Trish Babnew gets about 100 emails a day, mostly from parents. Most are related to schoolwork and technology, sometimes with a video from a student who just got a hamster or learned how to ride a two-wheeler.
“We never thought on March 13th we wouldn’t be going back,” said Babnew, who teaches first grade at Saint John Paul II Regional School in Stratford. “I try to emphasize to the children that the presence of God is always with us, whether we’re at school or at home. I tell them that the bricks on the building didn’t make this a Catholic school. It’s the beautiful school community that’s within it.”
Babnew’s day begins at 8:30 a.m. with a good morning email message to take care of announcements and confirm the day’s Zoom schedule. To make sure she’s available for all families, she typically doesn’t wrap up until about 10 p.m.
“They’re out there working on the front lines. It might be 10 at night when they can upload homework kids did during the day,” said Babnew of her school parents, many of whom work in hospitals. “We have to be open to those emails late at night. It gives parents peace of mind,” she said.
Babnew’s class is anchored by a one-hour daily Zoom session with her 21 students. She replicates her traditional classroom as closely as possible, with singing and prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Instruction focuses primarily on one subject area. She said she spends about 10 minutes delivering content, and then uses interactive tools to keep students engaged and help them master concepts.
Zoom is also Babnew’s choice for individual and small group meetings, which typically account for an additional two to three hours a day. In between, she fields emails, provides feedback on assignments, and works on lesson plans. At 4 p.m., she sends out assignments for the following day, consistent with the school’s policy and commitment to all families. At about 5 p.m., the evening wave of assignments and emails begin to come in.
Although a computer screen will never fill the void of first grade personal interaction, Babnew said she’s created a schedule she believes is working well for her students and their families. On track with the curriculum, she has no doubt her students will be prepared for second grade. While she and her students yearn to be together again in the classroom, Babnew said there have been some unexpected benefits.
“Distance learning has really strengthened the bond with my families, especially the parents. I feel like I know [them] so much better,” she said, adding that parents confide in her, share their losses with her. “It’s so hard what people are going through … and they welcome me into their home each day.”
Babnew said flexibility has been crucial as she works with families on different schedules with unique challenges.
“This feels to me like we’re driving down a path that is just being paved, and there’s going to be a lot of bumps in the road. But as long as we work with the students and have their best interest at heart I think you can’t go wrong,” she said.
“I still wake up some mornings and think, ‘Is this for real?’ But the students and the parents have risen to the challenge. It’s a testament to our faith, and I have really never been more proud to be Catholic. We just feel this great sense of community.”
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