Distance Learning In Younger Grade Levels
On March 12, 2020, the Fayerweather administration and Board made the difficult decision to move to remote learning for 2 weeks. The staff were informed in a meeting that Thursday afternoon and, in true Fayerweather fashion, the gears immediately began to turn. Teachers were able to develop ‘choice boards’ for each grade level in record time. The idea behind these boards was not to be a substitute for curriculum, but rather a supplement for learning during those two weeks. As further news about COVID-19 developed and new state regulations from Governor Baker unfolded, it became increasingly obvious that distance learning was here to stay.
Distance learning has proven to be a challenge for students, parents, and teachers of all age ranges and school types across the country. Many parents were unwillingly promoted to the role of teacher and were forced to grapple with academic subjects they themselves may not have visited since they were their child’s age.
For teachers throughout the country, the transition to online learning was met with technological challenges and limitations from their respective schools and districts which directly impacted the quality of curriculum. In an April 2020 interview with NPR’s All Things Considered, Bree Dusseault from the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington commented on the wide spectrum of learning across 82 public school districts, noting that students may have received a packet and a phone call from a teacher, while others would have hours of virtual instruction each day (NPR 2020).
The most important component of online learning is consistency and structure. Establishing a routine and schedule was key during the early days of distance learning. In the PreK, Melissa and Julie started each day with a Zoom meeting. This helped families structure their day and allowed teachers to maintain a connection with the students and further develop a classroom routine.
Keeping up with consistent classroom culture was a priority for Melissa and Julie. Keeping the joy alive through student engagement yielded happy, engaged, and enthusiastic kids who were more than eager to share what they’ve been learning and working on from home. For some students, a group Zoom call was a bit overwhelming. In these instances, Melissa and Julie would meet with the students individually and work closely with parents.
The PreK team also brought learning directly to their students’ doorsteps. Hand built and delivered packets with art materials and seed growing kits earlier this spring led to meaningful project based learning. Later in the spring, students received another kit which included a t-shirt, sunglasses, snacks, and activity books which prepared them for their virtual field trip to the NYC Botanical Gardens.
(Left) Each PreK student received a special experience kit leading up to their virtual field trip(Right) PreK students and staff sporting their outfits and getting ready to hop on the "bus"
Not long into remote learning, it became very apparent that social emotional health became a vital component of the learning process, especially in the younger years.
In the Kindergarten classroom, consistent 1:1 connection with students was just as important. After the first few weeks of distance learning slowly crawled by and everyone found their stride, there were moments where things felt normal. Kindergarten teacher Sabrina noted, “I appreciate Zoom for providing us a connection to the kids, and once I got the hang of group chat there were moments where it felt close to being back in the classroom.”
To help combat the many anxieties and fears our students face, the Kindergarten team developed a Feelings Toolbox project. Students were tasked with making a special container that they could fill with any of the bad (or good!) feelings they may be experiencing. The video for this is available at the bottom of the page.
There is no perfect system or solution for remote learning, especially at younger grade levels. Through providing consistent individualized focus and attention for each student, Fayerweather teachers helped create a more positive learning virtual experience and environment for our students.
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FSS students enjoying story time with Librarian Maxie who has built a catalog of recorded chapter books for different grade levels.
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Fayerweather Street School | 765 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 | 617-876-4746
Fayerweather is a private PreK, kindergarten, elementary and middle school. We engage each child’s intellect.