Kelly Rakus

EDU 216
Professional Development Attendance

For my professional development workshop, I attended the pandemic professional

development zoom with the Education Outreach Club. I chose this zoom since I wanted to learn

more about what is like to teach during this time.

One thing that I found interesting was the difference between counties and their policies

around being in person or virtual. I lived in a more wealthy country and had the resources to

afford the materials needed for school. When students switch to virtual, I was worried about

students who could not afford a computer or even wifi. Even with teaching in person, it sounds

more complicated because there is still a lack of communication. For example, elementary

schools really need expression to keep students engaged. This changed how teachers use their

expression in different ways. Along with being in person, I think it limits social interaction. Like a

teacher said in this panel, students are kept into different groups throughout the school to help

social distance and all control the shut down of a school if needed.

There seems to be a lot more to think about when teaching now as well. Teachers have

to focus and worry about students wearing a mask, constantly cleaning anything they touch and

keeping the social distance. Already as a teacher, you have to think about meeting each

student's needs, remember if a student has a pull out during the day and also ensure teachers

are staying on track with the lessons. Now, teachers have to worry about all of those aspects

plus having students being in person and virtual all at the same time. From my memory of being

in elementary school, the classroom set up was constantly changing. I think having a variety of

desk setup keeps the students engaged. Although, now desks have to stay six feet apart which

limits the amount of way a classroom can be set up.

 With students and teachers who are virtual, there seems to be a major learning curve as

well. Students have to learn how to use zoom as well. For older students, this is a minor curve

but for younger students there is a bigger curve. From this panel and personally talking to

teachers, making sure the teacher can hear and see each student on the zoom. For parents

who never used zoom, they alway have a learning curve to be able to help their child as well. I

also worried about families who have both parents working. From this panel, it sounds like

teachers need to be aware of who has extra parents available to help during the school day and

who does not. Providing consequences also is a new challenge during this since teachers can

not just pull a student aside so easily. A meeting needs to be set up for each student and I think

this also always causes students to ignore these meetings when they know a teacher can’t just

come to another class and pull them aside.