love it. I drop them off, and sometimes they forget to say bye, they're running down the hallway to do whatever they want to do,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria Jensen, the owner-operator, helped him get in touch with the principal at his older daughters' public school to make sure they would have computers to do their schoolwork. When school starts remotely Aug. 10, Jensen will oversee them while they study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I talked to a few other day cares, they said they had room and they could take them, but they weren't doing the school part — the academic part,\" Gallegos said. \"That was one of the most important parts to me.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Natalie Renew directs Home Grown, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of in-home child care. She said many centers already take older kids after school, and she sees this sector stepping up to care for school-age children during the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're definitely hearing that there is demand, and providers are getting calls from parents as school districts release their plans for the fall,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even as demand is growing, supply is in danger of falling. Child care providers who lost head count and revenue during shutdowns are in danger of losing not only their businesses but their homes. Without a bailout, Renew said, \"It's really sort of looking over the edge of a cliff. Many, many providers are already starting to close.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health and safety is another key concern for in-home providers, as it is for anywhere people gather indoors during the pandemic. Renew said there isn't a lot of good evidence yet on just how safe these settings might be. But there are hopes that, \"given the small group size of home-based child care, that the threat of transmission may be lower there.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ani Angel Gharibian runs Busy Bee, another WeeCare, in Los Angeles. She serves many children of essential workers, and is investing in desks and other equipment to expand to take in more school-age kids during the day, as LA schools are coming back online-only. She said it's impossible to socially distance from infants, and she doesn't like making children wear masks all day, because, she said, it's bad for their language development and makes them \"timid.\" She and her employees are nervous, but she said, \"People are desperate for income at the moment. So even if they do have some reservations, priorities take over.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Option 3: \"Pandemic pod\" \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the options that's gotten the most attention is associated with families of greater means — variously known as a \"learning pod,\" or \"pandemic pod.\" Generally, this means getting together a group of a few children to share the cost of a tutor, typically hosted at families' homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ivan Kerbel is the founder of the Seattle area Facebook group for founders of what he calls \"pandemic-era nano-schools.\" He has two young children. Like so many parents, he said he's \"in this impossible pickle of child care, parenting and schooling while doing our ostensible jobs.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kerbel also wants his children to be able to play safely with other kids and to learn subjects such as math and science by cooking and gardening, not just on the computer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So he started this group to find other families who were interested in doing the same. There are now over \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/seattle.micro.schools/\">4,000 members\u003c/a> in the Seattle area. Pandemic pod matchmaking groups such as these have sprung up quickly all over the country. And the critiques have come just as fast and furious. In Oakland, Calif., a group of 14 public school principals signed an \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gv0ZfYylWmvx6Q2mMKRJiDdAJiHx_wY_-FFmkP-FK8M/mobilebasic\">open letter \u003c/a>this week criticizing the practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One aspect that particularly bothers critics is the idea of hiring teachers directly away from public schools who may be wary of the classroom this fall for safety reasons. Melinda Anderson, a journalist covering education and equity, calls the practice \"pandemic-driven opportunity hoarding.\" \"Opportunity hoarding\" is a sociological concept that basically means a group in power is grabbing up resources and excluding a less powerful group. Anderson said, \"Parents forming pandemic pods and micro-schools did not create school inequalities, but they're certainly exacerbating inequalities by seeking out options unavailable to everyone.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some critics have gone further. \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/07/22/huge-problem-with-education-pandemic-pods-suddenly-popping-up/\">A Washington Post column \u003c/a>compared the practice to that of white families a half-century ago seceding from the public school system and forming \"segregation academies\" in resistance to \u003cem>Brown v. Board of Education\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter, the dean of the Graduate School of Education at Berkeley, doesn't see things in quite those terms. \"Is this like post-\u003cem>Brown\u003c/em>? I don't think so. I think the country's consciousness is at a different level.\" Casting these issues in terms of race and class leaves out affluent, educated parents of color such as herself, she said, and \"there is a presumption that working-class and poor parents don't want these pods themselves.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter happens to be thinking about forming a learning pod, not only to get more time to write, but also because her son is lonely. \"My child is crying, as an only child, saying, 'I miss my friends.' \" At the same time, as a scholar, she said she's \" thinking about how to minimize the impact of privilege on children's learning.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, Carter said it's important that pandemic pods be as temporary and informal as possible, and that families keep their spot in public schools, if possible, using the remote learning offered by the district, so that schools can hold on to the funding. She doesn't like the idea of parents going fully out on their own — leasing spaces and forming more permanent micro-schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I am not interested in the privatization of public education and this becoming an alternative.\" She also suggests that parents of means not push their children too hard academically this year. Everyone will have catching up to do when in-person schooling resumes, and age-based standards, she said, are arbitrary anyway. \"I don't know about you, but when I was a little girl, I wasn't reading by the end of kindergarten.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One idea that's popped up to address equity concerns is to have each pod include a sliding scale or scholarship spot. Kerbel said he's trying to institute a rule in his Seattle group: \"If you have a group of four kids, the fourth kid is free, if you have a group of five kids, the fifth kid is free.\" For example, Kerbel said that he's planning to set up ukulele lessons for his 5-year-old. He is in touch with a local refugee resettlement agency to see if a Somali refugee child is able to join.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter cautions that pods that include a \"diversity\" slot also have to work hard to be inclusive. \"What are you going to do socially and culturally to make sure that that child feels deeply included?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kerbel has personal experience with this. He said when he emigrated from Eastern Europe as a child, barely speaking English, a classmate was assigned to be his friend. He remembers feeling grateful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He added that he feels that children are going to learn not only math or music right now but also directly from the choices we make: \"How did their parents respond to the pandemic? Did they widen their social circle? Did they broaden their horizons? Or did they just sort of hunker down and, you know, shut the rest of the world out?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carter sees the pandemic magnifying all kinds of inequities, but in some ways it's also putting many different kinds of families in the same boat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We don't have leadership. Resources are so minimal. And so people are trying to use their innovation to just make things work so that they can actually continue to support the families.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=What+Are+Parents+Doing+For+Child+Care%3F+Here+Are+3+Options+%28With+Trade-Offs%29+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "Overwhelmed, Stressed, Scared: School Nurses Brace for the Fall Semester",
