Teaching in the time of COVID-19 #OneForAll

News: San Francisco unified school
district is taking serious precautions

against the potential
spread of the Corona virus.

This morning, one public school is closed
and many more are feeling the viruses

impact.

George: I live in San Francisco, which
is one of the most diverse cities in the

United States.

It's a beautiful place.

You know, I've seen this place change
Belvoir high school where I work is

basically a beacon for this community, and
we represent basically the demographic of

San Francisco.

I'm a teacher and I love to teach, you
know, and what does it really mean?

I have thought about that for the last 25,
28 years I've been a teacher, and I always

come back to just one thing, which is
to have a authentic, relationship and

interaction with the students in this
brief period of time when they're in my

classroom.

when the governor.

And then the district
told us not to go back.

It was basically just leave everything and
don't come back the next week kind of a

thing.

And also a lot of us basically left our
computers, our equipment, our content,

everything we have in the classroom,
which is our second home, you know.

I was trying to figure out on my calendar,
when was the last time I saw my students.

And in my mind it feels
like it's been so, so

long ago.

Taskia: My name is Taskia.

I'm 11 years old.

Aleefa: My name is Aleefa, I'm nine
years old and I like puppies and animals.

Because we haven't been
really thing at home for long.

Cause most of the day we've
been spending and at school.

But then we come home and
it's all been a bit different.

Taskia: I feel like I have to transform
my bedroom, which look classrooms like as

like a place where
there's no distractions.

Aleefa: Hi, I'm Aleefa
and today I'm going to be

riding my bike

Jonathan: How are you?

Peter: Okay.

I'm doing okay.

Yeah, it's a like everyone else, just
trying to figure out this whole thing

right now.

Jonathan: How's your homeschooling?

Peter: Well, it's day one, so if i'm
honest is like day one or at the moment

feels a bit like school holiday in that we
try in a school holiday, not to just like

sit around watching Disney plus all day.

It's more, it's trying to do something
a little constructive to keep a bit of

learning going on.

Aleefa: I miss my teacher,
my friends, my classroom

theres like lots of different
emotions swirling around.

There are some happy thoughts,
and some sad thoughts.

Taskia: It's day three of me suffering
at home and I'm trying to do these math.

but I'm so distracted by
everything on my desk.

Jonathan: What's been hardest so far?

Peter: The designer in me Is trying to
look at everything as a design challenge,

right?

So it's not looking at the world
as like, oh my god, it's all over.

It's like, you know how
might we work on this?

How might we solve this?

How might we find opportunities in this?

How might we use this as times to spend
a bit more quality time as a family?

Katie: Hi, Mr Lee,

Monica: Hi Mr Lee.

George: You guys are just like in class.

Exactly the same personality.

Gavin: Hi Mr Lee

George: Hi Gavin

Being able to see my students makes me
remember who I am because I think that a

lot of times we lose track of who we are.

Nicole: He's going to tear up

Virtural hug.

Gavin: Cause like right now
I'd rather be at school.

then like staying at home every day,

Nicole: I actually miss it.

Crazy.

George: Yeah.

Can I ask each one of you to just very
quickly, one thing that you guys have

hopeful for?

Gavin: I think for me, I'm hopeful

for graduation.

Just like being able to like go on stage
and prove that like the 12 years is worth it.

Johnny: It's something that all seniors
are looking for when we graduate high

school.

Monica: Being able to see
everyone again will be cool.

Nicole: It just, it feels so unfinished.

I'm acturally really hopeful for college.

A few days ago, I acturally got accepted
by UC Berkeley, and I'm going to try to

become a doctor.

Jonathan: What's the one
thing giving you hope?

George: You know, I'm a perpetual hopeful
person because I'm always with young

people.

You know?

You guys give me hope.

This is the one event in my lifetime where
entire global community, our humanity,

just earth of ours, it's been affected
equally and we're all feeling the same

thing.