Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1297492
Ask Gwen Walsh about synchronous learning, and she'll hesitantly admit that the experience is not without its challenges. "It is more work," Gwen laughs. "It's a lot more work." This year, Gwen is teaching about one-third of her 22 students virtually. "What I'm teaching hasn't changed," Gwen told WEA News, "but how I'm teaching it certainly has." A fifth-grade teacher at Trail Elementary school, Gwen is a longtime educator, tackling some first-time challenges. "We lost so much instructional time last year," she said. Persevering Fifth-grade teacher and career-long WEA member Gwen Walsh shares with WEA News what's changed in her classroom and how she's adapting to best serve students in the COVID-19 era. through a Pandemic HELP NEA TRACK COVID-19 CASES "As teachers, we really know our students after the holiday break, and we really start moving students academically at that time. But that's right when we lost them last year, so we're making up that lost ground, now." When asked about her strategy for coping gracefully with the changes and challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Gwen says, "You need to have a buddy to lean on. My team has been very helpful. The other teachers are supporting me, and we're in this together." I also remember the same thing that I teach my students: We learn from our mistakes. We have to have that try again attitude and accept that mistakes are OK." Gwen also shared with WEA News that in these trying times, a little acknowledgment goes a long way toward motivating not only students but educators, as well. "As educat ors, we need to hear that we're doing a good job," she said. "When you notice that your friend or colleague is doing a good job, be sure to recognize that." Did you know that NEA is now maintaining a centralized database of confirmed COVID-19 cases amongst students and staff? No personal information is released, and because NEA verifies each case, there's no risk of duplicating reports. If you, or a colleague, tests positive for COVID-19, please consider adding this information to the database. Identities of COVID-19 positive cases, as well as identities of those submitting reports, are kept confidential. Accurate case counts of school employees could prove invaluable in making decisions about in-person versus virtual learning, as we continue to progress through the pandemic. Report cases at bit.ly/reportcovidwea 7