Denver teacher Gerardo Muñoz sits in front of the bookcase in his home office, faces his computer and makes small talk with his World History students as they log on for class.
It’s easy banter. Muñoz tells the kids he’s a Selena fan, and chuckles as they respond on Google Chat. He’s taught for 21 years, mostly at the Denver Center for International Studies, where he now instructs middle and high school students.
Last month, he was named Colorado’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, representing 60,000 Colorado teachers who, like him, are grappling with how to do their jobs in the midst of a pandemic.
The students get down to business, writing essays in preparation for the advanced placement test they’ll take in a few months to earn college credit for the class. When they’re done, Muñoz switches up the mood with a true or false quiz about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. He calls it “Fact or Crap.”
Throughout the hour, he refers to the toll the COVID-19 pandemic is taking on everyone. He acknowledges students who’ve told him they can’t get their homework done, noting how complicated peoples’ lives are right now. When a student chats him to make a suggestion about the class, Muñoz quickly buys into the idea.
“We need to do everything we can to make this as bearable as possible, am I right?" he said.
Speaking to Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner a few days later, Muñoz
said there’s no point sugar-coating things for his class.
“I joke with my students, you got all the worst parts of school with none of the good parts. You're doing a whole bunch of work, you're by yourself and you don't even get to see your friends,” he said. “I think it’s critical to be honest about this and how hard it is.”
The Link LonkDecember 01, 2020 at 06:07PM
https://www.cpr.org/2020/12/01/online-learning-isnt-easy-even-when-youre-colorados-teacher-of-the-year/
Online Learning Isn't Easy, Even When You're Colorado's Teacher Of The Year - Colorado Public Radio
https://news.google.com/search?q=easy&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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