WINGHAM, ONT. -- Shelly Johnston has a lot of online learning happening in her household. She’s virtually teaching a business course for Goderich District Secondary School students.
Her husband is teaching music and physical education to elementary students, and her two children, in grade 4 and senior kindergarten, are also learning from home.
“There’s a lot going on our house, and all I can say is, I’m glad we don’t have an open concept home,” she says.
Johnston is trying to shed some humour and humanity on the online learning grind, via song. She wants her fellow teachers, and parents to know, they aren’t alone. She released her “ode to online learning” last week. It’s already received overall 12,000 views.
“Lots of people have it tougher than us. Like my friends with four kids at home and working from home. I don’t even know how they’re doing that. They have young children, as well. We have a five and nine year old. That’s fine, that’s doable. But, people with babies in the house, I don’t even know how they’re coping,” says Johnston.
Underlying her point, a system wide internet outage affecting students across Huron and Perth County impacted online learning Monday. Poor rural internet connectivity, is a daily struggle across the region.
“We’re learning as we go, and so are the students,” says Aideen Moss, principal for the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board’s Continuing-Virtual School.
Johnston says if there’s one positive to come from online learning, it’s that some students will be much more grateful to return to the classroom, when they’re allowed to.
“Now we have students in high school that are just so excited to return to class, which is a total shift in idea. So, I think there’s going to be come good that comes out of this, and one is there will be a renewed excitement for learning,” she believes.
Students in Southern Ontario are expected to return to in-person learning on Jan. 25.
