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Why schools can learn from Allan Kjaer Andersen's 100% digital school

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People Meet Allan Kjaer Andersen, the Founder and Principal of the globally recognised Orestad Gymnasium School in Copenhagen, Denmark - widely acclaimed as it is a 100 per cent digital school. Currently, founder member of the Chaman Bhartiya School and he is actively working to set up a similar digital model in Bengaluru.

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https://bridge.edu/tefl/blog/teachers-voices-coronavirus-impacted-tefl-career/Lejla Karaga, an English teacher from Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Egypt.

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< Back to the TEFL News

Across continents, teachers are among those whose work has been most deeply affected by the coronavirus outbreak. As many turn to teaching English online in response to the global lockdown, how are global TEFL/TESOL teachers, in particular, coping? We checked in with English teachers in different regions to find out what they were doing when the crisis hit, how it impacted their livelihood, and how they're adapting to the situation.

Latin America

Carolina Carrizo, a Chilean English teacher in Chile

What were you doing when the crisis first hit?

I was having classes that day, like any normal workday, here in Chile. I checked the news and the first case in our nation was confirmed. To be completely honest with you, I never thought this would turn out to be a major crisis. I was very naïve, I suppose. So, I have to admit I finally took it seriously when the institute decided to close its headquarters and go online. Then I was like, "Okay, this is very real."

How has coronavirus affected your job and day-to-day life?

Well, I was teaching online before, but it was about 20% or 30% of all my teaching. Now 100% of my teaching is online, and entirely from home. It's such a huge change, as teaching longer classes online requires a different set of skills and materials. I feel I'm constantly perfecting myself in this area at the moment.

When it comes to its effects on my life, being at home at all times is a challenge. I'm not used to this but I'm doing my best to keep myself physically and mentally healthy.

How are you adapting?

I believe the best adaptation tool I have at the moment is trying to improve myself and be the best online teacher I can get to be. It's not an easy task, especially when you're feeling some anxiety regarding this global situation, but it's worth it. I think it'll be an important skill to have even after we finish dealing with this whole crisis.
Learn the skills you need for the virtual classroom in the Bridge Specialized Certificate Courses in Teaching English Online.

Africa

Vimbai Muzonda, from Zimbabwe, teaching English online for London-based companies

Where were you when the pandemic hit?

I teach English online for a language school based in Brighton, United Kingdom, a role I have held since October 2018. When the coronavirus pandemic first hit, I was at home in between teaching online and picking my children from school. Once the WHO declared a global pandemic, our leaders first immediately announced the closing of schools, followed shortly by a national lockdown call, that same week.

How has the crisis affected you as a teacher?

As many nations go into lockdown, I am currently on day 12 of a 21-day lockdown period, which is likely to be extended. This new situation has found many students and teachers turning to online learning. For me, the impact has actually been positive in that I have maintained a stable and regular schedule for my current students, and I have had a welcomed increase of new students and additional lessons. I used to teach three days a week, but now I am teaching every single day.

How have you adapted?

Since I have already been teaching English online for two years, I've only had to adapt to a fuller weekly schedule, which I am really grateful for. I look at my online English teaching job as my contribution to help fight this global crisis in two ways: firstly, by helping to flatten the curve by staying at home and secondly, by supporting my students in maintaining their English language learning goals as they, too, play their part by staying at home. I'm able to provide students with activities and a sense of normalcy in these very uncertain and irregular times.

Europe

Britta du Plessis, a South African English teacher in the Republic of Georgia

What were you doing when the coronavirus crisis hit?

I work in the public school system in Georgia through a government organization that employs native speakers to assist their English teachers in rural schools. Our schools closed down a week before our spring break, we had news of the virus but had no idea that it would impact us. We were informed that the early close was for disinfecting the schools throughout the country. I thought to myself, "Wow, these guys are on the ball."

During the Spring break, we were informed that schools would re-open on the 1st of April so we had a long break to look forward to. But by the 18th we had news about the extended lockdown and that it would last till 21st April. We were then asked to start with online lessons and videos.

How has the pandemic impacted your work?

I haven't been at school since then but the program I am involved in kept in contact with me and I was also paid. We, the teachers in the program, have been creating online lessons using PowerPoint and videos, as well as working online with students and teachers. It is very different from being in the classroom, but it is a new experience altogether.
Read a previous interview with Britta.
How are you adapting, currently?

There has been excitement at trying out new methods and learning new skills, and now we also have that feather in our caps. We are still working with our co-teachers and most of our students are taking part. I still do a few one-on-one lessons with some students that have a great love for English, and my days are busy and never boring.

Middle East

Lejla Karaga, an English teacher from Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Egypt

What were you doing during the onset of the crisis?

As the end of the school year was approaching, I was considering applying for new jobs to gain new experiences and acquaintances. I recognized new opportunities and discovered completely new places that would help me in my personal and professional development. The warm weather in Cairo was simply tempting outside and there was a handful of paperwork and housework to do.

How has the situation impacted your work?

The pandemic has affected the way of teaching itself. A little unprepared and unexpected, I found myself in front of a monitor, using applications which I was simply not ready for nor had a vision of how to use. Negativity and wasting time were simply not options, so I quickly got to work.

How have you adapted?

Being an introvert is a mitigating circumstance in this madness. Being in isolation means appreciating time and using it on things we once didn't have time for or didn't want to have time for, such as reading more books, taking online courses, and practicing self-care. All of us, teachers and parents, are a little scared and cautious about accepting new information about what the next school year might look like, but the time ahead is one challenge that we hope to quickly adapt to.
Read a previous interview with Lejla.