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"content": "\u003cp>In any ordinary school year, school nurses are busy. This year, that's an understatement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Our role has expanded tenfold,\" says Eileen Gavin, who co-leads a team of nurses for Middletown Township Public Schools in New Jersey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She and school nurses across the country face an unenviable and unprecedented task: caring for students and staff during a global pandemic. \"We were at the front line of COVID-19 before the stay at home orders were put into place,\" says Gloria Barrera, the president-elect of the Illinois Association of School Nurses. They'll be at the front line again, she says, as the school year begins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many nurses, including Gavin and Barrera, have been working with their school districts over the summer to prepare plans for every scenario imaginable. But they say that's not the case for everyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I know a lot of nurses have asked to be at the table and they're not being invited or disregarded,\" Gavin says. \"And honestly, would you want your child to return to a school where a school nurse was not part of the plan?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Colleen, who leads a team of school nurses in Texas, wishes she had more of a voice in her district's decisions for the coming year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Overwhelmingly, the response has been, well, let us get some decisions made,\" she says. \"And then once the big decisions are made, you and your nurses can implement plans around that.\" That means she wasn't at the table to relay the most recent research about social distancing or disease spread to district leaders drafting a re–opening plan. (We're using Colleen's middle name so she can speak freely about her employer.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in April, when many schools closed their doors, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) polled members around the country about their roles in pandemic plans. \"While about 60 percent of those school nurses were part of the conversation with their school teams...around COVID, about 40 percent of school nurses weren't involved in the conversation,\" says Donna Mazyck, executive director of NASN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many places, nurses aren't part of the conversation because they simply don't exist. According to \u003ca href=\"https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASN/3870c72d-fff9-4ed7-833f-215de278d256/UploadedImages/PDFs/Advocacy/2017_Workforce_Study_Infographic_School_Nurses_in_the_Nation.pdf\">data from NASN\u003c/a>, only about half of all schools employ a full time nurse. And, says Mazyck, \"Twenty–five percent of schools do not have a school nurse at all.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Gavin's New Jersey district, they're recruiting for more school nurses and substitute nurses. \"And unfortunately, that seems to be a problem because of the pay,\" she says. School nurses with experience and advanced degrees can often make more money at hospitals, which desperately need them too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in districts starting the year with mostly virtual learning, nurses plan to hold telehealth visits and check in on students with chronic illness. Gavin, whose school district is finalizing plans for a hybrid model with in-person and virtual options, says she and her nursing team are trained COVID-19 contact tracers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They'll also be checking on students traumatized by the pandemic. There's \"uncertainty, grief and fear that's come because of COVID-19,\" says Mazyck. \"[Students] will have family members who passed away. They will have acquaintances who no longer have grandparents in their home,\" she says. They will need support from trusted adults at school — often, support they seek from their school nurses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For schools intending on a return to in-person classes this fall, nurses must consider seemingly-endless numbers of safety measures: creating social distancing and masking protocols. Asking students to bring water bottles instead of using water fountains. Designating one-way hallways to decrease traffic between classes. Creating a separate \"sick\" area for students and staff who have symptoms. Staffing that area. Establishing protocol for contact tracing. Planning for new outbreaks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I feel as though it's a rabbit hole. Once I go down the hole, I think I solved something? There's another issue with that. So we go down that hole. It seems endless,\" Gavin says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says she's thinking about every possibility — like replacing her school's stock of nasal Narcan, a treatment for opioid overdoses, with the injectable version in order to decrease risk of spreading the virus. In a district outside Columbia, South Carolina, health services coordinator Dawn MacAdams is thinking about kids with asthma. \"We are going to ask that our parents work with their physicians to only bring in an inhaler, not a nebulizer,\" she says. That's because nebulizers generate aerosol, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/07/06/887919633/aerosols-droplets-fomites-what-we-know-about-transmission-of-covid-19\">there's a chance that tiny virus particles in that aerosol could spread COVID-19. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But no amount of planning can answer the questions even infectious disease experts don't know about COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rate that kids transmit the coronavirus \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/20/892354171/kids-get-coronavirus-but-do-they-spread-it-well-find-out-when-schools-reopen\">remains unclear\u003c/a>. \"We don't know what the impact is going to be, putting those children with faculty and staff,\" says MacAdams. \"We don't know what disease spread is \u003cem>really \u003c/em>going to look like when we put everyone back into the petri dish of a school setting.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That's one reason why MacAdams, who just wrapped her term as president of the South Carolina Association of School Nurses,\u003ca href=\"https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article244275987.html\"> co-wrote a letter\u003c/a> to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster after he pushed for schools to include in-person options at the start of the school year. \"The reality is that most South Carolina schools are not currently prepared to reopen during this pandemic,\" they wrote, pushing for state leaders to allow districts to follow health guidelines in the re-opening process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MacAdams feels lucky to have a voice in her district's reopening plans, and she and others who do are advocating for nurses across the country to have a say in what happens where they live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They're also pressing for more funding, which school nurses overwhelmingly say their districts need to re–open safely. \"I mean, the amount of masks, cloth masks, regular face masks, face shields, gowns, gloves...hand sanitizer, hand soap, cleaning supplies — it's very overwhelming when you think of the cost,\" says MacAdams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In New Jersey, Eileen Gavin says she's spent sleepless nights worrying about what the new school year might bring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I do feel the weight of the world and the weight of my community as we return to school, that we're doing everything right...that there was nothing else that we could have done,\" she says. \"We care about every one of those kids and every staff member.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she still feels lucky to be a part of those big plans in her district. \"It is an enormous role that school nurses have right now\" she says. \"It's a lot of responsibility, but it's even worse if you don't have a voice.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Overwhelmed%2C+Stressed%2C+Scared%3A+School+Nurses+Brace+for+the+Fall+Semester&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In any ordinary school year, school nurses are busy. This year, that's an understatement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Our role has expanded tenfold,\" says Eileen Gavin, who co-leads a team of nurses for Middletown Township Public Schools in New Jersey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She and school nurses across the country face an unenviable and unprecedented task: caring for students and staff during a global pandemic. \"We were at the front line of COVID-19 before the stay at home orders were put into place,\" says Gloria Barrera, the president-elect of the Illinois Association of School Nurses. They'll be at the front line again, she says, as the school year begins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many nurses, including Gavin and Barrera, have been working with their school districts over the summer to prepare plans for every scenario imaginable. But they say that's not the case for everyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I know a lot of nurses have asked to be at the table and they're not being invited or disregarded,\" Gavin says. \"And honestly, would you want your child to return to a school where a school nurse was not part of the plan?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Colleen, who leads a team of school nurses in Texas, wishes she had more of a voice in her district's decisions for the coming year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Overwhelmingly, the response has been, well, let us get some decisions made,\" she says. \"And then once the big decisions are made, you and your nurses can implement plans around that.\" That means she wasn't at the table to relay the most recent research about social distancing or disease spread to district leaders drafting a re–opening plan. (We're using Colleen's middle name so she can speak freely about her employer.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in April, when many schools closed their doors, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) polled members around the country about their roles in pandemic plans. \"While about 60 percent of those school nurses were part of the conversation with their school teams...around COVID, about 40 percent of school nurses weren't involved in the conversation,\" says Donna Mazyck, executive director of NASN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many places, nurses aren't part of the conversation because they simply don't exist. According to \u003ca href=\"https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASN/3870c72d-fff9-4ed7-833f-215de278d256/UploadedImages/PDFs/Advocacy/2017_Workforce_Study_Infographic_School_Nurses_in_the_Nation.pdf\">data from NASN\u003c/a>, only about half of all schools employ a full time nurse. And, says Mazyck, \"Twenty–five percent of schools do not have a school nurse at all.