How can we effectively use distance learning to support early childhood learners in Montessori education?
-
Period: to
A Shift In Learning
A pandemic swept throughout the world and changed how educated our children. While in Dallas, I felt the temperature of the unknown, and I contacted my Head Of School to share with her that I was changing my Capstone from Assistant Training To Remote Learning. -
The Norm Before The Storm
Returned to New Jersey, and it was a typical school, the children are going about their day without a care in the world, while the adults in the environment fret about what comes next. -
From A Group To A Few
The various news about the COVID-19 Virus and its impact on school children and their families flooded the airwaves. Hearing the uncertainties, some parents began to pull their children out of school—only a few remaining. Met with my Head Of School to discuss the problem. -
Then There Was One
We were left with one student in the classroom (a faculty member's child) and just a total of two in the other seven classrooms. We began to create take-home packets for our students. -
What To Do If There Is A Shutdown
In between making take-home packets of copied activities, picture-to-picture matching work, researching cooking with kids activities, and art process, we had faculty meetings about "the hows," "the whys," and "it cannot work." -
The Mandated Shutdown
New Jersey's Governor announced that all schools must shut down immediately. The faculty had a final meeting about how we would conduct online learning, what platforms we would use and how we would communicate with the children and parents. -
The Birth of Zoom For Our School
We went Live with our first Zoom Online Classroom. -
Telephone Meeting
Our Head of School (HOS) and I discussed issues with online learning. At this point, the school was not collecting tuition from the parents for online schooling. The HOS expressed her concerns about the online program's content. The lack of consistency throughout the school concerned her. I suggested surveying the parents to collect data on their expectations, thoughts on tuition, and whether they would "buy-into" the concept of online learning. The HOS was hesitant about that idea. -
Created Parents Survey
Provided Head Of School with a Parents Remote Learning Survey
Head of School responded that a Fall survey would probably be best.