Teaching Online

Lisa Shockley, an online teacher from the U.S., teaching in Florida

What were you doing when the crisis hit?

I'm a stay-at-home mom teaching English online for work, so it's business as usual here for me.

Has the coronavirus situation affected your teaching job negatively?

No, it hasn't. I'm actually busier now than I was before, maybe because people are home and have more time to learn online. On the other hand, the negative impacts that I'm experiencing from the coronavirus situation are having to distance myself from family and friends, and it also has to do with the fear and uncertainty of what's to come.

How have you adapted?

During this crisis, I'm focusing on maintaining a steady income by continuing to teach English classes online with several different tutoring companies ( VIPKid, GoGoKid, and Cambly) to accommodate for the hours I'm available.

Asia

Ana Flávia, a Brazilian English teacher in China

Where were you when the crisis broke?

At first, I was still in China. It was close to the holidays, so we were working in the office, but not having classes with the kids. Then I left for Thailand for some days of vacation and when I returned to China, everything was closed, the country was already on lockdown, and there wasn't much we could do.

How have you been affected as a teacher?

Well, many foreign teachers are not getting their normal salary, and some of them have no income at all. Besides that, we have to adapt to online teaching because most companies decided to teach online, which is very interesting because it's nice to have work to do and learn something new, but at the same time it's not that easy, considering I teach kids.

How have you adapted?

During this crisis, I'm trying to stay positive and improve myself, as well as my teaching abilities. From my point of view, learning continuously is the only way we can adapt.
Read a previous interview with Ana Flávia.
As more and more countries call for confinement to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the situation's economic impact has tested the resilience of many industries, including English language teaching. Luckily, most educators have the option to teach online so they can adapt, cope, and even thrive in these tough times.

As the global community copes with the coronavirus crisis, Bridge invites teachers to share their experiences in the new Teaching English Online Facebook group. We also offer Specialized Certification Teaching English Online to prepare new and experienced teachers for the shift to the virtual classroom.

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Teachers' Voices: How Coronavirus Has Impacted My TEFL Career - BridgeTEFL

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Globally, teachers are among those who have been deeply affected by the coronavirus outbreak. How are TEFL/TESOL teachers around the world coping? We checked in with six English teachers in different regions to find out what they were doing when the crisis hit, how it impacted their livelihood, and how they're adapting.

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In Connecticut, another provider, EdAdvance, is doing its best to keep staff on the job because they’ll be needed when schools there eventually re-open—and the programs will need people prepared to work with youth .....

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Aseel Salih knew the delivery was coming, but it still nearly brought tears to her eyes.

Staff from ourBRIDGE for Kids-a Charlotte, N.C.-based after-school program for English-learner and refugee children-knocked at her door with sacks of packaged breakfasts and lunches for her school-age children, ages 10 and 13.

"It was a joy when they knocked at my door to bring the meals for the children," said Salih, an Iraqi immigrant. "It takes a bit of the burden from our shoulders."

The extended school closures caused by the coronavirus crisis have upended the nation's after-school programs, leaving most with no children to serve and no schools to operate out of. Most organizations have shut their doors. But some, like ourBRIDGE, have pivoted to offer new services and extend their hours, doing what they can to help families struggling with food insecurity, lost jobs, and cooped-up children.

"If you're serving meals, you're not doing it between 3 and 6. you're doing it whenever kids need it," said Jodi Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization. "If you're checking in on kids, it's not necessarily between 3 and 6. The field is very concerned about the kids that they're serving and trying to do all they can."

Using a combination of grant funds and partnerships with foundations and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, ourBRIDGE helps distribute about 1,000 meals per day to families, hosts virtual check-ins for students, delivers personalized activity boxes of art and STEM supplies to homes, and conducts U.S. Census outreach efforts in the heavily immigrant neighborhoods it serves in east Charlotte.

When Salih's husband lost his job, ourBRIDGE staff guided him through applying for unemployment benefits. Staff members now deliver dinners for the entire family and dozens of others, securing meals through support from funders and local restaurants.

Similar efforts are underway in other after-school programs based in south Boston, southeast Kansas, and other parts of the country. In some locales, the support comes in the form of twice-a-week Zoom meetings with a trusted after-school counselor. In other places, it's food delivery or online tutorials that offer tips on how to pen essays and make sense of algebra.

"These are tough times. We need to make ourselves relevant and if the kids are not here, how do we make it happen?'" said Sil Ganzó, the founder and executive director of ourBRIDGE. "Because the need is still going to be there and if anything, it's going to increase."

Thus far, the Charlotte-based nonprofit has kept its entire 26-person staff employed, but not all after-school programs have been that fortunate.

Nationwide, at least 70 percent of programs have furloughed staff or cut jobs and hours as a result of the pandemic, estimates Gina Warner, the president and CEO of the National Afterschool Association, a national membership for after-school administrators and staff.

'Greater Need for Services'

In Connecticut, another provider, EdAdvance, is doing its best to keep staff on the job because they'll be needed when schools there eventually re-open-and the programs will need people prepared to work with youth.

The regional education service center, which provides before- and after-school programs for nine school systems in the western part of the state, has kept staff immersed in training sessions, preparing for next school year, said Tracey Lay, the organization's chief talent and collaboration officer and director of before- and afterschool programs.

Staff members are meeting with small groups of students using Zoom, delivering physical education lessons, and checking on their social-emotional status. They are also connecting with school district food service departments to provide grab-and-go meals in towns, such as Torrington and Winsted, that are hit hard by COVID-19.

