Kindergarten teacher Deanna Freimark works virtually with a student on a project Tuesday. Freimark is one of the 19 teachers working in the public schools' At-Home Learning Hub.--NEWS PHOTO MO CRANKER
mcranker@medicinehatnews.com@mocranker
When schools closed in March, education boards were forced into a scramble to get emergency online learning ready for students.
But an extended summer afforded local boards the time to put together online learning programming that met the needs of everyone involved.
The Medicine Hat Public School District has been running its At-Home Learning Hub since the first day of classes. A few weeks in, and the hub is working with more than 450 students as they learn from home.
“Honestly, it’s going really well,” said co-principal Tricia Unreiner. “It’s been a whirlwind of new information, technology, students and teachers. It’s been really busy so far but we’re feeling good about our program.
“The way we’re supporting our community and our students is really positive, and we’ve received positive feedback.
“We joke that it feels like we’re first-year teachers again with all of the new programming and work we’re doing – it’s exciting.”
The hub launched with 14 teachers and has already increased that number to 19. It has also employed education assistants and a classroom support teacher. Co-principal Warren Buckler says operations are always changing and improving.
“Even from our first iteration of the hub, we’ve evolved,” he said. “We are meeting people with what their comfort level is and what their ability to engage is.
“We’re going to evolve and change so we can work with everyone at the level they desire.”
With more than 450 students, Buckler says the hub is getting ready for more.
“We’re fluctuating and trending upwards consistently,” he said. “We have some students who have gone back to class after starting with us. Overall, our numbers seem to be going up.
“If numbers around the province continue to go up and up, we expect our role will continue to grow.”
Nathan Gale started the school year as a Grade 5 teacher with the At-Home Learning Hub. Recently he has shifted his role to the classroom support teacher where he works with dozens of kids every week across varying grades.
“I’m just trying to help teachers and students who need it,” he said. “Especially those kids who need a bit of a boost, complex needs kiddos or students with specialized programming.”
Now in his ninth year as a teacher, Gale says this is quite the change from the first part of his career.
“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “Although you’re seeing kids through the screen, there’s still plenty of similarities to normal, in-class teaching. You have to have order and you have to have routines.
“Things are different this year and it’s up to us to adjust and work with each student at the level they’re at.”
Gale says the job is just as rewarding as before.
“You’re still really able to connect with each student,” he said. “It’s also important to make sure students are connecting with each other as well.
“Feeling like you’re making a difference is the best part of the job for me, and I was worried I might lose that this year. That feeling is still here because we are doing something great.”
