Gadsden teacher uses online classes to reach out to students

GADSDEN, Tenn. — Teachers and faculty at one school are bringing a classic classroom activity to their students’ homes.

“If we’re going to be out for a while, I don’t want them to miss out on seeing our faces or hearing our voices,” Gadsden Elementary third grade teacher Rachel Higgins said.

Like many schools, Gadsden Elementary shut their classroom doors to students and faculty to help flatten the curve, but that doesn’t mean they’ve shut the doors on learning activities for students.

Higgins came up with the idea to post videos on Facebook of teachers and staff reading to students in all grade levels.

“All of our parents will message me or comment saying, ‘We love listening to you read!’ and I have family members of students message me saying, ‘I really enjoyed hearing you read!'” Higgins said.

Higgins says having teachers read picture books to students helps with consistency.

“It’s helping with their vocabulary, things they need to practice everyday, even comprehension and understanding what that story was about,” Higgins said.

“They can talk to their parents about the book and answer some questions from them, something we’d do in the classroom,” said Cassie Pearson, a resource teacher at the school.

Pearson says reading from a distance helps them stay connected with their students.

“We just want to show them we still care, and we love them, and we miss them. I just forgot what all I get from them. I feel like I’m a different person not being around my kids. That’s where I get my confidence, is from my babies,” Pearson said.

Teachers say they’re looking forward to getting back in the classroom and face-to-face with their students.