EdAdvance has tapped its reserves to keep staff on the payroll, but the job loss in the industry has been widespread, advocates said.

Employees from other organizations are taking temporary part-time gigs, such as delivering packages, until they can get back to work. With those employees making comparable money elsewhere, program directors are concerned they will not come back when the spread of coronavirus begins to slow, said Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance.

"It's a field where it's hard to get quality people to begin with," Lay said. "We need them when we're ready to gear up again. And we knew that from the beginning that eventually we'd be going back."

Before this week, there was even a slight chance that EdAdvance staff would be working with children again this school year. That was until Gov. Ned Lamont made the call Tuesday to keep school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year, making Connecticut the 47th state to make that call.

The eventual reopening of schools could arguably be the most essential complication to overcome for economic recovery. Many parents simply cannot go back to work if their children are still home; the typical 9 to 5 shift does not align with school bell times.

Yet governors are increasingly lifting the lockdown restrictions that kept many workers at home.

"There's going to be a greater need for services as people get back to their lives," said Warner of the National Afterschool Association. "Many of these [out-of-school] programs are going to have to figure things out even before schools do."

Before the pandemic struck there were an estimated 10 million children enrolled in after-school programs.

If some of the proposals floating around to reopen schools-such as one-day-on, one-day-off schedules or staggered half-day shifts-become reality, an even greater demand could emerge. More children will need a safe place to stay when classes are not in session and the need to maintain social distancing could force some programs to hire even more staff, so that children can attend programs but remain insulated in smaller groups.

"It's a scary challenge, but it's going to be something that people are relying on us for," said Lay of EdAdvance.

Problems Staying Connected

During social distancing, programs in urban centers and rural towns are adding online tools to more traditional services to remain connected with families.

The Paraclete after-school program in south Boston is working to keep families fed and students learning.

The program, staffed largely by AmeriCorps volunteers, serves about 35 4th through 8th grade students. Most of the children live in two of the city's largest housing projects.

Staff members are offering online tutoring. The nonprofit also provides meals for their students through an agency that collects unused food from restaurants, grocery stories and delivered bags of groceries for families who may be struggling to find meals.

"We knew that we still needed to serve the community because that's our mission, helping these families," said program director Molly Zollo.

To help the cause, interns from local universities, including Boston College, created YouTube videos to assist elementary and middle school students with math, reading, and science lessons.

Despite their best efforts, the staff members have struggled to touch base with all their students.

"It's a lot easier to connect when parents are coming every day to pick up their kids and you can kind of meet them at the door and engage that way," Zollo said. "Technology is not the easiest for a lot of families."

In Iola, Kan., the Safe Base program is connecting with students via Facebook to host cooking and crafting lessons, bike repair tutorials, and TikTok dance competitions. Staff are also offering story time and virtual tours of must-see places in the town of 5,300.

For families with little or no access to technology whose children may need academic support, BellXcel, a national nonprofit that helps design out-of-school time programs, has developed a multi-week curriculum that allows students to work independently on math, English-language arts, and social-emotional learning skills.

BellXcel, which partners with after-school programs in 33 states and the District of Columbia, began rolling out the program this month. The curriculum adjusts for whatever the technology availability is in the home, said Brenda McLaughlin, the chief impact officer for BellXcel.

Education leaders are bracing for an academic "summer slide" this year for students who struggled to engage in remote instruction due to technology challenges or other factors.

"Kids who are living in under-resourced communities may be struggling," McLaughlin said. "That is magnified now that we're in this period where a young person may not have had any formal in-person schooling since March or earlier."

That time out of school has been painful for many families. As the economic and hunger crisis has intensified in some places, some families who refused assistance at first are now asking for help, officials said.

"The relationships that we have built in trust for years are still here. We are not an after-school program [where] if your kids are not here, we're not here," Ganzó said. "It's like, we are going to be here anytime, all the time. Pandemic or no pandemic. They know that."

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Aseel Salih knew the delivery was coming, but it still nearly brought tears to her eyes. Staff from ourBRIDGE for Kids-a Charlotte, N.C.-based after-school program for English-learner and refugee children-knocked at her door with sacks of packaged breakfasts and lunches for her school-age children, ages 10 and 13.

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Staff members from ourBRIDGE for Kids, a Charlotte, N.C.-based after-school program, package meals for families.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Aseel Salih knew the delivery was coming, but it still nearly brought tears to her eyes.

Staff from ourBRIDGE for Kids-a Charlotte, N.C.-based after-school program for English-learner and refugee children-knocked at her door with sacks of packaged breakfasts and lunches for her school-age children, ages 10 and 13.

"It was a joy when they knocked at my door to bring the meals for the children," said Salih, an Iraqi immigrant. "It takes a bit of the burden from our shoulders."

The extended school closures caused by the coronavirus crisis have upended the nation's after-school programs, leaving most with no children to serve and no schools to operate out of. Most organizations have shut their doors. But some, like ourBRIDGE, have pivoted to offer new services and extend their hours, doing what they can to help families struggling with food insecurity, lost jobs, and cooped-up children.

"If you're serving meals, you're not doing it between 3 and 6. you're doing it whenever kids need it," said Jodi Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization. "If you're checking in on kids, it's not necessarily between 3 and 6. The field is very concerned about the kids that they're serving and trying to do all they can."

Using a combination of grant funds and partnerships with foundations and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, ourBRIDGE helps distribute about 1,000 meals per day to families, hosts virtual check-ins for students, delivers personalized activity boxes of art and STEM supplies to homes, and conducts U.S. Census outreach efforts in the heavily immigrant neighborhoods it serves in east Charlotte.