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Gavin's New Jersey district, they're recruiting for more school nurses and substitute nurses. \"And unfortunately, that seems to be a problem because of the pay,\" she says. School nurses with experience and advanced degrees can often make more money at hospitals, which desperately need them too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in districts starting the year with mostly virtual learning, nurses plan to hold telehealth visits and check in on students with chronic illness. Gavin, whose school district is finalizing plans for a hybrid model with in-person and virtual options, says she and her nursing team are trained COVID-19 contact tracers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They'll also be checking on students traumatized by the pandemic. There's \"uncertainty, grief and fear that's come because of COVID-19,\" says Mazyck. \"[Students] will have family members who passed away. They will have acquaintances who no longer have grandparents in their home,\" she says. They will need support from trusted adults at school — often, support they seek from their school nurses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For schools intending on a return to in-person classes this fall, nurses must consider seemingly-endless numbers of safety measures: creating social distancing and masking protocols. Asking students to bring water bottles instead of using water fountains. Designating one-way hallways to decrease traffic between classes. Creating a separate \"sick\" area for students and staff who have symptoms. Staffing that area. Establishing protocol for contact tracing. Planning for new outbreaks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I feel as though it's a rabbit hole. Once I go down the hole, I think I solved something? There's another issue with that. So we go down that hole. It seems endless,\" Gavin says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says she's thinking about every possibility — like replacing her school's stock of nasal Narcan, a treatment for opioid overdoses, with the injectable version in order to decrease risk of spreading the virus. In a district outside Columbia, South Carolina, health services coordinator Dawn MacAdams is thinking about kids with asthma. \"We are going to ask that our parents work with their physicians to only bring in an inhaler, not a nebulizer,\" she says. That's because nebulizers generate aerosol, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/07/06/887919633/aerosols-droplets-fomites-what-we-know-about-transmission-of-covid-19\">there's a chance that tiny virus particles in that aerosol could spread COVID-19. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But no amount of planning can answer the questions even infectious disease experts don't know about COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rate that kids transmit the coronavirus \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/20/892354171/kids-get-coronavirus-but-do-they-spread-it-well-find-out-when-schools-reopen\">remains unclear\u003c/a>. \"We don't know what the impact is going to be, putting those children with faculty and staff,\" says MacAdams. \"We don't know what disease spread is \u003cem>really \u003c/em>going to look like when we put everyone back into the petri dish of a school setting.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That's one reason why MacAdams, who just wrapped her term as president of the South Carolina Association of School Nurses,\u003ca href=\"https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article244275987.html\"> co-wrote a letter\u003c/a> to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster after he pushed for schools to include in-person options at the start of the school year. \"The reality is that most South Carolina schools are not currently prepared to reopen during this pandemic,\" they wrote, pushing for state leaders to allow districts to follow health guidelines in the re-opening process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MacAdams feels lucky to have a voice in her district's reopening plans, and she and others who do are advocating for nurses across the country to have a say in what happens where they live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They're also pressing for more funding, which school nurses overwhelmingly say their districts need to re–open safely. \"I mean, the amount of masks, cloth masks, regular face masks, face shields, gowns, gloves...hand sanitizer, hand soap, cleaning supplies — it's very overwhelming when you think of the cost,\" says MacAdams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In New Jersey, Eileen Gavin says she's spent sleepless nights worrying about what the new school year might bring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I do feel the weight of the world and the weight of my community as we return to school, that we're doing everything right...that there was nothing else that we could have done,\" she says. \"We care about every one of those kids and every staff member.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she still feels lucky to be a part of those big plans in her district. \"It is an enormous role that school nurses have right now\" she says. \"It's a lot of responsibility, but it's even worse if you don't have a voice.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Overwhelmed%2C+Stressed%2C+Scared%3A+School+Nurses+Brace+for+the+Fall+Semester&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a recent summer day, librarian Lyn Hunter posted a video to YouTube on how to make a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1t9Grtn_Ao\">weather thermometer\u003c/a> using a straw, rubbing alcohol and a bottle. Hunter and her colleague Rachel Krumenacker at the Chattanooga Public Library in Chattanooga, Tennessee, had filmed the DIY craft on a Zoom call from their respective living rooms. They posted it to the library’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/ChattLibrary/videos\">YouTube channel\u003c/a> as part of their new summer programming, the majority of which is taking place online due to COVID-19. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The idea was that Rachel would lead me in a craft that I didn’t know how to do, so the kids get the dynamic back-and-forth of someone learning how to do something,” said Hunter, who is the youth services librarian. “We modeled social distancing, and filmed an overhead view so you can see what her hands are doing. And we put it on YouTube to make it as easy as possible to access.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The craft videos are part of the Chattanooga Public Libraries’ summer program for kids, called \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://mprl.chattlibrary.org/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Make. Play. Read. Learn.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, all of which is happening online. Usually, the library’s summer program is like what Christmas is for retail stores—what they spend the whole year planning for. But this year the STEM projects, maker space designs and story hours that usually take place within the library’s walls have moved online, and the library itself has found itself innovating quickly to meet the needs of their community. “Make. Play. Read. Learn.” includes reading challenges, craft projects, and games where students can earn digital badges online. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6OIdCkAYZE\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Across the nation, libraries are stepping up in a time of crisis. This summer, as communities continue to deal with COVID-19, both public libraries and school libraries are innovating new ways to provide services for communities that reach beyond physical books and buildings. One of libraries’ main goals has been to help children, many of whom have already missed out on a lot, stay engaged, reading and learning at a time when they can’t physically be in the building. School libraries have become tech hubs for educators teaching from home, while public libraries have worked to expand access to the internet, with many keeping their building’s WiFi on even when buildings were closed, so patrons can get internet access from the parking lot. Community events like story hours, maker spaces, and summer camps have moved online for easy access, and librarians are featuring themselves online, reading books and doing crafts, to stay connected. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWh3GJHHlQ\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In return, the public is leaning more on libraries to support their kids during the pandemic. Before coronavirus forced school and business closures, Americans already viewed \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2016/09/09/americans-attitudes-toward-public-libraries/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">libraries as essential\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to communities. But since shutdowns began back in March, use of library services has increased sharply. Digital book loans have skyrocketed, with children’s e-book checkouts more than doubling since the COVID-19 closures began, according to a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/06/16/877651001/libraries-are-dealing-with-new-demand-for-books-and-services-during-the-pandemic\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">report from NPR\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. A majority of libraries have made borrowing digital media easier by relaxing and extending online renewal policies, offering a wider range of ebooks and streaming media, and increased virtual programming, according to a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/public-libraries-responding-pandemic/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Public Library Association survey\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though it doesn’t look like it has in years before, what’s important is that the library is still there for kids, said Lee Hope, director of children’s services in Chattanooga. “How[ever] we can support families, whatever the model looks like, is what we want to do,” she said. