Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1360078
Gonzalez says the teaching environment has spurred interest in creative approaches to engagement, with educators taking risks to be lifelong learners for their students. " We a l l b e c a m e f i r st - y e a r t e a c h e r s a gai n b e c au s e of th e p a n d emi c ," s ay s P a t t y D o m i n g o , M TA m e m b e r a n d Teacher on Special Assignment for the district's Teacher Induction Program. "It pushed us to adapt." Te a c h e r a n d M T A m e m b e r M y r a Pasquier says their approach to profes- sion al d e v elopm ent i s ab o ut bui l din g community among educators w orking together to support one another and focus on the unique needs of their students. "It's been learning together. We have to nd ways for them to collaborate with each other," Pasquier says of MTA's 1,200 edu- cators. "It's been dicult, but I know when we go back it will be dierent because of what we've learned." In Richmond, UTR educators are also harnessing the power "Learning loss"? No, say educators " Students aren't losing anything. They 're learning di™erently. They 're learning a lot of di™erent skills. It's not traditional, but they are definitely learning." — Yesenia Guerrero, Lennox Teachers Association " I hate the term, because you learn even when you're not in class. If you're going to call it 'learning loss,' then it was happening when we were in person." — Asedo Wilson, United Teachers of Richmond " I understand there are students who aren't able to process this way, so I'm OK with the term, but it negates all the hard work educators are doing. When I hear 'learning loss,' it feels like it's our fault." — Terra Doby, United Teachers of Richmond " 'Learning loss' puts such a bitter taste in everyone's mouths and has a negative connotation. We don't know they have learning loss. It might be curriculum loss."° — Kirsten Barnes, Hanford Secondary Educators Association° " Our students are learning so many other skills during this time. Their academic tech skills have been growing so much. This year, they 've become experts on multiple platforms." — Myra Pasquier, Montebello Teachers Association Continued on Page 55 of professional development to support students through unfa- miliar times. Laurie Roberts, a teacher on special assignment, educational technology coach and UTR member, began holding learning sessions on instructional technology for educators last year, as well as office hours to support their new needs. This 26 cta.org Feature "I think it's part of the top-down structure of education where corporations determine what students should know, instead of people who have connections with them." —Doug Patzkowski, Montebello Teachers Association