Our Monthly News & Updates |
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Hello, New Haven Public Schools Learning Community:
With the district going fully online, the reality of a typical school day has changed for everyone. The teachers, students, and staff all have to adapt. Although the schools are closed, the work continues. For this issue, we decided to interview various people, to hear their voices, to find out how they have been doing, and what their hopes and challenges are.
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ERIK PATCHKOFSKY,
Physical Education, Health and Athletics Department Director
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Fall sports have been a whirlwind of emotions during the pandemic. Coaches and athletes waited for DPH and CIAC guidance while conditioning through the summer and hoping for a season. With collaboration with the CIAC, The New Haven Health Department and the City, we were able to get a sports experience for all of our fall athletes.
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Because of this hard work and dedication, the volleyball teams were able to practice outside and even get in a round-robin one day tournament with all three of our teams.
Although 11 vs 11 football was cancelled, Wilbur Cross and Hillhouse coaches worked out with their athletes all fall, and were able to set up weekly 7 vs 7 passing league games.
It was amazing to see our team’s enthusiasm during these events. We hope for some real football to happen this spring, so stay tuned! All our soccer and cross country teams participated in league play, the student athletes represented their schools and communities well, and through everyone’s diligence we were able to complete the season with little disruption.
I would like to personally thank Dr. Tracy, Dr. Paul Whyte, Tyree McCray, and Lillya Garipova for all their support and dedication in helping to make the fall season happen. I would also like to thank all the coaches, parents, and athletes who worked diligently, following safety protocols to protect themselves and their teammates from COVID. I would also like to thank Director Maritza Bond of the Health Department and her staff for working with us to ensure safety, and for providing workable guidance that allowed for fall sports to happen.
Everyone in the Athletic Department has adapted to the current situation and is working hard to ensure a winter season will be possible.
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NAALOMOLEY SAHIN,
Health Education Teacher
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Nally has been with the district since 2005. She worked as a basketball, volleyball, track coach, and physical education teacher. She officially began teaching health in 2017, and it was only natural for her, as her previous work was closely related to health and fitness. Although she misses being in the gym, Nally discovered many new aspects in teaching and leadership having switched to teaching health.
Q. Nally, as an itinerant, you don’t have one permanent school, but work in several. How does feel to be an itinerant?
A. I did not like it at the beginning but later on saw the advantages: it allows for more flexibility. And it’s interesting to work in different schools, as they all are unique. Each school has a personality, its own demands and peculiarities.
Q. What is the most satisfying part of your work?
A. It is being connected with my students, watching their “aha” moments, walking them through the decision making process, seeing the impact of education. Over the years, I was able to build a good rapport with my students. They trust me, and I give them confidence, knowledge that they need to succeed in life.
Q. How did the pandemic change your work and life?
A. Of course, it was very frustrating at the beginning of the pandemic with technology issues, student engagement. Teaching online is drastically different from teaching in person. I used to carry a big bag with my lesson materials going from school to school. Now that is not an issue anymore. All my teaching materials are in my computer and online now.
Because Google classroom has a limited number of tools, I had to be very resourceful finding new ways to engage and assess students. I have discovered several very useful websites for teachers, such as www.nearpod.com, that offer a plethora of interactive teaching tools and materials that are easy to use. I think now, I am fully adapted and comfortable teaching online. |
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[I “sat” in one of Nally’s Google classrooms, and saw how powerful Nearpod could be, e.g. polls and quizzes offered during the class are processed and visualized in real time giving a teacher the ability to assess student’s engagement instantaneously – L.G.].
Q. What remains challenging in teaching?
A. It’s challenging to be at the computer all day. Some traditional methods do not work anymore, such as group activities, group discussion. I am not comfortable offering “breakout rooms”. It’s hard to reach the kids who are not engaged, and because I have a substantial workload, sometimes I spend hours calling the parents. Grading is a tedious and lengthy process, again because of my workload. Another discovery that I made is that for some reason before the pandemic I assumed that kids were good at technology. Teaching online proved the opposite. In my view, kids are good at technology that is fun, such as TikTok, but the situation is different when it comes to Google classroom.
Q. Were there any “positives” of the pandemic for you?
A. Ironically, I am getting to know my students better than before, somehow online it is happening faster. The pandemic brought self-reflection, the opportunity to review my teaching skills and leadership style. It made me more adaptable, it stirred my creativity, making me think how to better engage students at the same time relieving them from the pandemic anxiety. It made me come out of my comfort zone. Another positive of COVID is that I was able to work closely with the BOE administration and to get my internship hours (I am enrolled in school).
Q. What are your hopes, expectations?
A. We should use the current situation to listen to our students, to understand their needs so that we could serve them better. I hope after the pandemic is over, we all will be better than before, we all will learn and grow. We are here to support each other.
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MARGO PEDERSEN,
Wilbur Cross High School Senior
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Margo Pedersen’s interest in sports started with soccer, then proceeded to indoor/outdoor track and cross country. Her hard work and leadership qualities were recognized and fostered early on. Margo has been the Wilbur Cross cross country team captain for the past 2 years. Her academic interests include humanities, specifically, history and social studies. These days she is busy preparing for college.
Q. Margo, how does it feel to be a captain? What are your responsibilities look like in the pandemic?
A. Since the start of the new school year my team and I have been doing our workouts both in person (with all the necessary precautions) and online. My task is to help my team members to stay focused by facilitating communication, to make sure that every person discovers his/her potential, to help set goals and to achieve them.
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It’s is very important to foster team spirit as well, especially under the current circumstances. We have a very good coach [Travis Gale – L.G.] who keeps us engaged and active. We meet every week for our Zoom core workouts.