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Providing essential services in a time of distance and upheaval \u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the library’s key missions is to provide services to entire communities, regardless of background or socioeconomic status. And during tumultuous times, the need for information, access to literacy, and digital access have become even greater. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For schools that closed and moved to online learning due to the coronavirus, digital access became a necessity overnight. School libraries had always been central to digital access for the entire school, and when learning moved online they became tech hubs for both teachers and students. The librarians at Leander Independent School District in suburban Austin, Texas, say their “front line” relationships helping teachers connect to printers and setting up laptops in classrooms just shifted when learning moved online. Librarians were instrumental in helping guide teachers in those first weeks, said Leander district library coordinator Becky Calzada, sitting in on staff meetings, helping set up Google classrooms and Zoom calls, and answering copyright questions and curating digital resources.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> “Everyone in the school turns to you,” when dealing with computers and setting up online learning, said Four Points Middle School librarian April Stone. “Librarians stepped in to help teachers navigate those new tools and shift what they were doing physically versus virtually. We were always on the front lines for campus tech anyway, and it’s the librarians helping not only navigate Zoom, but also best practices on how to use the tools.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the San Francisco Public Library, family engagement specialist Christina Mitra has invested heavily in developing deep lines of digital communication with families through a targeted newsletter and their social media channels. The newsletter keeps families informed of upcoming digital events and services, and keeps kids reading and learning with “play date at home” ideas, links to other online happenings for kids, and of course, curated book lists in several languages. Named Library Journal’s 2018 “Library of the Year” for their emphasis on “human touch,” Mitra \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://home.edweb.net/webinar/commonsense20200520/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">said in a webinar\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that the library is striving for the same feeling of “connected community” even when families can’t be together in library buildings. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfD6VMT3YkI\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For St. Louis, Missouri, kids, the diverse and wide-ranging menu of summer camp offerings provided by the St. Louis Public Library have moved completely online. After struggling with what to do about the digital divide, and a parent survey showing that families were interested in digital camps, program coordinator Jenny Song said the library decided to move forward with digital programming to help parents out with long summer days at home. Families can pick up a Chromebook and hot spot from the library. Joining with local community arts groups and organizations, the library was able to provide 54 of the original 70 in-person camps they had planned for. For some of the more popular camps, like ukelele and clay creations, kids receive a free ukulele or box of clay in the mail, which adds to the excitement. Their well-attended 2-hour Hogwarts camp, featuring Dumbledore guest appearances and magic, gives Harry Potter fanatics a chance to “geek out” over their favorite books. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Summer slide is something we are really conscious of,” Song said. “We want to make sure that everybody in our community has access, so all of our camps are free. Kids get to have fun and it’s something exciting they can do at home. But at the same time, they’re not stopping their learning and forgetting everything from the school year.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>When historic events collide \u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Librarians have also worked to support students as national crises compounded—not just the effects of coronavirus, but the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests for racial justice that happened while many were still stuck at home. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56379\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 250px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-56379\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/Vihn-Tran.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/Vihn-Tran.png 760w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/Vihn-Tran-160x211.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vihn Tran \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Vihn Tran)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">School librarian Vinh Tran at Edward Hynes Charter School, a prek-8 school in New Orleans, Louisiana, had been meeting with students throughout school closures in the spring, doing online read-alouds and assisting teachers with online lessons. But George Floyd’s murder happened right before their summer school program began, and Tran felt like she needed to address it on the very first day with her students. At the eleventh hour, she scrapped her carefully crafted lesson plans and decided instead to read \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40796177-the-undefeated\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Undefeated\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> by Kwame Alexander to some of the older students, even though they’d read it earlier that year. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I wanted them to know they didn’t have to ignore all the stuff that was happening in the world,” Tran said on a Zoom call. “There was space here to discuss, process, and explore these issues. It's important for kids to know they are seen, they matter, and that whatever they're feeling is valid.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">School librarians are also making connections on social media during this time of social and cultural upheaval, sharing tips and support with fellow librarians. When schools closed, Julie Stivers, a middle school librarian in Raleigh, North Carolina, sent out a tweet asking if other librarians wanted to brainstorm solutions to the challenges they were up against, like digital access. Using the hashtag \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=%23libcollab&src=typed_query\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">#LibCollab\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Stivers and another librarian, Kathryn Cole, created a professional learning community that began by discussing online learning but soon moved to Black Lives Matter, and how libraries can promote inclusivity and anti-racism. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/BespokeLib/status/1275434517927358465\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Preparing for the future, whatever that might look like\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Librarians interviewed for this story agreed that, whether they work inside schools or in public libraries, they’re unsure of what the future holds with regards to the autumn and back-to-school. Most librarians are spending the summer preparing for a variety of scenarios, in which libraries are open, partially open, or staying digital. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Libraries as a whole are also reflecting on how they can better serve the public in uncertain times. At the American Library Association’s virtual conference in June, executive director \u003ca href=\"http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2020/06/ala-executive-director-tracie-d-hall-says-dismantling-racism-library-and\">Tracie D. Hall\u003c/a>, the first African-American to hold that office in the association’s history, called for a three-pronged approach for libraries to address their communities’ current challenges: the need for universal broadband, the diversification of libraries, and a broader, stronger base of library funding. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Let our legacy be justice,” Hall told librarians on the conference’s Zoom call. “When I say let our legacy be justice, I am inviting us to explore the construct of the library as both the vehicle and driver of justice, as both a means to justice and an arbiter.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Librarians predict that after rolling closures and the move to greater digital access, things will never be the same. Lessons learned during pandemic closures will stay with them long after COVID-19 is no longer a threat, with a focus on increased access to digital materials staying on as part of the libraries’ core mission to serve communities equally.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We stepped up and did things differently, immediately,” said Mary Keeling, president of the American Association of School Librarians, on the quick transfer to digital service. “Libraries aren’t closed, we are still open and providing services. What’s closed are the buildings.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a recent summer day, librarian Lyn Hunter posted a video to YouTube on how to make a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1t9Grtn_Ao\">weather thermometer\u003c/a> using a straw, rubbing alcohol and a bottle. Hunter and her colleague Rachel Krumenacker at the Chattanooga Public Library in Chattanooga, Tennessee, had filmed the DIY craft on a Zoom call from their respective living rooms. They posted it to the library’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/ChattLibrary/videos\">YouTube channel\u003c/a> as part of their new summer programming, the majority of which is taking place online due to COVID-19. