Interview with a Distance Teacher

This blog post is a transcription of an interview with Dr. Brandee Green, a 4th grade teacher in South Carolina. She talks about the challenges, highlights, and implications of distance learning.

April 23, 2020

What was your initial reaction to the transition to distance learning?

"I thought that it would be fine, because my kids are used to using technology heavily in the classroom. I was actually excited and thought it would be fun for a few days or a week. I was less excited when I realized it would be for the remainder of the school year. I was grateful for the technology skills students already had. I think that made it easier for us, but I worried about other classrooms whose students may not have those skills."

What has been the most challenging part of distance learning?

"The lack of access is the worst part. Students that don’t have access to technology or internet are at a severe disadvantage."

What are some of the highlights from your experiences?

"I have enjoyed the novelty of it. It is certainly fun to try new things. I think that the kids are enjoying learning differently and trying new things as well."

How do you think the students are doing?

"I think that the capability is there. Most students have the technology skills to handle online learning. However, I think many struggle with self-motivation. Its obviously better to have them in the classroom environment where I can encourage/support them and generate motivation. Having them in the classroom is better for motivation."

Do you have any advice for other teachers conquering distance learning right now?

"Now is the time to experiment and try new things! We need to remember the skills that we have learned during this time and incorporate those as we return to the normal classroom setting."

How do you think this experience will change classrooms in the future?

"That’s hard for me! I think that education needs to lean in the direction of teaching real world situations. Children need to be allowed more options in what/how they are learning as well as how they are proving their learning. Giving kids more autonomy over their learning will encourage more self-motivation from them. I believe this has been an eye opener for everyone in education that we need to integrate more technology in all classrooms."