Special Education Teacher On The Challenges Of Remote Learning Throughout A Pandemic

Southfield (CW50) - Being a teacher had already been established as being one of the more challenging jobs in our world. Teachers do an incredible amount of work, are under appreciated, and many believe underpaid for their value to our society.

So, taking what is already a challenging job and adding a global pandemic on top of it was not something that the education took in stride. Now, take the challenges of being a teacher, plus a global pandemic, and add that to teachers who educate children with learning disabilities or have special needs.

The Oxford Virtual Academy already had an established relationship with virtual learning. However, the virtual learning was only part of the curriculum, as the academy had a center for in-person learning throughout the year. Since the pandemic, the academy's teachers have had to resort to a full remote learning environment for these special education students. The Lead Special Education Teacher, Pam Harvell, knew that her students still needed the same amount of effort out in from her during the pandemic as she put in before.

She did this by meeting with students virtually when it was convenient for them and their families, whether it was when they were in their parent's car on the road, or in their homes, Harvell made time for them.

Pam Harvell, Lead Special Education Teacher at Oxford Virtual Academy, joins Lisa Germani on Community Connect to talk about the challenges faced from teaching her students in a fully remote environment.

You can learn more about the Oxford Virtual Academy at VirtualAcademy.OxfordSchools.org

Watch Community Connect, Saturday at 7am on CW50