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The idea was that Rachel would lead me in a craft that I didn’t know how to do, so the kids get the dynamic back-and-forth of someone learning how to do something,” said Hunter, who is the youth services librarian. “We modeled social distancing, and filmed an overhead view so you can see what her hands are doing. And we put it on YouTube to make it as easy as possible to access.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The craft videos are part of the Chattanooga Public Libraries’ summer program for kids, called \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://mprl.chattlibrary.org/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Make. Play. Read. Learn.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, all of which is happening online. Usually, the library’s summer program is like what Christmas is for retail stores—what they spend the whole year planning for. But this year the STEM projects, maker space designs and story hours that usually take place within the library’s walls have moved online, and the library itself has found itself innovating quickly to meet the needs of their community. “Make. Play. Read. Learn.” includes reading challenges, craft projects, and games where students can earn digital badges online. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/L6OIdCkAYZE'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/L6OIdCkAYZE'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Across the nation, libraries are stepping up in a time of crisis. This summer, as communities continue to deal with COVID-19, both public libraries and school libraries are innovating new ways to provide services for communities that reach beyond physical books and buildings. One of libraries’ main goals has been to help children, many of whom have already missed out on a lot, stay engaged, reading and learning at a time when they can’t physically be in the building. School libraries have become tech hubs for educators teaching from home, while public libraries have worked to expand access to the internet, with many keeping their building’s WiFi on even when buildings were closed, so patrons can get internet access from the parking lot. Community events like story hours, maker spaces, and summer camps have moved online for easy access, and librarians are featuring themselves online, reading books and doing crafts, to stay connected. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/7ZWh3GJHHlQ'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/7ZWh3GJHHlQ'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In return, the public is leaning more on libraries to support their kids during the pandemic. Before coronavirus forced school and business closures, Americans already viewed \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2016/09/09/americans-attitudes-toward-public-libraries/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">libraries as essential\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to communities. But since shutdowns began back in March, use of library services has increased sharply. Digital book loans have skyrocketed, with children’s e-book checkouts more than doubling since the COVID-19 closures began, according to a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/06/16/877651001/libraries-are-dealing-with-new-demand-for-books-and-services-during-the-pandemic\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">report from NPR\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. A majority of libraries have made borrowing digital media easier by relaxing and extending online renewal policies, offering a wider range of ebooks and streaming media, and increased virtual programming, according to a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/public-libraries-responding-pandemic/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Public Library Association survey\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though it doesn’t look like it has in years before, what’s important is that the library is still there for kids, said Lee Hope, director of children’s services in Chattanooga. “How[ever] we can support families, whatever the model looks like, is what we want to do,” she said. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Providing essential services in a time of distance and upheaval \u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the library’s key missions is to provide services to entire communities, regardless of background or socioeconomic status. And during tumultuous times, the need for information, access to literacy, and digital access have become even greater. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For schools that closed and moved to online learning due to the coronavirus, digital access became a necessity overnight. School libraries had always been central to digital access for the entire school, and when learning moved online they became tech hubs for both teachers and students. The librarians at Leander Independent School District in suburban Austin, Texas, say their “front line” relationships helping teachers connect to printers and setting up laptops in classrooms just shifted when learning moved online. Librarians were instrumental in helping guide teachers in those first weeks, said Leander district library coordinator Becky Calzada, sitting in on staff meetings, helping set up Google classrooms and Zoom calls, and answering copyright questions and curating digital resources.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> “Everyone in the school turns to you,” when dealing with computers and setting up online learning, said Four Points Middle School librarian April Stone. “Librarians stepped in to help teachers navigate those new tools and shift what they were doing physically versus virtually. We were always on the front lines for campus tech anyway, and it’s the librarians helping not only navigate Zoom, but also best practices on how to use the tools.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the San Francisco Public Library, family engagement specialist Christina Mitra has invested heavily in developing deep lines of digital communication with families through a targeted newsletter and their social media channels. The newsletter keeps families informed of upcoming digital events and services, and keeps kids reading and learning with “play date at home” ideas, links to other online happenings for kids, and of course, curated book lists in several languages. Named Library Journal’s 2018 “Library of the Year” for their emphasis on “human touch,” Mitra \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://home.edweb.net/webinar/commonsense20200520/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">said in a webinar\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that the library is striving for the same feeling of “connected community” even when families can’t be together in library buildings. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/PfD6VMT3YkI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/PfD6VMT3YkI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For St. Louis, Missouri, kids, the diverse and wide-ranging menu of summer camp offerings provided by the St. Louis Public Library have moved completely online. After struggling with what to do about the digital divide, and a parent survey showing that families were interested in digital camps, program coordinator Jenny Song said the library decided to move forward with digital programming to help parents out with long summer days at home. Families can pick up a Chromebook and hot spot from the library. Joining with local community arts groups and organizations, the library was able to provide 54 of the original 70 in-person camps they had planned for. For some of the more popular camps, like ukelele and clay creations, kids receive a free ukulele or box of clay in the mail, which adds to the excitement. Their well-attended 2-hour Hogwarts camp, featuring Dumbledore guest appearances and magic, gives Harry Potter fanatics a chance to “geek out” over their favorite books. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Summer slide is something we are really conscious of,” Song said. “We want to make sure that everybody in our community has access, so all of our camps are free. Kids get to have fun and it’s something exciting they can do at home. But at the same time, they’re not stopping their learning and forgetting everything from the school year.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>When historic events collide \u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Librarians have also worked to support students as national crises compounded—not just the effects of coronavirus, but the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests for racial justice that happened while many were still stuck at home. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56379\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 250px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-56379\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/Vihn-Tran.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/Vihn-Tran.png 760w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/Vihn-Tran-160x211.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vihn Tran \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Vihn Tran)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">School librarian Vinh Tran at Edward Hynes Charter School, a prek-8 school in New Orleans, Louisiana, had been meeting with students throughout school closures in the spring, doing online read-alouds and assisting teachers with online lessons. But George Floyd’s murder happened right before their summer school program began, and Tran felt like she needed to address it on the very first day with her students. At the eleventh hour, she scrapped her carefully crafted lesson plans and decided instead to read \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40796177-the-undefeated\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Undefeated\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> by Kwame Alexander to some of the older students, even though they’d read it earlier that year. