Faculty supporting elementary, secondary students with education materials during COVID-19
The Faculty of Education is providing free, online resources for elementary and secondary school students to support their learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With Ontario schools closed, the Faculty of Education has created the Learning Supports Hub - a place where parents and their children can access these learning resources.
The goal is to provide parents and caregivers with valuable activities that they can use with their children or that older students can do independently, said Bachelor of Education Program Coordinator, Katelyn Mentone.
Parents and students visiting the website can search by grade or subject. They’ll find links to webinars, books, videos and games to continue their learning during social distancing. Parents and students can also follow the Teacher Education blog to receive email alerts every time a new resource is added, said Mentone.
“My kindergartener and I have been enjoying reading the math surprise stories together - especially their take on the Big Bad Wolf,” she said.
Acting Dean Kathy Hibbert feels the Learning Supports Hub is a flexible way for teacher candidates to complete their program requirements while supporting students who haven’t been able to continue their education while schools have been closed.
“Our teacher candidates create fantastic work throughout their program and with the current pandemic putting a lot of families in uncharted territory, it became important for us to find a way to share this work with a wider audience,” said Hibbert.
Bachelor of Education instructors, faculty and teacher candidates have recommended resources for the Learning Supports Hub. Teachers accredited with the Ontario College of Teachers will review resources before they are posted to ensure they meet the learning requirements for students, said Mentone.
The Learning Supports Hub will be updated while schools remain closed and when there’s valuable content to post.
“Once Ontario schools reopen, we will return our focus to the Teacher Resources section of the blog, which allows us to share resources with teacher candidates that support their placements and their future careers,” said Mentone.
