The novel coronavirus (COVID-19), has caused many PreK-12 schools to transition from face-to-face instruction to some form of online learning. In order to support the transition to remote learning, the faculty, students, and alumni of the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program have put together several blog posts that will focus on general considerations, challenges, and specific strategies at the PreK-12 level.
We are honored to work with and learn from the MAET community as they navigate and implement this change in instructional delivery in their learning communities. Please enjoy the third post in our series by Annaleigh Kress, an MAET graduate who is sharing a piece of her story in hopes to support you and your learners.
Annaleigh Kress is the Digital Age Learning Coordinator at the American School of Milan. Originally from New Hampshire, she received her undergraduate degree in Educational Theatre from NYU and has taught at international schools in New York City, London, and now Italy. She is a proud graduate of Michigan State University’s MAET program, where she studied Educational Technology in Galway, Ireland for three summers. Annaleigh also has a passion for theatre. She co-founded a summer theater program in Manchester, NH in 2006 and directs both the elementary and upper school musicals at ASM. You can learn more about her work through her website and can connect with her on Twitter at @mskress3.
Boosting Morale
At first, there was an air of excitement at the opportunity to work from home in our pajamas. Waking up to a later alarm and never leaving the couch felt like a luxury. However, as restaurants, shops, pubs, and parks began to close, and tighter restrictions prevented us from leaving our apartments, the fun of staying home quickly wore off. By week two, our whole school community felt the group sigh of “How much longer will we have to do this?” As we now enter our fourth week of online learning, and our second week of lockdown, maintaining positive morale has been one of our biggest challenges.
So how have we been coping? With every internet trick we can think of. Teachers started to share baby photos for “Throwback Thursday.” Our PE teacher hosted live 10-minute workouts from his balcony via Google Meet. Another teacher created a Facebook group called Quarantine Cuisine where people share recipes of their quarantine meals. My roommates and I even formed a band and sent everyone this uplifting song “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley. Another colleague wrote and recorded his own song about washing hands, and one of our teachers got her whole family involved in a video production of Ten Tips for Online Learning. Needless to say, we’ve been doing everything in our virtual power to lift each others’ spirits.
However, real human connections are even more of a necessity. It is easy to feel alone, bored, stir-crazy, frustrated, and disheartened by this situation. Mental health can take a real hit. In Italy, flash mobs are growing in popularity by the day, out of a need for togetherness. Here in Milan, we applaud for all of the doctors and nurses at noon. At 6:00, we play music and sing for each other, and at 9:00 we shine flashlights from our windows. Children are making banners that read “Andrá tutto bene” or “Everything will be okay” to hang in the streets. Speaking as someone who has been cooped up in her apartment for weeks now, these small moments are the highlights of my day. Seeing others standing on their balconies or poking heads out of windows is a reminder that we are not alone. You are also not alone! Connect with your fellow teachers, your family, and your neighbors in whatever ways you can, even if it’s just a wave from the window.
As we enter into these uncharted times, a lesson we’ve been learning over and over again is that it will be a combination of the innovation of technology and real human connection that unites us
The MAET community is here to support you. Looking for a resource? Feeling stuck with your next step? Trying to troubleshoot something? In search of inspiration? Have something funny or inspirational to share? Send a tweet to #MAET to connect.