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I wanted them to know they didn’t have to ignore all the stuff that was happening in the world,” Tran said on a Zoom call. “There was space here to discuss, process, and explore these issues. It's important for kids to know they are seen, they matter, and that whatever they're feeling is valid.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">School librarians are also making connections on social media during this time of social and cultural upheaval, sharing tips and support with fellow librarians. When schools closed, Julie Stivers, a middle school librarian in Raleigh, North Carolina, sent out a tweet asking if other librarians wanted to brainstorm solutions to the challenges they were up against, like digital access. Using the hashtag \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=%23libcollab&src=typed_query\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">#LibCollab\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Stivers and another librarian, Kathryn Cole, created a professional learning community that began by discussing online learning but soon moved to Black Lives Matter, and how libraries can promote inclusivity and anti-racism. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Preparing for the future, whatever that might look like\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Librarians interviewed for this story agreed that, whether they work inside schools or in public libraries, they’re unsure of what the future holds with regards to the autumn and back-to-school. Most librarians are spending the summer preparing for a variety of scenarios, in which libraries are open, partially open, or staying digital. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Libraries as a whole are also reflecting on how they can better serve the public in uncertain times. At the American Library Association’s virtual conference in June, executive director \u003ca href=\"http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2020/06/ala-executive-director-tracie-d-hall-says-dismantling-racism-library-and\">Tracie D. Hall\u003c/a>, the first African-American to hold that office in the association’s history, called for a three-pronged approach for libraries to address their communities’ current challenges: the need for universal broadband, the diversification of libraries, and a broader, stronger base of library funding. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Let our legacy be justice,” Hall told librarians on the conference’s Zoom call. “When I say let our legacy be justice, I am inviting us to explore the construct of the library as both the vehicle and driver of justice, as both a means to justice and an arbiter.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Librarians predict that after rolling closures and the move to greater digital access, things will never be the same. Lessons learned during pandemic closures will stay with them long after COVID-19 is no longer a threat, with a focus on increased access to digital materials staying on as part of the libraries’ core mission to serve communities equally.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We stepped up and did things differently, immediately,” said Mary Keeling, president of the American Association of School Librarians, on the quick transfer to digital service. “Libraries aren’t closed, we are still open and providing services. What’s closed are the buildings.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "high-schoolers-share-their-worlds-with-us",
"title": "Prom? Canceled. Graduation? Online. High Schoolers Share Their Worlds With Us",
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"headTitle": "Prom? Canceled. Graduation? Online. High Schoolers Share Their Worlds With Us | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>When the coronavirus pandemic forced schools across the country to close it was a shock. Teachers and kids weren’t prepared. Many thought it would be a longer than normal spring break. It wasn’t. In the San Francisco Bay Area, schools stayed closed for the rest of the academic year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a historic moment, and there’s been a lot of coverage about how it has affected parents, teachers and schools. But teens are only in high school once, and students are missing out on a lot right now. We wanted to honor that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the past several months, four teenagers from around the Bay Area have been recording audio diaries about their experience of life sheltering in place. These are their stories.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Taila Lee\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816763\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11816763 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43075_010_KQED_BayCurious_TailaLee_05042020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"High school senior Taila Lee holds her prom dress at her home in San Carlos on April 4, 2020.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High school senior Taila Lee holds the prom dress she never got to wear at her home in San Carlos on April 4, 2020.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m Taila Lee. I’m a senior at Woodside High School. I’m still taking a lot of time to adjust to online learning. This is only day 3 and I already feel a little bit behind. I think I’m really missing the structure of the school day. I’m also really missing face-to-face instruction and that social interaction with teachers and classmates.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s Tuesday, March 31 and just about two hours ago I found out I’m not going back to school. We’re continuing online learning for the rest of the year, until June. And that means March 13 was the last day of my senior year. And I’m really sad. I’m not going to be able to go prom. I’m not going to sign yearbooks with my friends. I’m not going to hug people goodbye at graduation, take photos. My first semester of college might even be online, which is really crazy to think about.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56249\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56249\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2.jpg\" alt=\"Taila Lee stands in her front yard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taila Lee, a senior at Woodside High School, at her home. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I committed to UC Berkeley two days ago. I always imagined pressing the accept button one night and then the next day at school, I’d be able to tell my friends and teachers in person. It was this big, exciting moment I had always pictured.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s Friday, June 5th and today I graduated high school from my couch. They showed graduation slides with the graduate’s name, photo and message and I got pretty excited when I finally saw my slide after probably 200 other slides. But my heart kind of dropped when the announcer pronounced my name wrong. You know, it’s graduation, it’s already disappointing enough that we’re having a virtual graduation, instead of an in person one. So for my name to be pronounced wrong, in addition to having my entire high school experience summed up by a five second grad slide, it was super disappointing. I just don’t really feel like I’ve graduated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“However, I did feel better after picking up my diploma in person. After the diploma pick up station, we drove through a line of teachers waving and cheering and that was really amazing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Qadir Scott\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56250\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56250\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1.jpg\" alt=\"Qadir Scott, a senior at Oakland Technical High school, leans on his skateboard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qadir Scott, a senior at Oakland Tech. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is Qadir Scott. I’m a senior at Oakland Tech. A big thing with me, I listen to this band called \u003ca href=\"https://badbrains.com/\">Bad Brains\u003c/a>. Something they talk about is keeping that PMA. That’s positive mind and attitude. PMA. Control everything that you can control, you know. Everything else will kind of play out, but if you keep that positive attitude and mindset, you can achieve anything. That’s exactly how I’m thinking about it right now. Make the best out of it. The way I see it is like, class of 2020, the corona class, COVID-19. We’re part of a bigger moment in history.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m going to Morehouse [College] in the fall. I’m excited about that. But we’re going to do online school, I’m pretty sure, for the first month or two. I don’t really know how to feel about that. It kinda sucks because you kinda want to just jump right into your college experience. But it might make it easier, who knows. I’m kinda just playing it by ear, again trying to keep a positive mind attitude.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816764\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11816764 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43093_010_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Qadir Scott, a senior at Oakland Tech, in Alameda on April 6, 2020.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qadir’s mantra “positive, mind, attitude” has helped him stay positive during shelter-in-place. He also tries to get out and skateboard when he can.