Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, many schools are closing. Teachers across the country are getting creative, even taking their classrooms remote.
Many schools across the country have canceled classes, but not all. Some have asked students to take their learning into their homes. One Colorado charter school is making it all happen and finding some benefits in the process.
Math teacher Marilyn Hartzell has turned her kitchen into an at-home classroom.
“Our group of schools decided that we would try to teach online,” Hartzell said.
The school sent students home with Chrome Books in order to continue their education online.
Aside from the location, the school day looks very much the same. Instead of classrooms, students are jumping from one Google chat class to the next.
“I think for right now, because this is super new, the engagement is super high,” Hartzell said.
There are some benefits about teaching remote.
“It takes a lot longer to set up these assignments online, but in the end, the grading part and the ability to analyze the skills and what the kids are understanding is a lot faster,” Hartzell said.
With technology comes challenges. Hartzell says it’s hard to ask students to fix their wifi. But, if technology fails all together, she has pre-recorded lessons and posted them on YouTube.
While class for many students around the country has been postponed, Hartzell and her students are embracing remote school.
“We are anticipating we probably won’t come back this school year,” she said.
However, Hartzell wants everyone to keep in mind that although technology is a great tool, it doesn’t teach children.