Page 12 - The Wayne Dispatch

Families and teachers coping with COVID-19

By Sarah Shurge family (mom and older brother) de- year, teachers were praised for their I’ve heard stories from my
In-person classes? Remote learn- cided to get involved and help with efforts in making remote learning ex- teacher friends of teachers having to
ing? How are they going to handle my goddaughter’s educational expe- citing and interesting for their stu- teach half their class in-person and
the COVID situation? What is going rience this year. The homeschooling dents. However, quickly everyone half their class online at the same
to happen? What’s the deal here? program my aunt chose for my god- grew tired of the zoom meetings. time, or a student telling them a fam-
These were prominent questions daughter includes five different sub- Some students struggled to focus ily member tested positive for
at the end of summer last year as jects with 12 workbooks per class on a screen when there’s video lag COVID-19 as they stood six feet in
parents scrambled to prepare for an- that needed to be completed within and bad internet connections. Some front of them spreading the expo-
other school year. This school year, a ten month span. Inside the work- parents struggled with child care is- sure. They’ve mentioned the strug-
however, was going to be different for books are tests that needed to be sues as they needed to work while gles of trying to help their students
everyone involved: teachers, stu- mailed in after completion. their child is stuck at home. Some while maintaining a distance of six-
dents, parents, and even godparents, We started teaching mid-Septem- struggled providing an extra meal for feet, and wearing a mask for the en-
like myself. ber and are scheduled to finish in their children that used to be sup- tire school day.
My goddaughter has attended the June. plied during the school day, or creat- It is important to remember that
Wayne-Westland School District her As someone with no teaching ex- ing a spot in the house for their child everyone is experiencing something
entire life, but once COVID-19 came perience or training, this has been a to be able to sit on a zoom call. they’ve never had to deal with before
into the picture, my aunt (who is at learning experience for myself. Four As time went on, more and more with this pandemic. COVID has
high risk for the virus) had to make of my close friends are teachers out- parents were ready for their children caused an increase in stress and
a choice about her daughter’s (my side of the Wayne-Westland School to be back in the classrooms, and frustration in teachers, parents, and
goddaughter’s) educational path this District, so I’ve always had an appre- some teachers were feeling the same students.
year. ciation for teachers and everything way. Remote teaching and remote Thank a teacher for all their hard
Should she try online classes? they do. However, getting a small learning can be difficult on all the work. Thank your parents for every-
Should she wait to see how the taste of teaching first-hand and lis- parties involved and it's easier to thing they do. Mother’s Day is com-
school district is handling the pan- tening to their teaching experiences communicate face to face in the ing up, so tell your mom you
demic? Should she switch to home- during COVID, I couldn’t appreciate same room. However, some teachers appreciate her. Remember to be
schooling for the year? teachers more than I do now. weren’t as eager to return to the kind because everyone is coping with
My aunt chose the latter and my At the beginning of this school classrooms and risk exposure. COVID in their own way.

12 · May 2021 · The Wayne Dispatch