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s Saturday, June 6th. A lot’s been going on. Following the death of George Floyd, there’s been a lot of civil unrest, a lot of protests. I’ve protested a few times. I’m glad to see so many people unified. Friends, family, anybody, everybody, all races, all genders. Everybody is out here. Pandemic going on, people getting shot and killed left and right. Even at these protests, like people peacefully protesting are getting harmed by the police. Growing up in an activist household, my mom and my grandma and the people I was surrounded by, I’ve been kinda educated on the topic and understanding how systematic oppression works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You know, it’s crazy, honestly, it’s about time. Do I think this is the super big change where racism just doesn’t exist anymore? Nah. But it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Julisa Gomez Reyes\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816766\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11816766\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43096_003_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Julisa Gomez Reyes, a high school junior, at her home in San Jose on April 6.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Julisa Gomez Reyes, a high school junior, at her home in San Jose on April 6, 2020.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My name is Julisa Gomez Reyes. I’m a junior at Independence High School in San Jose. I miss school. I miss my friends. I miss my teachers. I miss the classroom. And this is something that I never thought I would be saying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My sleep schedule is really bad right now. The nights are where I’m awake and during the day I’m asleep. And I’m trying to fix that, especially with my family, we’re all doing it. My mom’s out of a job and we just don’t want to do anything because, I don’t know, we can’t go out and we’re usually a quiet family so it’s very difficult to get anything done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56252\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56252 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Julisa Gomez Reyes, a high school junior, stuides in her backyard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Julisa misses school, her friends, and volunteering with a local education non-profit. She says it’s hard to stay motivated when she’s at home all the time. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Me and my little sister have been heavily affected by [my parents] fighting. It has made us struggle with anxiety, which is something that I don’t think they see in it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time they fight, I treat them like children because that’s what it seems like. I’m the only one acting like an adult. I just want all of this to end. And it’s harder to do in this pandemic because we’re at home with each other 24/7. Without this pandemic, I could be going to school, and getting my mind off it for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My AP experience wasn’t really good. For my first exam it was right after my parents’ fight and I was distracted because they were in the same room together. It really made me uncomfortable and I couldn’t focus. For my second AP exam, my laptop stopped working. For some reason, my laptop does this thing where it automatically disconnects from the internet, so I couldn’t move on to the second question.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year hasn’t been a good year for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Genevieve Schweitzer\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816765\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11816765\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43080_005_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Genevieve Schweitzer, a junior in high school, plays the flute in her backyard on April 6, 2020.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Genevieve Schweitzer, a junior in high school, plays the flute in her backyard on April 6, 2020.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My name is Genevieve Schweitzer. I’m a junior at El Cerrito High School and I’m doing fine. I just miss my friends and doing normal things. It’s Day eight. I’m sitting on my bed, basically in the position I’ve been in all day. I’m just thinking about all the things that have been canceled. Like concerts and trips to Disneyland with my band that we were planning, and prom. I already have my prom dress and it’s just hanging in my closet looking sad. But there’s definitely worse things going on right now so I don’t feel like I can complain too much.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just got back from the school. They opened it for one afternoon so we could come get our stuff from our lockers and check out textbooks and things like that. There was a security guard sitting out front with hand sanitizer and wipes and you had to tell them where you were going and why. I didn’t expect it to feel so sad to see the school so empty and to be back. I already had my last day as a junior in high school. And when I come back, I’m going to be a senior.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56251\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56251 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Genevieve Schweitzer and her sister, Julia, study in their backyard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Genevieve Schweitzer (right), a junior in high school, and her sister, Julia (left), study Spanish in their backyard. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“So it is Monday, April 27. And that means that it’s the start of my seventh week in self isolation. Thinking back, I started all this feeling almost excited, like it was an adventure. I was kind of curious to see how distance learning would work. I don’t think I understood how dangerous the coronavirus really was. But then time went on, and like more and more restrictions were put on us. And the length kept getting extended. And soon we were out of school until summer. And we were hearing all these scary stories about the virus destroying communities. And now I would say it’s a lot more real. And I also feel like I’ve lost my motivation compared to the beginning of all this. I sleep in more and I go to bed later. I procrastinate on some of my work, and I feel like I spend less time outside and more time in my room.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s Monday, May 11th, and that means that AP tests are starting this week. My first one is tomorrow and I’m feeling a little nervous. I think I would feel like ten times more confident if it was just the regular format of the test. There’s so much unknown and a lot that could go wrong with the uploading process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Read and listen to more student perspectives as part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/youthtakeover\">KQED’s Youth Takeover 2020\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "High school students had to adjust to distance learning quickly after the coronavirus pandemic hit. Four teens from around the Bay Area recorded audio diaries documenting the moments big and small that defined Spring of 2020.",
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"title": "Prom? Canceled. Graduation? Online. High Schoolers Share Their Worlds With Us | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When the coronavirus pandemic forced schools across the country to close it was a shock. Teachers and kids weren’t prepared. Many thought it would be a longer than normal spring break. It wasn’t. In the San Francisco Bay Area, schools stayed closed for the rest of the academic year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a historic moment, and there’s been a lot of coverage about how it has affected parents, teachers and schools. But teens are only in high school once, and students are missing out on a lot right now. We wanted to honor that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the past several months, four teenagers from around the Bay Area have been recording audio diaries about their experience of life sheltering in place. These are their stories.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Taila Lee\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816763\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11816763 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43075_010_KQED_BayCurious_TailaLee_05042020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"High school senior Taila Lee holds her prom dress at her home in San Carlos on April 4, 2020.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High school senior Taila Lee holds the prom dress she never got to wear at her home in San Carlos on April 4, 2020.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m Taila Lee. I’m a senior at Woodside High School. I’m still taking a lot of time to adjust to online learning. This is only day 3 and I already feel a little bit behind. I think I’m really missing the structure of the school day. I’m also really missing face-to-face instruction and that social interaction with teachers and classmates.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s Tuesday, March 31 and just about two hours ago I found out I’m not going back to school. We’re continuing online learning for the rest of the year, until June. And that means March 13 was the last day of my senior year. And I’m really sad. I’m not going to be able to go prom. I’m not going to sign yearbooks with my friends. I’m not going to hug people goodbye at graduation, take photos. My first semester of college might even be online, which is really crazy to think about.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56249\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56249\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2.jpg\" alt=\"Taila Lee stands in her front yard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/TailaLee2-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taila Lee, a senior at Woodside High School, at her home. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I committed to UC Berkeley two days ago. I always imagined pressing the accept button one night and then the next day at school, I’d be able to tell my friends and teachers in person. It was this big, exciting moment I had always pictured.