Staff Update: BMMS
March 29, 2020
Some Thoughts as We Move to Online Learning
First and foremost, I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy, and in good spirits. At times like these, I am always reminded that family and health come before all else. These past two weeks has served as a reminder to me about what is most important in life.
In our home, my wife and kids have completed their second week of online learning. Week two is much better than week one, but we soon realized the importance of a daily schedule for our kids and for ourselves! My third grader, Lydia misses her teacher and classmates, but is working hard every day to stay caught up and even using Flipgrid to send a daily quote of encouraging words to her class. Lydia's teacher is hosting a Zoom meeting every couple days just for kids to check in with her and one another and ask any questions they have about the learning opportunities she is providing. Michael is in fifth grade and he is also doing well with online learning. We are lucky that both of our kids learn easily and don't require a lot of academic support. What Michael needs is encouragement to not be distracted, stay motivated, and remain organized with his new learning environment. Luckily neither of them can get away with much having two educators as parents. Michael's teachers have been awesome. He had an individual google hangout with his science teacher who serves as his advocate. He was also assigned an online Breakout Edu that we completed together. Allison is a 7th grade math teacher and is doing really well with her online teaching. She is lucky to have a strong team and tbt that she collaborates with on activities and new ideas.
As we launch our online learning tomorrow, I want to share some thoughts with you based on my experiences at home, conversations with other school leaders, and conversations with families. It has been said over and over that we are in unprecedented times, and we are. Lets look at this new challenge of teaching remotely as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. I have had many conversations with teachers and administrators over the years about what it would be like if we didn't have high-stakes testing looming over our heads. We have talked about what it would be like if we could focus more on the child than the content. We have wondered what it would be like if we weren't restricted by bells, had some time to learn about new ways of doing things, and could focus on making learning exciting instead of rushing through content to make sure we cover it all. We are about to find out exactly what all of those things will look for as long as this continues. Embrace the challenge, take risks with your learning activities, push yourself outside your comfort zone, and have fun with this new opportunity. We will return to normal again. We will have state tests, bells, meetings, and traditional school again soon. Take advantage of our current situation to grow professionally in ways you haven't been able to before.
Finally, I wanted to take a moment to emphasize the importance of empathy, understanding, and compassion during our time in an online setting. I can attest to the difficulty of parenting two children at home while they are learning online. It is really hard to keep our two students organized, on track, and engaged during the day. Our home has a huge advantage over most. Both my wife and I are educators, my wife has been able to be home with them every day, and my kids are both strong learners. I could not imagine how much more difficult it would be if one of my kids struggled with learning, if we didn't know all about google classroom and learning, or if we both had to work. We know this is the reality for many of our students and families. Have empathy for our students and families. Know that many of them may be overwhelmed, scared, or stressed. Know that many may be affected financially during these times. Remember that many of them do not know what online learning should look like. Consider that some of our students will be serving as care providers for younger siblings or maybe home without an adult during the day. Use this opportunity to show you care about them and provide learning experiences that consider the wide range of equity and access for our students. Most importantly, let them know you care, are thinking about them and you miss them.
As a district, we will begin making important decisions about things like grades, graduation requirements, online learning for the 4th quarter, and many other items. We will keep you updated on the direction we are headed and we will continue to share resources to help support you in this new setting. Below are a couple resources I came across. I will continue to share more as I find good resources. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything!
Google: Teach From Home
Zoom Tutorial
Free Webinars from the ESC
More Opportunities from BASA
Lydia (grade 3) Zooming with her class to check in on how things are going.
Michael (5th grade) working on his math activities.
Allison (7th grade math) responding to student questions.
I didn't know that I liked doing puzzles!
About us...
Email: ndiscenza@bereaschools.org
Website: www.berea.k12.oh.us
Location: 7000 Paula Drive, Middleburg Heights, OH, USA
Phone: 216-676-0913
Facebook: facebook.com/BereaMidparkMiddleSchool
Twitter: @TitansBMMS