Q. What are the challenges?
A. It is difficult to find motivation to continue training, exercising. There are no competitions, the students are separated and don’t meet as often as before the pandemic.
Q. How do you cope with the challenges?
A. I try not to depend too much on my emotions. I know I need to run today, I just do it, without going too deep whether I should or could do that. I also know that we train for the sake of a process, not so much for results. I stick to the routine. Even in the pandemic, we keep building our skills, and consistency is very important. Today we work and learn for the future, not for immediate results.
Q. Do you think you adapted to distant learning well?
A. It was hard in the spring, at the start of the pandemic, but now I am used to it. I am comfortable with technology, and, fortunately, I have good conditions for learning. My parents did not lose their jobs, I have a good home environment. I do miss my social life, of course.
Q. What did you learn studying remotely?
A. I learned how to better manage my time, how to create my own schedule. I have more time, and it is helpful when applying to colleges. The pandemic revealed the inequalities in accessing education, and that is my concern. I have not decided what my college major will be, I know it will be humanities, and educational inequality could be something I might focus on.
Q. What are your hopes, Margo?
A. I hope the COVID pandemic will come to an end. My hope is to enroll in a college and to become a member of the college sports team. I hope we all learn from this situation, what it revealed, and will use this experience to build a better future.
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TRAVIS GALE,
Physical Education Teacher,
Cross Country Coach
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Travis Gale is a physical education teacher and coach at Wilbur Cross high school. This is his 14th year in the district. He was always interested in sports as a child, and made a decision while in high school to become a PE teacher. He says that working in such a diverse community like New Haven gives him a lot of opportunity to improve and to grow.
Q. Travis, how does your work day look like now? How to do you teach physical education online?
A. It’s definitely challenging. However, kids need to be supported, they need to remain engaged being in a stress free, energetic atmosphere. My answer to chaos is simple - I provide routine and structure. I am teaching, I stay connected with my students, and they know what to expect. I start every class with good, cheerful music, a good song. I conduct the class in such manner that my students could feel my energy and enthusiasm even online.
I have days to educate and days to motivate. I think it is very important to take care of kids’ mood and mental health under the current circumstances. I collect feedback from them at the end of every lesson in a Google form with “before” and “after” questions – that helps me understand what and how to change and improve. Although we have pre-recorded teacher resources, I don’t use them as much, I prefer to do everything live. I try to foster positive attitude providing safe environment where no one can judge you.
Q. Any successes that you can share with us?
A. I consider my “amrap” (5 different exercises performed within 5 minutes) routine successful. Student attendance is good. I do enjoy providing motivational lessons, teaching mindfulness.
Q. What’s the most difficult thing being online?
A. The fact that I have not met my students in real life, I have not spoken to them, and, as a result, I don’t have a “big picture” about students’ background, their current situation that I used to have when teaching in person.
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I did get some ideas when I asked my students to create short videos about themselves, and that was very helpful, but not all the kids were able to create such videos.
Q. Are there any “pros” of the pandemic for you personally?
A. I get to have more time with my family and my pets. I love having lunch at home. But I miss live interaction with my students and my colleagues.
Q. Do you think you have adapted to this unusual situation?
A. I think so. It’s the nature of a teaching profession – to be always prepared for new challenges and to be able to deal with them.
Q. How are you coaching these days? Do you meet with your students in person?
A. I am the cross country and indoor track coach. My cross country athletes and I met in person and had training sessions in the fall with all the required precautions (social distancing, masks). Training sessions were limited in time, of course. We participated in the local competitions too. Indoor track will start at the end of January. Right now, we do our weekly workouts online via Google classroom.
Click on the link below to watch Travis's video recording of one of his "amrap" workout routines. Use it to exercise: it is only 5 minutes long but it includes 5 different exercises! Stay healthy!
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LAURA PONZIO,
School Health Assistant
Laura Ponzio is a school health assistant (SHA). It is her sixth year in the district. Before that, she had worked in an ophthalmologist’s office for 16 years. She says that working for the New Haven Public Schools opened up a whole new world for her. She got to see “real challenges” that other people have to deal with, and that affected her mindset, making her appreciate what she has.
Q. Laura, how did the pandemic affect your work? What are the challenges?
A. My workday is very different from what it used to be 8 months ago. I work remotely for the most part, but respond to in person assignments as well (for example, to do temperature screening for students coming to their SAT/PSAT tests in the schools).
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At home, I have two sons, one is a college student, the other one attends Hamden High School. And I am a wife of a NHPS teacher, who works from home. My entire house is set up for work and learning, each member has her/his own space. We have a daily routine that we adhere to that keeps us organized.
Q. Any “positives” of the current situation that you can think of?
A. I actually loved recording the robocalls! It was part of the outreach work for the school nurses and school health centers (SHCs). As a member of the SHA team, I participated in creating and recording voice messages for the parents whose children were not compliant with the school entry requirements or not enrolled in their SHCs. I never did voice recording before, and I was pleased with the results.
The other “positive” side of the COVID situation is that I am spending more time with my family. I like the fact that life slowed down. It seems that everyone now has more time to think and time to talk. I got to know my coworkers better as I am talking to them more often than before the pandemic, thanks to the fact that we have a space on MS Teams, and we all learned how to interact there. It is very important to have such a place, a virtual communication hub with your colleagues when working remotely to stay informed and connected.
Q. What are your hopes?
A. I hope one day life will go back to normal, and I will be back in the schools working with children, school staff.
Photo: Laura doing outreach for schools health centers in the fall.
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Interested in collaboration?
Have ideas and suggestions?
Drop us a line!
Liliya Garipova
Phone: 475-220-1107
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