Teaching Relief During the “Pandemic Panic”
Lately, with COVID-19 in full swing, it feels as if life has been in full panic mode. Jobs have been cut, money has been lost, and nothing is for certain anymore. It even seems our schools, once seen as sanctuaries to our children, cannot make up their minds. “What do we do with our children-the future of our society?” This very question has plagued and rocked the normal fluid-like educational culture of DFW.
Many parents are outraged by the ongoing feud for power between the state and local governments. The persistent back and forth of decision making has caused much grief for the back-to-school season. What once was a time of almost palpable excitement, as school supplies, lunch boxes, and backpacks were adorning the shelves of nearby stores, now is a time of uncertainty, clouded by doubt, anger, and for many, fear. Fear…the very emotion driving the panic of this pandemic.
One Fort Worth educational clinic is trying to alleviate these fears by pioneering and offering something innovative to parents: at-home (or virtual), teaching relief, in the form of “pandemic pods”.
The Reading Connection in Fort Worth is a private reading clinic and learning center specializing in reading and math tutoring and intervention. From face-to-face to virtual, The Reading Connection strives to provide “highly specialized and skilled interventions so that students of all ages can become successful and confident lifelong learners.”
This strife, and constant desire to provide the community with innovative academic support, led the clinic to develop “The Connection Co-Op.”
“The Connection Co-Op was created in response to the overwhelming need expressed by community parents for virtual school support,” their flyer states. Each educator assigned to a student “Co-Op” is a certified specialist with a masters degree or higher. The specialists follow all of the COVID screening guidelines, wear PPE, and come prepared to comfortably and professionally guide students along their educational paths. These co-ops can consist of 1-4 students, making it possible for the social/emotional aspect of learning to occur concurrently with academic success.
This comes as welcome news to many parents and guardians, as they are confronted with the decision of their child(ren)’s academic future. Whether the decision is made to homeschool, stay virtual, or meet face-to-face, The Reading Connection, their new Connection Co-Op program, and their army of trained specialists are ready to receive, assist, and nurture our future one student at a time.
For more information about The Reading Connection or to set up your Connection Co-Op, call The Reading Connection office at (817) 924-2000, email Cindy Wayland at cwayland@reading-connection.com
