Today is dark. It’s cold. It’s drizzly. Add in a heaping helping of social distancing and we could all use a little good news. That’s what Bradley Middle School Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) teachers brought when they hand-delivered smiles and about a dozen distance learning packets to their students.
Teacher Katy Ballantyne hopes this small gesture can take some of the stress off the parents.
“So they don’t have to be the ones to get out of the house, get their kids, come up here, cause it’s not always easy when you have special needs kids.”
Over the past couple of days Ballantyne and fellow teacher Crystal Hill have been putting together the distance learning packets so their students can have hard copies of the lessons. Having something to physically hold on to is very important for their students.
“Structure is very important,” said Hill. “I feel like the packets we provided are something they already see in the classroom and so having the same type of lessons that we have versus just online is very important to just keep the structure and routine for them.”
These dedicated teachers didn’t stop there. They also put together something they are calling “survival kits.” These sacks are filled with chalk, markers, fidget toys, snacks and bubbles. They wanted to make sure their students had a little something else to get them through this confusing time and make sure the students know their teachers are thinking about them.
“it is difficult to be away from them, they are our kids when they are here and they mean so much to us,” said Ballantyne.
Ballantyne and Hill, like all North East ISD teachers, are here for their student and parents. They are ready to help in any way they can as we all continue to get through this together, even if we must do it apart.
