California Educator

June/July 2020

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Inequities are more apparent BIANCA SHIU SCIENCE TEACHER at Elmhurst United Middle School, Oakland Education Association I K N E W T H E R E is a lot of inequity among student popula- tions, but the virus has made these inequities even more pronounced. Some students have a stable home life, like having their own room and internet so they can continue learning. Many of my students are struggling. A quarter of them don't have an internet connection. One of my students is looking for a stable place to live. Another is babysitting her 11-month-old brother because her parents work. During a pandemic, poor families are working hard just to have their basic needs met, so they may have to prioritize other things over education. I've been trying my best to support my students, but their needs are so high it's something I can't do alone. It's overwhelm- ing. A positive aspect is seeing staff in my school community — teachers, principals and others — pushing themselves continu- ally to support students. Some OEA members have pledged portions of their stimulus checks to support undocu- mented families in the district. Seeing other people step up has motivated me to do the same. I have four classes — approximately 120 students — and the participation rate in online learning is between 15 percent and 35 percent, depending on the day. My district has given out Chromebooks to students who have internet, and has tried to mitigate some of the factors around the 25 percent of students who don't. They have compiled paper packets. They are working to provide hot spots. I just got an email that our district has served its millionth meal to students. I have Google Classroom, and had a great time on a Zoom meeting. It was the first time I've seen students face to face. One girl gave us a tour of the backyard garden she's planting as a science project, which was cool. This experience has made me realize how important it is to help students become independent learners, especially if we have to continue some distance learning in the fall. NATASHA JACOBS FIRST GRADE TEACHER at King Elementary School, United Teachers of Richmond I T A L K T O my students on Zoom. I film myself teaching lessons on Seesaw. The other day I filmed a Number Talk where I spilled M&M's on the table and said, "Wow! How many do you see? What color did you start with? Do you notice any groups of five you can start counting by first?" Students were asked to film them- selves explaining these things. I try to be silly and fun so they do not feel alone or scared. One student thought coronavirus was like a villain who could open his window or door, come in, and infect him. I teach in a low-income district. Out of 24 stu- dents, I have only connected to 15 of their parents. I don't know how the other students are doing. I keep trying to reach out to them, but I don't hear back. I worry about them a lot. I love my students so much. I have great challenges trying to communicate with my Latino parents. My mother was from "At times, it can be overwhelming, but I am very hopeful for the future." Connecting through a screen "is has made me realize how important it is to help students become independent learners." 22 cta.org feature C O V I D - 1 9

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