♪
♪ >> Kim: THERE IS NO SIMPLE
SOLUTION.
SOLUTION. TONIGHT, A TEAM OF EDUCATORS IS
TAKING A LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE
REMOTE LEARNING WORK AND WHAT’S
KEEPING THEM UP AT NIGHT.
30 DAYS AFTER A SHUTDOWN OF
SCHOOLS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
PLANS TO EDUCATE FROM A
DISTANCE.
DISTANCE. >> Devin: PAULA TUTMAN BROUGHT
TOGETHER 13 EDUCATORS, AND IT’S
CHALLENGING, FRUSTRATING AND
DAUNTING.
DAUNTING. BUT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
LEARNING IN NONTRADITIONAL WAYS.
HERE’S PAULA.
HERE’S PAULA. >> Paula: ZACHARY LOVES SCHOOL
AND DREAMS BIG, BUT TODAY --
>> I’M WORRIED ABOUT MY
EDUCATION.
EDUCATION. I WANNA BE ABLE TO DO ALL THESE
THINGS THAT THESE OTHER KIDS ARE
ALREADY DOING.
ALREADY DOING. I WANNA BE ABLE TO FULFILL MY
DREAM OF BEING A SCIENTIST.
>> Paula: AN A AND B STUDENT AT
PONTIAC MIDDLE SCHOOL, HE’S HAD
NO ACCESS TO DISTANT LEARNING
SINCE MARCH.
SINCE MARCH. >> I’M NOT ABLE TO ACCESS IT
BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF STUFF WE
HAVE.
HAVE. LIKE THE LAPTOPS, WE DON’T HAVE.
>> Paula: HE IS PROOF POSITIVE
THAT IN THE AGE OF COVID,
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS 100%
EDUCATION FOR ALL.
HIS MOTHER MARIE IS IN A
RECOVERY PROGRAM AND SHARES A
HOME WITH ANOTHER SINGLE MOTHER
MEGHAN AND HER FOUR SONS AND
BOTH HAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF A
HIGH COOL EDUCATION.
THEY HAVE A DAILY STRUGGLE TO
STAY SOBER, PUT FOOD ON THE
TABLE AND SURVIVE.
>> I LIKE WHEN YOU HELP ME DO
STUFF.
STUFF. >> Paula: BY PUTTING 13
EDUCATORS IN THE SAME ZOOM ROOM,
WE WORK TO FIND ANSWERS TO AN
INEVITABLE EDUCATION GAP FOR
MANY OF METRO DETROIT’S
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. >> WE ARE GOING TO LOSE
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE
FARTHER BEHIND BECAUSE OF THIS
CRISIS.
CRISIS. >> FOR NOW, IT IS A CONCERN THAT
KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT AND KEEPS
OUR TEACHERS UP AT NIGHT.
>> Paula: COVID-19 HAS RIPPED
OFF THE BAND-AID AND EXPOSED
GAPS IN MICHIGAN’S EDUCATION
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. >> WE’RE NEVER GOING TO ADMIT
WE’RE GOING TO LOSE STUDENTS
BECAUSE WE CAN’T DO THAT AS
EDUCATORS, BUT THERE ARE
INEQUITIES.
INEQUITIES. >> Paula: A BAROMETER OF NEED
AND ACCESS CAN BE MEASURED BY
HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE ON FREE
AND/OR REDUCED BREAKFAST AND
LUNCH PROGRAMS?
LUNCH PROGRAMS? IN THE TRICOUNTY METRO AREA, IN
MACOMB COUNTY, 50% HAVE FOOD
INSECURITY, OAKLAND COUNTY 34%,
AND IN WAYNE COUNTY IT’S 60%.
ZOOM IN ON DETROIT AND IT’S 90%.
WAYNE-WESTLAND 80%, COMPARED TO
NOVI WITH ONLY 9% STUDENTS THAT
ARE FOOD OR DIGITAL ACCESS
INSECURE.
INSECURE. DR. WANDA COOK ROBINSON OF
OAKLAND SCHOOLS SAID THE
CHALLENGES CAN BE OPPORTUNITIES.
>> WE EDUCATORS, WE LOOK AT
LEARNING AS A TOTAL ENVIRONMENT.
PARENTS WERE OUR CHILDREN’S
FIRST EDUCATORS.
FIRST EDUCATORS. BUT MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS WORKING
ON MIXED FRACTIONS AND HAVING A
TOUGH TIME.
TOUGH TIME. HER MOM TOOK HER INTO THE
KITCHEN TO MAKE CRISPY TREATS,
AND SHE HAD TO USE MEASURING
SPOONS AND MEASURING CUPS AND
FIGURE OUT WHAT 1 1/2 CUPS OF
RICE KRISPIES WAS.
>> WE HAVE PARENTS TRYING TO
SURVIVE, NOT JUST WORKING ON
FRACTIONS.
FRACTIONS. AND THAT’S THE REALITY IN
DETROIT.
DETROIT. >> THIS IS BIGGER THAN JUST
GETTING THROUGH THE NEXT 8
WEEKS.
WEEKS. THIS IS HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD
WITH OUR FAMILIES AS PARTNERS AS
WE REBUILD OR BUILD A NEW
EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM FOR
CHILDREN HERE IN MICHIGAN.
>> Paula: THIS IS EXHAUSTING AND
DAUNTING.
DAUNTING. A LOT OF BANDWIDTH IS REALLY,
REALLY NEEDED.
REALLY NEEDED. TWO MORE CONVERSATIONS TO COME.
AT 6:00, WE’LL TALK ABOUT HOW
THE DISTRICTS ARE TRYING TO
CATCH UP WITH PARENTS AND CATCH
STUDENTS UP, AND THEN AT 11:00,
LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT IS THE
SCHOOL YEAR GOING TO LOOK LIKE
IN THE FALL IF WE HAVE A SCHOOL
YEAR.
YEAR. GUYS?
GUYS? >> Devin: AND IF YOU’VE MISSED
ANY OF THESE, STITCH THEM
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. THIS HAS BEEN TERRIFIC STUFF.