Abstract
Classroom Support Staff, CREST Collaborative Methuen, Massachusetts
“Mistakes are required. As educators we expect the unexpected, but we were not prepared to instantly transition to remote learning. I found it essential to accept the imperfect nature of these circumstances and use that as permission to try new things. This pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me foster and embrace creativity. I’m now willing to make mistakes and genuinely believe that each mistake represents one more step forward.””
Education Specialist, Structured Autism Class Grades 3–5, Capistrano Unified School DistrictCapistrano Beach, California
“I learned to offer parents and students modalities to complete work and engage in online classes. I teach an elementary (moderate/severe) structured autism class, grades 4–5, and each student has their own needs and preferences. I individualize lessons to make them interesting and get better engagement. I continually remind parents about online classes and the more I remind them, the more students participate in online classes. Communication is key for me and my distance learning families.”
Transition Specialist/Teacher, Salt Lake City School District, Salt Lake City, Utah
“Home-school collaboration! I have seen some students succeed more because of parents and family members becoming more involved in their student’s education. The supports for learning and behaviors we’ve provided to families have opened new doors of opportunity and success for students, simply by increasing communication and collaboration with families. My takeaway is to provide more learning opportunities for families and provide more frequent and effective communication throughout the school year.”
Learning Behavior Specialist, Cultivating Unexposed Talent, Calumet City, Illinois
“I have learned that my teaching is essential to my students’ mental well-being during the COVID-19 crisis. I also enhance my students’ social-emotional skills by teaching them guided meditation to cope with stress. During check-in time, one of my students expressed that she was upset because her mother is ill. Directly afterwards, we meditated. She said the meditation helped calm her emotions and improved her concentration.”
Life Skills 2, Anchorage School District, Anchorage, Alaska
“The most important thing I learned is the value and importance of connecting with families. The transition to computer-based learning provided more time to connect with families and establish deeper relationships with parents or guardians. Over the weeks, those relationships morphed into effective teaching partnerships with shared successes for everyone. This experience with families and the feeling of shared success will guide my future teaching philosophy.”
Educational Services Commission of New Jersey Special Education Teacher, Cedar Knolls, New Jersey
“I have learned from this crisis how resourceful I am in order to help each of my students. I always knew the connections with my students were important, but during this time it surprised me how truly important they are. These connections helped my students academically and mentally it provided structure and reassurance to them. I was also surprised at how vital collaboration with my peers truly is and that true teamwork has helped us all.”
President/Founder, Child, Behavior Consulting, LLC, Nesconset, New York
“We were excited to develop our approach to teaching students, resist distractions, and focus on online learning. Before COVID-19, our visual learning tools were in several households and were used primarily during private sessions. We were pleasantly surprised when each parent and child wanted a toolkit to use at home. It was a seamless transition that promoted student engagement during online learning. We’re so proud of our students’ perseverance to overcome their challenges and believe in themselves while doing so!”
We’re so proud of our students’ perseverance to overcome their challenges and believe in themselves while doing so!”
Special Education Teacher, Gahanna Jefferson Public School-CES, Gahanna, Ohio
“Upon our return to school, I plan to better prepare my students with significant disabilities by integrating a more specific, comprehensive, digital-friendly curriculum to support future and more successful online learning in the home. I purchased timers for parents to help set boundaries and expectations and provided items for movement and sensory activities with weekly drop-offs to help their child access their education in their home. Parents reported that these strategies helped.”