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s Friday, June 5th and today I graduated high school from my couch. They showed graduation slides with the graduate’s name, photo and message and I got pretty excited when I finally saw my slide after probably 200 other slides. But my heart kind of dropped when the announcer pronounced my name wrong. You know, it’s graduation, it’s already disappointing enough that we’re having a virtual graduation, instead of an in person one. So for my name to be pronounced wrong, in addition to having my entire high school experience summed up by a five second grad slide, it was super disappointing. I just don’t really feel like I’ve graduated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“However, I did feel better after picking up my diploma in person. After the diploma pick up station, we drove through a line of teachers waving and cheering and that was really amazing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Qadir Scott\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56250\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56250\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1.jpg\" alt=\"Qadir Scott, a senior at Oakland Technical High school, leans on his skateboard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43086_002_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qadir Scott, a senior at Oakland Tech. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is Qadir Scott. I’m a senior at Oakland Tech. A big thing with me, I listen to this band called \u003ca href=\"https://badbrains.com/\">Bad Brains\u003c/a>. Something they talk about is keeping that PMA. That’s positive mind and attitude. PMA. Control everything that you can control, you know. Everything else will kind of play out, but if you keep that positive attitude and mindset, you can achieve anything. That’s exactly how I’m thinking about it right now. Make the best out of it. The way I see it is like, class of 2020, the corona class, COVID-19. We’re part of a bigger moment in history.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m going to Morehouse [College] in the fall. I’m excited about that. But we’re going to do online school, I’m pretty sure, for the first month or two. I don’t really know how to feel about that. It kinda sucks because you kinda want to just jump right into your college experience. But it might make it easier, who knows. I’m kinda just playing it by ear, again trying to keep a positive mind attitude.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816764\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11816764 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43093_010_KQED_BayCurious_QadirScott_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Qadir Scott, a senior at Oakland Tech, in Alameda on April 6, 2020.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qadir’s mantra “positive, mind, attitude” has helped him stay positive during shelter-in-place. He also tries to get out and skateboard when he can.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s Saturday, June 6th. A lot’s been going on. Following the death of George Floyd, there’s been a lot of civil unrest, a lot of protests. I’ve protested a few times. I’m glad to see so many people unified. Friends, family, anybody, everybody, all races, all genders. Everybody is out here. Pandemic going on, people getting shot and killed left and right. Even at these protests, like people peacefully protesting are getting harmed by the police. Growing up in an activist household, my mom and my grandma and the people I was surrounded by, I’ve been kinda educated on the topic and understanding how systematic oppression works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You know, it’s crazy, honestly, it’s about time. Do I think this is the super big change where racism just doesn’t exist anymore? Nah. But it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Julisa Gomez Reyes\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816766\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11816766\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43096_003_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Julisa Gomez Reyes, a high school junior, at her home in San Jose on April 6.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Julisa Gomez Reyes, a high school junior, at her home in San Jose on April 6, 2020.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My name is Julisa Gomez Reyes. I’m a junior at Independence High School in San Jose. I miss school. I miss my friends. I miss my teachers. I miss the classroom. And this is something that I never thought I would be saying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My sleep schedule is really bad right now. The nights are where I’m awake and during the day I’m asleep. And I’m trying to fix that, especially with my family, we’re all doing it. My mom’s out of a job and we just don’t want to do anything because, I don’t know, we can’t go out and we’re usually a quiet family so it’s very difficult to get anything done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56252\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56252 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Julisa Gomez Reyes, a high school junior, stuides in her backyard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43098_005_KQED_BayCurious_Julisa_05062020-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Julisa misses school, her friends, and volunteering with a local education non-profit. She says it’s hard to stay motivated when she’s at home all the time. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Me and my little sister have been heavily affected by [my parents] fighting. It has made us struggle with anxiety, which is something that I don’t think they see in it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time they fight, I treat them like children because that’s what it seems like. I’m the only one acting like an adult. I just want all of this to end. And it’s harder to do in this pandemic because we’re at home with each other 24/7. Without this pandemic, I could be going to school, and getting my mind off it for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My AP experience wasn’t really good. For my first exam it was right after my parents’ fight and I was distracted because they were in the same room together. It really made me uncomfortable and I couldn’t focus. For my second AP exam, my laptop stopped working. For some reason, my laptop does this thing where it automatically disconnects from the internet, so I couldn’t move on to the second question.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year hasn’t been a good year for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>Genevieve Schweitzer\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11816765\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11816765\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/RS43080_005_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Genevieve Schweitzer, a junior in high school, plays the flute in her backyard on April 6, 2020.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Genevieve Schweitzer, a junior in high school, plays the flute in her backyard on April 6, 2020.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My name is Genevieve Schweitzer. I’m a junior at El Cerrito High School and I’m doing fine. I just miss my friends and doing normal things. It’s Day eight. I’m sitting on my bed, basically in the position I’ve been in all day. I’m just thinking about all the things that have been canceled. Like concerts and trips to Disneyland with my band that we were planning, and prom. I already have my prom dress and it’s just hanging in my closet looking sad. But there’s definitely worse things going on right now so I don’t feel like I can complain too much.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just got back from the school. They opened it for one afternoon so we could come get our stuff from our lockers and check out textbooks and things like that. There was a security guard sitting out front with hand sanitizer and wipes and you had to tell them where you were going and why. I didn’t expect it to feel so sad to see the school so empty and to be back. I already had my last day as a junior in high school. And when I come back, I’m going to be a senior.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_56251\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56251 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Genevieve Schweitzer and her sister, Julia, study in their backyard.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/07/RS43082_007_KQED_BayCurious_GenevieveSchweitzer_05062020-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Genevieve Schweitzer (right), a junior in high school, and her sister, Julia (left), study Spanish in their backyard. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“So it is Monday, April 27. And that means that it’s the start of my seventh week in self isolation. Thinking back, I started all this feeling almost excited, like it was an adventure. I was kind of curious to see how distance learning would work. I don’t think I understood how dangerous the coronavirus really was. But then time went on, and like more and more restrictions were put on us. And the length kept getting extended. And soon we were out of school until summer. And we were hearing all these scary stories about the virus destroying communities. And now I would say it’s a lot more real. And I also feel like I’ve lost my motivation compared to the beginning of all this. I sleep in more and I go to bed later. I procrastinate on some of my work, and I feel like I spend less time outside and more time in my room.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s Monday, May 11th, and that means that AP tests are starting this week. My first one is tomorrow and I’m feeling a little nervous. I think I would feel like ten times more confident if it was just the regular format of the test. There’s so much unknown and a lot that could go wrong with the uploading process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"radiolab": {
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},
"rightnowish": {
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"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
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"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
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