When Salih's husband lost his job, ourBRIDGE staff guided him through applying for unemployment benefits. Staff members now deliver dinners for the entire family and dozens of others, securing meals through support from funders and local restaurants.

Similar efforts are underway in other after-school programs based in south Boston, southeast Kansas, and other parts of the country. In some locales, the support comes in the form of twice-a-week Zoom meetings with a trusted after-school counselor. In other places, it's food delivery or online tutorials that offer tips on how to pen essays and make sense of algebra.

"These are tough times. We need to make ourselves relevant and if the kids are not here, how do we make it happen?'" said Sil Ganzó, the founder and executive director of ourBRIDGE. "Because the need is still going to be there and if anything, it's going to increase."

Thus far, the Charlotte-based nonprofit has kept its entire 26-person staff employed, but not all after-school programs have been that fortunate.

Nationwide, at least 70 percent of programs have furloughed staff or cut jobs and hours as a result of the pandemic, estimates Gina Warner, the president and CEO of the National Afterschool Association, a national membership for after-school administrators and staff.

'Greater Need for Services'

In Connecticut, another provider, EdAdvance, is doing its best to keep staff on the job because they'll be needed when schools there eventually re-open-and the programs will need people prepared to work with youth.

The regional education service center, which provides before- and after-school programs for nine school systems in the western part of the state, has kept staff immersed in training sessions, preparing for next school year, said Tracey Lay, the organization's chief talent and collaboration officer and director of before- and afterschool programs.

Staff members are meeting with small groups of students using Zoom, delivering physical education lessons, and checking on their social-emotional status. They are also connecting with school district food service departments to provide grab-and-go meals in towns, such as Torrington and Winsted, that are hit hard by COVID-19.

EdAdvance has tapped its reserves to keep staff on the payroll, but the job loss in the industry has been widespread, advocates said.

Employees from other organizations are taking temporary part-time gigs, such as delivering packages, until they can get back to work. With those employees making comparable money elsewhere, program directors are concerned they will not come back when the spread of coronavirus begins to slow, said Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance.

"It's a field where it's hard to get quality people to begin with," Lay said. "We need them when we're ready to gear up again. And we knew that from the beginning that eventually we'd be going back."

Before this week, there was even a slight chance that EdAdvance staff would be working with children again this school year. That was until Gov. Ned Lamont made the call Tuesday to keep school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year, making Connecticut the 47th state to make that call.

The eventual reopening of schools could arguably be the most essential complication to overcome for economic recovery. Many parents simply cannot go back to work if their children are still home; the typical 9 to 5 shift does not align with school bell times.

Yet governors are increasingly lifting the lockdown restrictions that kept many workers at home.

"There's going to be a greater need for services as people get back to their lives," said Warner of the National Afterschool Association. "Many of these [out-of-school] programs are going to have to figure things out even before schools do."

Before the pandemic struck there were an estimated 10 million children enrolled in after-school programs.

If some of the proposals floating around to reopen schools-such as one-day-on, one-day-off schedules or staggered half-day shifts-become reality, an even greater demand could emerge. More children will need a safe place to stay when classes are not in session and the need to maintain social distancing could force some programs to hire even more staff, so that children can attend programs but remain insulated in smaller groups.

"It's a scary challenge, but it's going to be something that people are relying on us for," said Lay of EdAdvance.

Problems Staying Connected

During social distancing, programs in urban centers and rural towns are adding online tools to more traditional services to remain connected with families.

The Paraclete after-school program in south Boston is working to keep families fed and students learning.

The program, staffed largely by AmeriCorps volunteers, serves about 35 4th through 8th grade students. Most of the children live in two of the city's largest housing projects.

Staff members are offering online tutoring. The nonprofit also provides meals for their students through an agency that collects unused food from restaurants, grocery stories and delivered bags of groceries for families who may be struggling to find meals.

"We knew that we still needed to serve the community because that's our mission, helping these families," said program director Molly Zollo.

To help the cause, interns from local universities, including Boston College, created YouTube videos to assist elementary and middle school students with math, reading, and science lessons.

Despite their best efforts, the staff members have struggled to touch base with all their students.

"It's a lot easier to connect when parents are coming every day to pick up their kids and you can kind of meet them at the door and engage that way," Zollo said. "Technology is not the easiest for a lot of families."

In Iola, Kan., the Safe Base program is connecting with students via Facebook to host cooking and crafting lessons, bike repair tutorials, and TikTok dance competitions. Staff are also offering story time and virtual tours of must-see places in the town of 5,300.

For families with little or no access to technology whose children may need academic support, BellXcel, a national nonprofit that helps design out-of-school time programs, has developed a multi-week curriculum that allows students to work independently on math, English-language arts, and social-emotional learning skills.

BellXcel, which partners with after-school programs in 33 states and the District of Columbia, began rolling out the program this month. The curriculum adjusts for whatever the technology availability is in the home, said Brenda McLaughlin, the chief impact officer for BellXcel.

Education leaders are bracing for an academic "summer slide" this year for students who struggled to engage in remote instruction due to technology challenges or other factors.

"Kids who are living in under-resourced communities may be struggling," McLaughlin said. "That is magnified now that we're in this period where a young person may not have had any formal in-person schooling since March or earlier."

That time out of school has been painful for many families. As the economic and hunger crisis has intensified in some places, some families who refused assistance at first are now asking for help, officials said.

"The relationships that we have built in trust for years are still here. We are not an after-school program [where] if your kids are not here, we're not here," Ganzó said. "It's like, we are going to be here anytime, all the time. Pandemic or no pandemic. They know that."

