Remote Learning | A Parent's Perspective

Our great adventure

by Brooke Clark

 

Photo by Baily Clark, grade 7, while hiking Strawberry Lane.

 

Since March 2020, like most moms, my life has been “different.”  The US was facing the novel Coronavirus, lock-down began and so did remote learning.  Christ Academy was in a unique position to provide remote learning to my kids, really all of their students, on day one.  And while we may not have thrived those first few weeks, we survived, and most importantly, everyone passed!

Fast forward to August 2020.  Christ Academy opened its doors, welcomed the students back and resumed in-person learning with the option to continue remotely learning due to their commitment to their students’ education and health.


With this in mind, my husband and I decided to take advantage of the  opportunity to have our children con-currently enrolled in on-campus & remote learning.  After getting permission from Mr. Callaway, communicating with my children’s teachers & making sure we had all of their school materials ready, we took off to Vail, CO for 10 days on September 26, 2020.

Molly learning to dry-fly fish.

Molly learning to dry-fly fish.

Our family has always spent time in the mountains in the summer and winter, but never in the fall due to school.  It had been a dream to see the aspen trees change color and to hike and fish surrounded by their vibrant colors with a cool fall breeze blowing.

The plan was simple, school work in the morning followed by family activities in the afternoon, imagine biking, hiking, fishing, etc.  The big question was, could we THRIVE with remote learning?  The answer was a resounding yes!

My children are in grades 7, 5 and 3.  My junior high student, Baily,  was able to complete all of her assignments on her own.  Using the school issued laptop, she would log into Schoology.com everyday, watch the pre-recorded lessons and complete her work.  She only needed my help when she had to record a speech for history about American colonization in New Jersey. Beyond “classical” learning she was able to use the lessons she has learned in her photography to document our trip.

My upper elementary student, Molly, didn’t need my help at all.  She would disappear into the basement where she’d set up her “desk” on the pool table, please note the flexible seating, and work through her lessons on math, social studies, science and english again accessible on Schoology.com.

 
Baily, grade 7

Baily, grade 7

Molly, grade 5

Molly, grade 5

Peter, grade 3

Peter, grade 3

Peter reciting his memory verse, Matthew 5:16

Finally about my third grader, Peter.  He took the most coaxing daily to work through his lessons, and I did have to help him read his work.  Chlorophyll is a hard word for me to spell, let alone for him to read!  With Mrs. Issa’s instruction, we were able to complete all of his assignments and finish all of his tests including math, science & spelling on Schoology.com.


This family vacation would NOT have been possible without the school’s individual attention to my children during their remote learning.  Christ Academy’s teachers are going above and beyond to teach the children in the classroom and those learning remotely without missing a beat.   


We came back to campus on Thursday, October 8, 2020, and the kids' learning was current with those that hadn’t been in Colorado.  Christ Academy’s commitment to the relentless pursuit of innovation, education and spiritual development applies to students in the classroom and those learning remotely.  I believe being a small school with big opportunities allows for countless choices.

 
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Brooke ClarkChrist Academy