Students and Parents Express Appreciation for Craven LIVE
By: Kelli Miller, 2nd grade Craven LIVE teacher Ben D. Quinn Elementary
Year after year, educators and school districts strive to meet the needs of individuals in the communities they serve. Although the COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique challenge, educators are working hard to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of maintaining the structure and integrity of our educational system while continuing to address the social/emotional and physical needs of students and families. Through it all, one platform shines brightly among others and that platform is virtual learning.
In Craven County Schools, the virtual learning program is called, “Craven LIVE Virtual Academy”. Touted as “Craven County Schools fully online virtual option for parents and students who would like to receive instruction in a remote setting” on the CCS website, Craven LIVE is a program that has been developed and implemented for students in grades K-12. Though it has had its fair share of kinks to untangle, Craven LIVE has been welcomed by most during COVID-19. Offering students daily synchronous (live) and asynchronous (self-paced) learning, Craven LIVE is a way for students to continue to engage in learning with CCS teachers from the safety of their homes.
One parent, Alisha Plescher, whose children attend Ben D. Quinn Elementary School and Grover C. Fields Middle School, describes Craven LIVE as, “an amazing opportunity,” as her boys have grown in their abilities to work independently, advocate for themselves by reaching out to teachers for help through email or during Zoom sessions, and become more organized in their schedules and schoolwork. Mrs. Plescher’s son Liam, a fifth grader at BDQ, describes Craven LIVE as, “a gift”. He reports that he has a positive connection with his teacher, who has supported Liam’s growth in confidence. His mother also reports that his learning occurs throughout the day as, “he applies his math and reading skills in cooking assignments, goes outside for assignments, and looks forward to his art, PE, and music time”. He was even able to participate in a virtual pumpkin carving contest in October, which his entire family enjoyed.
These sentiments have also been shared by a number of parents across the school; Austin Carroll, whose daughter Serenity is in the 2nd grade states that Craven LIVE has boosted his daughter’s confidence as she has been able to take responsibility for her learning. With the clear guidelines and expectations from her teacher, she feels proud of herself daily as she accomplishes goals for learning. He also cites the importance of “Breakout Rooms”, a term exclusive to the Zoom video-conferencing platform used during Craven LIVE. This feature allows educators to divide students into small groups for structured activities or to socialize with peers. As social isolation has been a concern during the pandemic, this type of feedback offers some solace to parents and students who miss the interaction of the traditional classroom setting.
When asked to describe a typical day of learning in Craven LIVE, Cheryl Ledford, another BDQ parent, described the schedule for her daughter, Brooke, a 2nd grader, as “3-4 Zoom meetings with her teacher, 4 days a week.” Ms. Ledford stated that her daughter’s day begins at 8:00 a.m. with independent study and ends with guided reading on Zoom around 2:00 p.m. She explained that her daughter receives instruction throughout the week in English and Language Arts, mathematics, writing, science, and social studies. If you think this sounds similar to what students would receive within a traditional school setting, you are correct. Craven LIVE is able to offer students very similar, and oftentimes, the same, lessons and assignments that are being offered to other students. This is largely due to team planning between teachers and structured pacing guides provided by the county. Wednesdays, acting as asynchronous days for students, have allowed for teachers in all grade levels to come together weekly to plan, create materials, and strategize.
Though there may be no replacement for in-person learning, Craven LIVE teachers across the district continue to find creative ways to engage with their students and families. With social distancing in the forefront of everyone’s minds, teachers are offering virtual reward boards, virtual celebrations on Zoom, and even creating little packages with treats and trinkets for students to pick up outside of the school. These efforts have been appreciated by Craven LIVE families, who consistently report that through this entire experience, teachers have been helpful, communicative, and effective.
With almost seven months of school left this year and no clear way of determining what these next few months will bring, Craven LIVE remains a consistent option for families who remain concerned about the continuously rising rates of COVID-19.