Web Only

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Back to Top

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Aseel Salih knew the delivery was coming, but it still nearly brought tears to her eyes. Staff from ourBRIDGE for Kids-a Charlotte, N.C.-based after-school program for English-learner and refugee children-knocked at her door with sacks of packaged breakfasts and lunches for her school-age children, ages 10 and 13.

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An award-winning assistant head teacher has been hailed a hero for delivering food to children in need who are off school due to the coronavirus crisis .....

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An award-winning assistant head teacher has been hailed a hero for delivering food to children in need who are off school due to the coronavirus crisis.

Zane Powles, assistant headteacher at Western primary school in Grimsby walks over five miles every day to deliver school meals to scores of children.

Other staff are delivering food by car to those who live further away from the school on Broadway.

Many of the 100 children in receipt of the free food are vulnerable children who may not be fed otherwise and Zane said he his delighted to be able to check on their welfare.

Some have been even asking for extra homework while they are off school due to the emergency measure lock down forcing families to stay indoors.

The former Grenadier Guard, who was part of The Queen's Guard, said: "I am doing this so that the children and their parents don't have to come out to collect their meals. Otherwise they would be passing other people in the street and it makes sure they get at least one good meal a day."

Other schools in North East Lincolnshire ask parents to collect meals from schools. Some schools will be switching to a weekly collection of food, including cheese and bread.

Currently there is a daily delivery of a roll, cake, apple and crisps.

Zane said: "By delivering it myself I can check on vulnerable children. We don't want children having to come out of their homes. The fewer people on the streets the less coronavirus there is on the street.

"I usually knock on the door and wait in the garden and can check they are being well cared for. It is knock, drop and leave," he told Grimsby Live.

Other staff members deliver to homes in Cleethorpes, Immingham and Nunsthorpe by car.

Zane added: "The parents and children are pleased to see me and some have asked if I could also do some shopping for them. Some are asking for homework, which I am happy to take to them."

The former serviceman is a fitness fan and a member of the Cleethorpes Tri-Club. Last year he cycled 1,200 miles in two weeks in aid of the Cat Zero charity supporting young people trying to find work.

He has also taken part in the "Tough Guy" Challenge and was in the top three contenders in the S.A.S Selection Test. He thinks nothing of climbing mountains with 35lb on his back.

Executive headteacher of Western Primary Kim Leach said: "We are very proud. He is a superstar and is a credit to the school and the local authority."

The school has over 300 students on roll, most of them staying at home. Up to 20 who have parents or guardians working as key workers during the virus crisis, continue to attend school because their parents are nurses, doctors or food factory workers.

Zane cycles to and from the school from Cleethorpes every day. He is also applying to be an NHS volunteer during the virus crisis.

Last year he was presented with the Inspirational Primary School Teacher of the Year award in the Grimsby Telegraph Golden Apple Awards for his dedication in the school's behaviour unit. He takes pupils on week-long activities. At the presentation he said "I want all the children I work with to have the best future and tell them it doesn't matter what happens along the way.

"We should never give up on children - having a tough upbringing is never their fault."

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The hero teacher walking five miles to deliver free school meals

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An award-winning assistant head teacher has been hailed a hero for delivering food to children in need who are off school due to the coronavirus crisis. Zane Powles, assistant headteacher at Western primary school in Grimsby walks over five miles every day to deliver school meals to scores of children.

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Raff's priority in communicating with students has been to ensure that they felt "safe, heard, loved and understood." Many of her students who emailed her said they missed school.

"I really didn't want school to close. I knew that I would miss you too much and I do. I really want to see you again," wrote one sixth-grader, who included a picture of her dog in her email. Another student talked about watching Frozen II, then shared, "As to how I feel, I feel nervous about this. All I know is I want to get back to school and see you guys (the teachers)."

Howard said that many kids, like adults , find it hard to tolerate the uncertainty about when schools will reopen. In response, she said, teachers should validate the difficulty of the situation and reassure students that they will provide more information as soon as it's known.

Some of Raff's students expressed more specific COVID-19 infection anxieties, too. "I'm not worried about me getting it because so far it hasn't affected younger people as much. But, I am nervous because if I could get it, I could easily spread it to my Grandfather ... I would not want him to get sick, because it has really affects older people and many have died from it," wrote one student.

When a child expresses specific fears, teachers should validate those feelings before trying to problem-solve, Howard said. Having the ear of a trusted adult can be reassuring. For example, the student above also told Raff: "I enjoy getting to write to you about what I've been doing and what's been on my mind. It makes me feel special."

While Raff has connected with her students via videos and emails, other teachers might choose different modes of communication. According to Howard, a five-minute phone call can provide the kind of emotional support kids need. Howard also noted that it's important to let a child's caregiver know when a specific fear is expressed, so those adults can follow up.

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Staying in Touch: Why Kids Need Teachers During Coronavirus School Closings - MindShift

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Raff's priority in communicating with students has been to ensure that they felt "safe, heard, loved and understood." Many of her students who emailed her said they missed school. "I really didn't want school to close. I knew that I would miss you too much and I do.

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Penn Manor School District, Pennsylvania, USA

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Penn Manor School District, Pennsylvania, USA

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Penn Manor School District, Pennsylvania, USA

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While some schools around the country have initiated online instruction in response to the coronavirus outbreak .....

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Raff's priority in communicating with students has been to ensure that they felt "safe, heard, loved and understood." Many of her students who emailed her said they missed school.

