How to teach and learn at home

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/04/2020 (2059 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dawn Warkentin is a parent of three children. All three of her children are a part of the St. James-Assiniboia School Division (SJASD).

Three weeks ago, Cassia Warkentin was going to classes and hanging out with friends. Now with all schools temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cassia is struggling to finish her schoolwork, while her mom grapples with work, raising three children and being their teacher at the same time.

Dawn said they’re trying to take it day by day.

“Almost everything in our life has changed. We’re doing well so far, we’re just trying to find a balance,” Dawn said. “We’re setting up a schedule that works for us, and we’re trying to reset our expectations. It’s difficult to keep up with (school), and our (jobs). Sometimes it feels like we’re working all day and all evening.”

The SJASD, like all other divisions in Winnipeg, has to close down due to COVID-19. In the span of a few weeks, teachers had to figure out how to translate their lesson plans into a digital format.

In order to do this, the division relies on two applications: Seesaw for early years students and Showbie for middle years.

Showbie allows students and teachers to remain connected, complete online lesson plans and work together on assignments. Some teachers stay connected via Zoom, offering one-on-one assistance.

Dawn said, when schools initially shut down, they only had access to one computer in their home. They set up a schedule where each of their children can have computer time, as well as scheduled breaks and play time.

According to the SJASD, teachers put in a lot of long hours to transfer their curriculums online in a short amount of time.

Mike Wake, acting superintendent for SJASD, said the division is working together with parents and teachers.

“The success of whether the (teaching) works depends on all of us working together. If our staff and parents work together, we will see the other side of this. We’re constantly checking in for feedback, feedback only helps us get better,” Wake said. “What we do today is going to look different tomorrow, in this ever-evolving situation. What we do today might be one thing, but what we do tomorrow has to be better.”

Wake added that the division is assisting parents in accessing Seesaw and Showbie. Some of their families do not have access to the internet, or only have access to one device in their homes. They’ve been distributing smart devices and laptops to families, helping them bridge that gap.

Teachers have also created take-home packages filled with homework and lesson plans, so that students without access to a computer can keep learning.

The division is also checking in with their staff, making sure they’re taking care of their mental health.

Heather Palmer, Strathmillan School principal, said teachers are working hard to maintain that connection with students, but it’s not the same.

“I’d like to give a shout-out for the community and our staff, because this is really not the way we would like to be teaching,” Palmer said. “We’re missing the kids so much, we rely on daily contact to keep the children learning. We’re not calling it home schooling, we’re calling it ‘how do we stay connected?’ How do we maintain that connection between students and teachers?”

Palmer said many of their take-home packages contain ways to keep students engaged. They contain homework, as well as family activities like Play-Doh, dice, cards, other things to keep them occupied and learning.

Dawn praised everyone at the school division for all their hard work.

“I think (teachers) have done a great job. Each teacher reached out to me, saying ‘please contact me if you have any questions’,” Dawn said. “They’ve been really good about motivating the kids and making it interesting. I think they’re trying their best for sure. I’m surprised how organized everything was; obviously they spent a lot of time prepping.”