ICommunicate Podcast #109: Know Right Answers

The usual excitement that comes with a new school year for our children is unfortunately stifled by the fear of the unknown in regards to how schools will handle COVID. In this week’s episode of ICommunicate, former Teacher of the Year, Corinne Ferri from the North Smithfield, RI School District joins Mark to discuss how to prepare for the upcoming school year in regards to virtual learning. They discuss how to encourage your children to be engaged and active in their education, and create an effective pathway of communication between teachers, parents, and students. Segment 1: Schools are back in session -- but at what cost? Our readiness for COVID-19 is about to face the ultimate test as we send our children back to school, whether that be in-person, online, or a hybrid of the two. How do we prepare for the management of students and the crises that may occur? What developments can we anticipate over the coming months, and how can we respond to those? Segment 2: Day by day, it becomes increasingly difficult to assess our readiness for the challenges that are yet to arise. What do schools, teachers, and faculty need to do to prove that they are ready? How can we stay engaging and humane even through a screen? Segment 3: Becoming engaged with our children’s education can often feel like trying to navigate through a maze of communication. How can we as parents become more engaged with the education of our children? What strategies can we use to encourage our kids to open up about what they’re doing in school? Segment 4: Let’s face it, most kids aren’t excited about going to school outside of the social aspects that they engage in. How can we as teachers and parents develop genuine relationships with students and make them passionate about being in school?