"I really didn't want school to close. I knew that I would miss you too much and I do. I really want to see you again," wrote one sixth-grader, who included a picture of her dog in her email. Another student talked about watching Frozen II, then shared, "As to how I feel, I feel nervous about this. All I know is I want to get back to school and see you guys (the teachers)."

Howard said that many kids, like adults , find it hard to tolerate the uncertainty about when schools will reopen. In response, she said, teachers should validate the difficulty of the situation and reassure students that they will provide more information as soon as it's known.

Some of Raff's students expressed more specific COVID-19 infection anxieties, too. "I'm not worried about me getting it because so far it hasn't affected younger people as much. But, I am nervous because if I could get it, I could easily spread it to my Grandfather ... I would not want him to get sick, because it has really affects older people and many have died from it," wrote one student.

When a child expresses specific fears, teachers should validate those feelings before trying to problem-solve, Howard said. Having the ear of a trusted adult can be reassuring. For example, the student above also told Raff: "I enjoy getting to write to you about what I've been doing and what's been on my mind. It makes me feel special."

While Raff has connected with her students via videos and emails, other teachers might choose different modes of communication. According to Howard, a five-minute phone call can provide the kind of emotional support kids need. Howard also noted that it's important to let a child's caregiver know when a specific fear is expressed, so those adults can follow up.

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Staying in Touch: Why Kids Need Teachers During Coronavirus School Closings - MindShift

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Raff's priority in communicating with students has been to ensure that they felt "safe, heard, loved and understood." Many of her students who emailed her said they missed school. "I really didn't want school to close. I knew that I would miss you too much and I do.

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Glenda Utter has been feeding students in the Lebanon, Oregon, school district for more than 20 years and she’s not about to stop now .....

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Glenda Utter has been feeding students in the Lebanon, Oregon, school district for more than 20 years and she's not about to stop now. Even as COVID-19 cases surge around the country and she worries about her husband at home with a heart condition, she arrives at Lebanon High School at 6:00 a.m., armed with gloves, hand sanitizer, and a strict maintenance of social distance from others, to prepare for the families who arrive at 9:00 for grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches.

"I asked my husband if he's nervous, and he is, like all of us, but he doesn't want me to stop. He knows how important it is," Utter says. "He told me, 'I am so proud of you guys and the work you're doing.' It made me cry!"

Utter's husband is right. It's critically important work. Schools around the country may be closed, but there are nearly 30 million students who rely on school breakfast and lunch. Without those meals, many of them wouldn't eat. And so at schools all over the U.S., families line up at grab-and-go stations like the one at Lebanon High School, where they have served close to 600 meals a day and counting. Each day when distribution begins, dozens of families are already there. They come in cars, on foot, or by bike, keep a safe distance from each other, and collect bags of breakfast and lunch, like pancakes and berries, taco salad, carrots, apples, chips, and milk.

"Anyone who has a child at home can get meals," Utter says.

Families Grateful, Relieved

She's familiar with the need for continuity in meals. As a 12-month food service employee with the district, she's worked over winter and spring break and summer to make sure kids who need meals receive them.

"Our families are always grateful, but they're so relieved that we're here and able to offer this to them now during this crisis," Utter says.

Although the district is keeping her crew to a minimum to reduce exposure, Utter says the district's custodians have stepped in to bag meals and help with distribution. She also has four volunteers from a nearby medical school helping each day, as well as school district officials.

Educators are helpers and their response to students' need for meals even in the midst of a pandemic is happening nationwide. Districts big and small, rural and urban, are making sure kids are fed, distributing meals by bus or distribution sites where they can grab-and-go.

Educators Volunteer to Help in New Jersey

Across the country in New Jersey, New Brunswick Education Association (NBEA) members worked side-by-side with administrators to distribute more than 12,000 meals to New Brunswick public school students during the first days of the closure. When the district called for volunteers, NBEA members didn't hesitate. More than 170 members volunteered to distribute meals during the first week alone.

👏🏼Thank you to all who planned, made, delivered & distributed the meals for our kids! #Allin4NB #ittakesavillage #spreadlove @news12nj @nbpschools @aubjohnson111 @MarnieMcKoy @kalanne02 @cosentinonbps @PaulRobesonNBPS @NewJerseyDOE @NJCountyTeacher @njsba @NJEA @DrLRepollet pic.twitter.com/CSLBrBYQ1F

- Jennifer Olawski (@JOlawski) March 19, 2020

The district designated four locations throughout New Brunswick, all located in public parks, so students and their families can safely pick up meals twice a week. On Tuesdays, educators provide breakfast and lunch meals for students to last through Thursday. On Fridays, meals are provided that will last to the following Monday.

"NBEA members' commitment to our students and the community extends far beyond the schools," says NBEA President LeShaun Arrington. "We are proud to work with administrators to ensure our students get what they need."

'Meals on Wheels' In Michigan

On St. Patrick's Day, Jan Kaiser decided she'd celebrate by driving up the road to get a corned beef and cabbage dinner at one of her favorite restaurants in Alpena, Michigan. But this year she ordered it by phone and picked it up curbside. Nobody is dining in during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I still want to support our local businesses," says Kaiser, the school librarian and a special paraeducator at Hinks Elementary, a rural school with just 146 students in northeastern Michigan. A lot of the parents in her district work in the food service industry and are now jobless as the pandemic closes restaurants. She knows first-hand because she sees them on her route delivering meals, not as a driver but as one of three ride-along educators who help hand out meals at stops and take count of recipients.

