Garrison, a teacher at Jefferson Elementary, has utilized a variety of strategies to guide at home instruction.
“I am trying to stay in contact with all of my students during this time,” says Andrea Garrison. “I make myself available to my children and their parents from 8 am to 9 pm on weekdays. Parents will usually text or call with questions.”
She has also used video conference calls weekly with the entire class and has seen good participation.
“The kids really have enjoyed seeing each other,” Garrison explains. “The first time we chatted and checked in with one another. The last few times, I have just played some games with them.
She added that she doesn’t do academics during the video calls because some students do not have the necessary technology.
“For those students, I call them individually on the phone,” she says.
For an additional personal touch, Garrison has been mailing home handwritten cards to her students.
“It gives them something to look forward to,” she says.
Garrison also wrote and performed a parody of the song “Old Town Road” for Facebook.
“Many of my students texted and told me that they loved it,” she adds. “It was shared on our school page and they have already been texting me, wanting to know when the next song is coming out.”
While communicating with her students has gone well, the process of leading at home learning has had some ups and downs as well.
“My biggest personal challenge is holding it together emotionally because I honestly have withdrawals from not seeing ‘my kids’ every day,” she says. “I worry about them when their parent doesn't text me back.”
She also said it is tough for her when she visits her now empty classroom and is reminded that the children are not there when she sees their book baskets still lined up on the shelves.
“But in this, my proudest moment would be having one of my students to text me and just ask, ‘How are you doing? can I facetime you?’ That tells me that I mean something to him and that he misses me like I miss him.”
For her fellow teachers, Garrison says that they shouldn’t stress out about what might not get covered this year.
“Those things can be caught up eventually,” she says. “Students need you to be a support for them right now. Work on keeping those relationships you worked so hard to form. Call them, email them, write and mail handwritten notes. Those things will mean more to a student than asking if a learning packet was completed.”
And for the students, Garrison reminds them to read every day.
“Also, help Mom and Dad with household things, play outside, and write in a journal about what's going on in your life right now; you are living through something historic,” she explains. “Email, call, or text your teacher! She misses you as much as you miss her. And hang on: this too shall pass and we will be back together soon!”