The world has drastically changed in the past few weeks. PNA is striving to maintain its commitment to keep students learning through distance learning. Teachers have been quickly adapting by learning new technology platforms themselves and creating learning experiences that are flexible enough for each family’s unique situation. Teachers also took into account that students miss their friends and need a consistent time that they see their classmates. This week, our class met every morning for our morning, just like we do at school. We have been learning together what our classroom agreements look like in an online setting and academic routines that specifically work for our class.

We are in a unique time in history that kids will remember for the rest of their lives. This week, students journaled each day about their abrupt changes in their daily lives and how their communities have temporarily changed in response to COVID-19. Students could interview different family members to help.

• What do you notice when you are at the grocery store?
• ​How are your family routines different?
• What is open in your neighborhood?
• ​What is closed?
• How is your day different than it was yesterday?​​
• What is on the news?

    Each day, students had the option of joining me online to talk about something related to COVID-19 that they most likely had heard bits and pieces about at home or on TV.  We looked at some pictures I took in stores around Anchorage, read parts of health mandates, watched proper hand washing videos, and discussed how their social lives had changed since before writing a paragraph together online. 

Our PNA community as a whole is working to stay strong and make the most of this challenging time for everyone.