All Alpena School District bus drivers and paraprofessionals are distributing food to students all over the county-wide district. There is at least one paraprofessional and one teacher volunteer on every bus run distributing food or distributing meals at grab-and-go sites at schools. There are even educators packing food at 5:00 a.m. for bus runs or building distribution.

The Alpena superintendent likened the effort to the "largest meals on wheels" in the state of Michigan in a county covering 604 square miles.

Kaiser has lived in Alpena her entire life, but on her routes distributing meals she's been on roads she never knew existed. Some are paved, others are gravel or dirt, most of them are potholed. Families come to the end of long driveways, all of them waving enthusiastically. Kaiser knows all of them and wouldn't otherwise see their smiling faces since schools closed. It's a bright spot in a difficult time.

"The parents are so appreciative and have supported us, even when they didn't think their families would need meals," says Kaiser. "One mother said her family didn't really need it and that we should give the food to someone who does, but we told her to take the meals because we have them for everybody. She wasn't going to, but then she mentioned she was let go from her job at Applebee's. The need is definitely growing."

Though the Michigan Education Association does not represent secretaries and cafeteria workers, they are also involved in tallying and preparing the food bags. It is a total district effort with everyone from the administration to staff.
COVID-19 and School Meals
The National Education Association recognizes the vital role that public schools and child care centers play in providing healthy and nutritious meals to children throughout the school and program year. As the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to cause school closures, here is guidance for affiliates related to ensuring students continue to have access to meals.

Bus driver Annette Henski is happy to be a part of it. She's driving her regular route and delivering meals at group stops in the town where students gather and wave, calling "I miss you!"

Henski's been driving her route in Alpena for nearly a decade and is thrilled to be able to help the kids and families she's grown to love. She keeps in close contact with the other drivers during their routes and if someone runs out of meals, another travels to where they are needed to fill in the gaps.

"There are a lot of people who need meals and I think word is getting out that we're here to offer it," Henski says. "Everyone needs to eat and not every parent is working, or their hours have been cut."

At one group stop, she saw a mother in a McDonald's uniform loading her small children into her car. The kids were too young to be students, but Henski called to her to come get meals anyway.

"We handed her three bags of food and told her we'd be back at the same time on Monday," she says. "Whoever needs food, whoever is standing there, we give it to them. That's what we do."

Meeting the Needs in New Mexico

In Las Cruces, New Mexico, nearly half of the children live in poverty. School meals are literally a lifeline and educators there are working tirelessly to maintain it. Las Cruces High School is mission control where many ESPs are helping with the response. While school food service and district staff prepare and bag grab-and-go meals for distribution sites, custodians help with the heavy ice chests, pick up any trash after distribution, and help make sure safety and sanitary precautions are taken. Together they are feeding thousands of area families.
Take Action: Tell Congress to prioritize working families in the COVD-19 stimulus package
The Senate is crafting a massive stimulus package to respond to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. We need your help NOW to make sure it includes provisions that will help all students, educators, and working families.

Rita Morales has been working in food service with the Classified School Employees Council of Las Cruces for 15 years and her role in the meal response during COVID-19 is making sure the counts are correct and that all the grab-and-go bags are ready for the next day's distribution.

With so many families in need they created a second shift, which Morales manages.

"My shift has 13 workers - three bagging the breakfasts, three bagging lunches, three bagging vegetables and fruits, and three wrapping the hot main entrée, and myself," she says.

They are literally working around the clock to make sure everyone who needs a meal gets one. The first shift works from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the second shift from 2:00 to 8:30 or 9:00 p.m.

Anyone can get meals as long as they have one child in the car, no questions asked. "If there's at least a child inside the vehicle, they can get a bag for the whole family," Morales says.

Though she can't actually see the kids getting their meals at the distribution sites because she's working inside the cafeteria, she says she can feel it in her heart and feels honored to be in a position to help.

"I'm so proud to be part of the Las Cruces response to this crisis," she says. "I love my job, and I work for my kiddos."

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Educators Nationwide Feed Students During COVID-19 Closures

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Glenda Utter has been feeding students in the Lebanon, Oregon, school district for more than 20 years and she's not about to stop now.

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Most of the schools were poorly prepared for the situation of school closure, particularly in technical matters. However, there was a lack not only of infrastructure, but also of experience in creating digital teaching content .....

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Seit mehr als drei Wochen sind die Schulen wegen der Corona-Pandemie geschlossen. Die meisten Schulen waren auf die Situation der Schulschließung vor allem technisch schlecht vorbereitet. Allerdings fehlte es nicht nur an Ausstattung, sondern auch an der Erfahrung beim Erstellen von digitalen Unterrichtsinhalten. Das geht aus einer repräsentativen Lehrer-Umfrage von Forsa im Auftrag der Robert Bosch Stiftung in Kooperation mit der ZEIT hervor.

Das Deutsche Schulbarometer Spezial zieht nach drei Wochen Fernunterricht eine erste Bilanz und zeigt die Erwartungen für die künftige Schulentwicklung. Befragt wurden 1.031 Lehrerinnen und Lehrer von allgemeinbildenden Schulen in der Zeit vom 2. bis 8. April. Die Ergebnisse offenbaren wichtige Handlungsfelder - sowohl für die Schulen als auch für die Politik.

Häufigstes Aufgabenformat im Fernunterricht ist das Arbeitsblatt

Wenn es um die größten Herausforderungen angesichts der Schulschließungen geht, nennen 28 Prozent der Befragten den Mangel an digitaler Ausstattung der Schülerinnen und Schüler. Gleich an zweiter Stelle der am häufigsten genannten Probleme folgt die fehlende Erfahrung der Lehrkräfte beim Erstellen digitaler Unterrichtsinhalte.

