BIBB COUNTY, Ga. — 13WMAZ, GPB Macon, the Telegraph and Mercer’s Center for Collaborative Journalism will continue to report on how coronavirus has impacted our lives, and the price we all pay in a series titled 'Cost of COVID.'
When the pandemic hit earlier this year, lesson plans were turned upside down as educators scrambled to turn classroom learning into online instruction.
"It's definitely different, having all my desks empty," said Miller Magnet School 8th grade teacher, Erin Kelly.
With quiet classrooms and empty hallways, Kelly says virtual learning has required adjustments.
"I'm used to them coming in the door, giving a hug, high five or handshake and now, you know, we're not really laying eyes on each other," she said.
But it's more than just a physical change.
"Keeping them engaged is a great task in a face-to-face setting. [It's] much harder, virtually," said fellow Miller Magnet teacher, Valeria Grant.
Grant says technology brings its own learning curve, too.
"Students being kicked off at certain times, needing help getting back into the classes, some of the documents when we upload, they're not able to edit in them right away, so we're having to walk them through those steps on how to do that," she said.
"The biggest struggle is students getting acclimated to this new environment where I'm not standing with them to help them with the little issues that they have on their computer and with the assignments themselves. I'm just a face on the screen to them," Kelly said.
Still, both teachers are trying to make the best of it.
"I just want to encourage the students to continue to do their best, continue to stay encouraged, continue to stay engaged. Parents, please be patient with us. This is a new learning experience, a new adventure for everyone," Grant said.
They're reminding themselves it's only temporary and what they're doing online now can have an impact for years to come.
"The silver lining of this has been that they are going to leave this with technology skills that most of us didn't develop until college," Kelly said.
Both teachers say that while they understand the reasoning, they prefer having their students back in the classroom. It's something they hope can happen soon.
Right now, the Bibb County School District plans to have students return in about six weeks.
There's a plan to start phasing in some special needs students much sooner, if they are not able to adapt to virtual learning.
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