Alaska@Work:
Michelle Waclawski
Alaska Adult Education program coordinator
Kachemak Bay campus
University of Alaska Anchorage, Homer
June 7, 2021
What do you teach?
"I teach math for GED, college and test preparation, "Life and Communication Skills", "English as a Second Language," "Digital Literacy" and whatever else is needed for job preparation. My students are 16 to 75 years old and are from Homer or any of the surrounding eight villages at the Head of Bay, across Kachemak Bay and north. Our campus is small, with 23 employees, and students are known personally. In our Adult Education program we get to know students and often run into them around town."
How has the pandemic affected your teaching?
"During the pandemic we were 100% virtual, with our two instructors working from home for over a year. We pivoted to remote student intake, remote test proctoring and remote teaching. All the lessons that were already developed for face-to-face delivery had to be put into presentation format for online delivery. I utilized Canva extensively for presentation development and started using Google Classroom as a repository for class materials and assignments."
What has been the toughest and best parts about the pandemic?
"The toughest but also most exciting part of the pandemic was the first spring when our learning curve was out of the ballpark as we learned Zoom, learned social media (to continue to reach our audience), developed systems for sharing documents between instructors and students, figured out a way to get forms to students to sign, and helped tutor folks through tech issues without being able to be there to see them and their device."
What kind of advice would you give to other teachers?
"Be open to learning a new way of doing, being, thinking and teaching. This pandemic is an opportunity to try new things and new processes. Try them out and keep what works. Modify what doesn't, or just let things go. Keep persisting in trying new things, always with the vision of helping students be successful."
What do you love most about teaching?
"Helping students become more independent and learn to act and think in their own lives. I tell students math isn't just about learning math; it's about who you become in the process of learning. It's the focus, the persistence, the logic, the mental complexity that comes with the learning process."
Anything else?
"This year I had a number of 16-year-olds who were so done with remote learning come in to get their GED. After I got the kids registered and going, the parents would shyly say, 'And I need my GED too.'
"It has been so exciting to see the multi-generational impact. These parents are supported by their village schools, because once they get their GED they could be substitute teachers and aides, which are desperately needed. To me, this is what it's all about!"
