((PKG)) FIRST GRADE TEACHER
((TRT: 04:50))
((Topic Banner: Mother + Teacher + Pandemic))
((Reporter/Camera: Lisa Vohra))
((Map: Urbana, Maryland))
((Main Character: 1 female))
((Sub Character: 1 male))
((MUSIC/NATS))
Noah, do you want a turn?
Um, yeah.
((NATS))
Which is more, scared or terrified? What in? Show me the one
that is more. Scared or terrified?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, teaching first grade virtually and having a child who is virtually
learning kindergarten has been pretty interesting. Very
chaotic. Not chaotic in a bad way, chaotic as in there’s a lot going
on under the roof of our house at one time.
((NATS))
Go ahead and click that blue box.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I have 20 students learning and then I have a kindergartner who’s
also trying to learn.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Since he is in kindergarten, he does not know how to, pretty
much, login by himself with like the passcode and everything. So,
I have his computer on my lap and I’m logging him in while I’m
communicating with my students.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I’m very open with my students. So, I told the adults in the
beginning of the year and throughout that I do have a
kindergartner at home, and I’m here pretty much by myself all
day, while my husband’s at work.
((NATS))
((Robbie Ford, Kindergartner))
I have to meet with my Ms. James in ten minutes.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Yep, I have an alarm on my phone that’s going to tell me,
okay. All right, so you’ve got ten minutes. You have Brain
Flakes in there.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I am continuously trying to listen in on his learning as well. So, I
wear headphones and one headphone is always out, so that I can
hear what’s going on. Because if he minimizes his screen, if
something happens with his technology, I need to be able to put
my students on mute, tell them give me a second, and fix it real
quick.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Seven-year-olds cannot sit for 30 minutes or more. I can’t sit for
30 minutes or more. So, there’s a lot more brain breaks.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, we’re going to go ahead and start our 20 minutes break,
okay. Give me a thumbs up. Got it. All right. Go run outside or
something. It’s really nice.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
It gives enough time for them to use the restroom, eat a snack,
play with a toy in their house and then come back and be ready.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Robbie Ford, Kindergartner))
Um, these crackers for you.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Okay.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
The parents and adults of my students have been phenomenal
during this. They’re very supportive and understanding.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, what I want you to think about is, what emotions does The
Recess Queen have? And what does the word ‘bully’ mean?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
They’re telling me things the students can’t tell me. For example,
“Ms. Ford, you’re talking to your son and you’re not on
mute.” Like, things like that. And I think it’s cool that parents get
to understand what you’re actually teaching. It gives me a sense
of confidence as well, and it makes me stay on my A game at all
times.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I need you to stretch your faces. What? You’re gonna stretch
your faces because we’re going to make different faces to figure
out if we’re happy, sad, angry. Show me angry.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Being with him every day, I can support him. Also understanding
my child in a different setting. It’s very rare that you get to see
your child as a student, and it’s very rare that children get to see
their adults and parents as workers.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, can anyone tell me what we are supposed to be discussing?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
He can go outside more. He can play more.
((NATS))
It’s lunchtime. We have to eat. We have 20 minutes.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
And we just get to have a different relationship than we normally
would.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
You want to share an apple with me?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
There are difficulties, don’t get me wrong, with balancing home
life and work life. As a mom, I like to keep both separate, but
they’re now both one.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I’m planning with my teammates for our next part of our day. I
sent a group of books to them through the computer. Online
books for the kids to access that have to do with what we’re
learning and reading.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Kids are very adaptable. I think that is something, as an adult, I
need to also understand.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Mozzarella pizza.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
They all have different backgrounds, different things going on at
home, but trying to give them a support in one place and give
them encouragement and knowing that they can do this and we
can do it.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((TRT: 04:50))
((Topic Banner: Mother + Teacher + Pandemic))
((Reporter/Camera: Lisa Vohra))
((Map: Urbana, Maryland))
((Main Character: 1 female))
((Sub Character: 1 male))
((MUSIC/NATS))
Noah, do you want a turn?
Um, yeah.
((NATS))
Which is more, scared or terrified? What in? Show me the one
that is more. Scared or terrified?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, teaching first grade virtually and having a child who is virtually
learning kindergarten has been pretty interesting. Very
chaotic. Not chaotic in a bad way, chaotic as in there’s a lot going
on under the roof of our house at one time.
((NATS))
Go ahead and click that blue box.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I have 20 students learning and then I have a kindergartner who’s
also trying to learn.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Since he is in kindergarten, he does not know how to, pretty
much, login by himself with like the passcode and everything. So,
I have his computer on my lap and I’m logging him in while I’m
communicating with my students.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I’m very open with my students. So, I told the adults in the
beginning of the year and throughout that I do have a
kindergartner at home, and I’m here pretty much by myself all
day, while my husband’s at work.
((NATS))
((Robbie Ford, Kindergartner))
I have to meet with my Ms. James in ten minutes.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Yep, I have an alarm on my phone that’s going to tell me,
okay. All right, so you’ve got ten minutes. You have Brain
Flakes in there.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I am continuously trying to listen in on his learning as well. So, I
wear headphones and one headphone is always out, so that I can
hear what’s going on. Because if he minimizes his screen, if
something happens with his technology, I need to be able to put
my students on mute, tell them give me a second, and fix it real
quick.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Seven-year-olds cannot sit for 30 minutes or more. I can’t sit for
30 minutes or more. So, there’s a lot more brain breaks.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, we’re going to go ahead and start our 20 minutes break,
okay. Give me a thumbs up. Got it. All right. Go run outside or
something. It’s really nice.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
It gives enough time for them to use the restroom, eat a snack,
play with a toy in their house and then come back and be ready.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Robbie Ford, Kindergartner))
Um, these crackers for you.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Okay.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
The parents and adults of my students have been phenomenal
during this. They’re very supportive and understanding.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, what I want you to think about is, what emotions does The
Recess Queen have? And what does the word ‘bully’ mean?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
They’re telling me things the students can’t tell me. For example,
“Ms. Ford, you’re talking to your son and you’re not on
mute.” Like, things like that. And I think it’s cool that parents get
to understand what you’re actually teaching. It gives me a sense
of confidence as well, and it makes me stay on my A game at all
times.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I need you to stretch your faces. What? You’re gonna stretch
your faces because we’re going to make different faces to figure
out if we’re happy, sad, angry. Show me angry.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Being with him every day, I can support him. Also understanding
my child in a different setting. It’s very rare that you get to see
your child as a student, and it’s very rare that children get to see
their adults and parents as workers.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
So, can anyone tell me what we are supposed to be discussing?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
He can go outside more. He can play more.
((NATS))
It’s lunchtime. We have to eat. We have 20 minutes.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
And we just get to have a different relationship than we normally
would.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
You want to share an apple with me?
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
There are difficulties, don’t get me wrong, with balancing home
life and work life. As a mom, I like to keep both separate, but
they’re now both one.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
I’m planning with my teammates for our next part of our day. I
sent a group of books to them through the computer. Online
books for the kids to access that have to do with what we’re
learning and reading.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Kids are very adaptable. I think that is something, as an adult, I
need to also understand.
((NATS))
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
Mozzarella pizza.
((Janessa Ford, First Grade Teacher, Kindergarten Parent))
They all have different backgrounds, different things going on at
home, but trying to give them a support in one place and give
them encouragement and knowing that they can do this and we
can do it.
((MUSIC/NATS))
