Teachers in Southwest Virginia and most of the country have shifted from teaching in front of their class, to teaching virtually or in a hybrid format. This has presented many challenges to teachers and administrators who have never taught this way. Recognizing the needs of these teachers, Penny McCallum, director of the Virginia Tech Southwest Center in Abingdon, organized a series of free webinars and workshops, working with more than 400 educators from 18 school districts.
“Schools are overwhelmed, and teachers are stressed as they try to teach hybrid, virtual, and remote classes. Never has it been a more important time to connect the expertise of Virginia Tech to the needs of the commonwealth’s K-12 education community,” McCallum said.
Funded and supported by a partnership with the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center and the Virginia Department of Education, the programs address techniques for virtually teaching a variety of subjects, grade levels, special education, and more. There are also sessions to help parents navigate online learning.
Heidi Anne Mesmer, a professor in the School of Education , and other Virginia Tech faculty from the School of Education jumped in to help, including Alicia Johnson, Glen Holmes, David Alexander, Betti Kreye, Nancy Bradley, Donna Fogelsong, and Rachelle Kuehl. Stefan Duma, executive director of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, led a session for coaches addressing athletes’ safety during the pandemic.
In addition to Virginia Tech faculty, others who presented workshops for educators include Dr. Amanda Blankenship, University of Pikeville and Heather Askea, University of Virginia at Wise. The knowledge and expertise of local K-12 educators has also been utilized to deliver programs. These individuals are utilizing the same technology, addressing the same SOLs, experiencing the same stress and frustrations as their peers. The programs have been fortunate to have Elizabeth Delp, Laura Nunley and Rachel Vandyke from Washington County Public Schools, along with Jane Carter and Amy Compton from Wise County Public Schools to provide workshops.
More than 400 educators from across all of the Southwest Region (18 school divisions) and six private schools have participated in these workshops. Additional program needs have been identified and will be addressed throughout the remainder of the school year.
