WNPR – audio 5:53 (Jennie Weiner is interviewed about the challenges of parenting and working online during the pandemic)

Tara Amatrudo has been hired as the new principal at Marine Science Magnet High School in Groton. Amatrudo earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Southern Connecticut State University and her Sixth Year Professional diploma at the University of Connecticut.

“Sport went from being kind of like a safe haven [for me] to something that transformed into something that I really value, but really wanted to pour into others,” Batouly Camara said. “I understood what it did for me at a young age, and I’m still forming what it means to me now. But I know that it’s a huge part of everything that I do and everything I want to do in the future.”

“I am proposing … that we need to adopt a different approach to school and curriculum during the three or four months this lasts,” says Elena Sada, a doctoral student in curriculum and instruction at the Neag School.

“As parents and other guardians get ready to prepare their teens for college, they should not neglect helping those new college students in terms of their overall well-being. Well-being is influenced by lots of factors, so an important part of supporting your wellness is to create a personal plan of action,” says Sandra Chafouleas a professor of Educational Psychology at the Neag School of Education.

“There are more immediate budget concerns on the front burner, because education and distance learning and planning for the next fiscal year are probably on the horizon,” Bob Villanova said. “The immediate push is making sure that educational opportunity and moving ahead are real to every student.”

With school closings, parents will have to continue to try to fill the void at home. For some, that seems nearly impossible. We speak with Jennie Weiner, a Somerville parent who recently wrote about these challenges for the New York Times.

“Sport teaches us unity when we see teammates striving together for a common goal. As a global community, our common goal now is to defeat the coronavirus by working together,” says Eli Wolf, an academic technician with the Neag School of Education.

“The move to online instruction brings hope that we can emerge on the other side of the unexpected
with not just good but with better options for enhancing students’ learning,” says Barry Sheckley, a retired faculty member and former department chair. “Online instruction may foster innovations that enhance all students’ post-pandemic achievement.”

“This is essential work for the country: It will help us understand whether technology-driven, evidence-based learning can reduce the harm of this awful pandemic,” says Devin Kearns, associate professor of special education at UConn’s Neag School of Education, and a research scientist for Haskins Labs.