Es überrascht daher nicht, dass das am häufigsten verwendete Aufgabenformat auch im Fernunterricht das klassische Aufgabenblatt ist. Insgesamt 84 Prozent der Lehrkräfte geben an, dieses Format während der Zeit der Schulschließung zu nutzen. Allerdings kommen häufig digitale Formate hinzu. 39 Prozent der Befragten nutzen auch Erklärvideos, 17 Prozent setzen digitale Präsentationen ein, und 14 Prozent der Lehrkräfte vermitteln Unterrichtsstoff in Videokonferenzen.

Wie häufig die Lehrkräfte auf digitale Formate setzen, hängt stark von der jeweiligen Schulform ab. Lehrkräfte von weiterführenden Schulen nutzen Videokonferenzen, Tutorials oder Präsentationen wesentlich häufiger als Lehrkräfte von Grundschulen.

Das hat mehrere Gründe. Grundschulen sind offenbar von vornherein technisch schlechter ausgestattet als weiterführende Schulen. Insgesamt sagen 66 Prozent der Lehrkräfte, dass ihre Schule mit Blick auf die Ausstattung mit digitalen Medien „weniger gut" oder sogar „schlecht" auf die Schulschließung vorbereitet war - betrachtet man nur die Grundschulen, sind es sogar 82 Prozent.

Entsprechend groß fällt der Unterschied bei der Frage aus, wie häufig digitale Medien vor der Schulschließung im Unterricht eingesetzt wurden. An den Grundschulen geht jede zweite Lehrkraft davon aus, dass weniger als ein Viertel der Kolleginnen und Kollegen digitale Medien mindestens einmal pro Woche im Unterricht vor der Corona-Krise eingesetzt hat. An Haupt-, Real- oder Gesamtschulen dagegen folgen dieser Einschätzung nur 27 Prozent und an Gymnasien 16 Prozent. Wo der Umgang mit digitalen Lernformaten geübt ist, fällt die Umstellung auf den Fernunterricht leichter, das spiegeln auch die Erfahrungsberichte auf dem Schulportal: „An meiner Schule haben wir seit knapp fünf Jahren eine digitale Plattform, die im Rahmen des Beteiligungskonzepts ,aula' eingeführt wurde. Seit der Schulschließung nutzen wir einfach die dortigen digitalen Klassenräume zur Kommunikation von Aufgaben, Fragen und anfallenden Informationen", schreibt beispielsweise der Realschullehrer Dejan Mihajlovic.

Kontakt zwischen Lehrkräften und Kindern ist oft unregelmäßig

Überraschend sind auch die Unterschiede, wenn es um den Kontakt der Lehrkräfte mit den Schülerinnen und Schülern während der Schulschließungen geht. An den Grundschulen geben 49 Prozent der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer an, regelmäßig mit „mehr als der Hälfte" der Kinder in Kontakt zu stehen, an Gymnasien sind es 69 Prozent. Die direkte Kommunikation mit den Schülerinnen und Schülern ist während der Schulschließung also keinesfalls selbstverständlich. Insgesamt sagen 37 Prozent der Befragten, dass sie mit „weniger als der Hälfte" oder sogar nur mit „sehr wenigen Schülerinnen und Schülern" regelmäßigen Kontakt haben. An Grundschulen sind es sogar 47 Prozent.

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In einer repräsentativen Lehrer-Umfrage Anfang April 2020 zum Fernunterricht während der Corona-Krise zeigen sich Probleme und Chancen.

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Explorify during school closures

Find out how we are working to support teachers and children with their science during school closures.

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Find out how Explorify can support teachers and children with their science during school closures and periods of quarantine.

During periods of schools closing and reopening, some or most pupils may need to learn from home. We will use this blog to bring you the latest support for teachers, parents, carers and children with their home science learning.

Explorify at home is a set of collections of activities that are based on the primary science curriculum, and which are easy for parents and carers to do with their learners at home.

You can explore all of our collections here via the links below. We will update the links with further topics as we publish them.

More resources

We've created some resources to help support teachers and offer tips for your usual classroom setting. We hope you find the articles linked below useful.

What else can you do?

#ScienceFromHome

- Get involved in #ScienceFromHome on Twitter, where we have been sharing even more bite-sized activities that children can do from home - like the one in the picture above.

Be part of the Explorify community

- Teachers can join our Explorify Staffroom on Facebook for updates on new content, or to ask a question to the teaching community.

- You can also contact us at explorify@wellcome.ac.uk with any requests or suggestions for Explorify from home.

Take it further

- Visit STEM Learning, to explore their support for parents and carers with home learning.

- Watch BBC Bitesize Daily. On most Wednesdays during the initial school closures, BBC Bitesize published a programme featuring science related to one of our activity collections. Links to watch these are included in our collections above. Previous programmes including versions for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found on BBC iPlayer.

We have been working with our partners in the primary science world to bring you a joined-up, quality experience and will be sharing resources on our social channels as well as on our blogs, as they become available. .

In the meantime, we hope you are all adjusting to your new routines and when you are ready to explore, we will be here to help you.

The Explorify Team

Image credit: Valeria Ushakova via Pexels CC0.
Updated 15th September 2020 to reflect the reopening of schools and again in January 2021 to reflect school closures.

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Find out how Explorify can support teachers and children with their science during school closures and periods of quarantine. During periods of schools closing and reopening, some or most pupils may need to learn from home. We will use this blog to bring you the latest support for teachers, parents, carers and children with their home science learning.