NEW YORK — The last day of school is a few weeks away, but nearly 178,000 students are expected to participate in summer learning.
A teacher in the Bronx explains why summer remote learning could benefit his students and how he’s making it innovative for them.
Jamie Ewing teaches grades K-5 at P.S. 277X in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx.
Nearly 90% of his students qualify for the free breakfast and lunch program, and he believes summer school would benefit a majority of his students because school is the safest, most stable place for them.
Ewing spoke to PIX11 Morning News about this new learning experience during the coronavirus pandemic and said the “first couple weeks were really tough,” but now he’s having “a blast.”
He also said his scholars and his colleagues are finally finding a rhythm to remote learning and he’s keeping students engaged by using an interactive platform called PREZI, which allows him to create mini-lessons for his students.
Ewing said he’s keeping his students engaged in subjects such as math and science by using baseball and other topics that interest them. Using “multiple ways of delivering content” makes everyday school subjects relatable and more interesting to students, Ewing added.
Since remote learning began, Ewing said students eventually adjusted and he’s seen a shift, noting a spike in engagement and his students are not only more collaborative with one another, many are becoming more confident and independent.
When asked whether summer school would really help students who fell behind during the pandemic, Ewing told PIX11 summer remote learning is an opportunity for educators to keep the momentum going.
“We have an opportunity to keep doing what we’re doing” and do what’s best for our scholars.
With nearly 178,000 students expected to enroll in summer learning, the Dept. of Education is accepting applications to fill 6,000 teaching slots for summer school.
