Imagine being a first-year elementary teacher, and a global health crisis forces you to shift your teaching responsibilities to 100% online instruction. And by the way – you have to do this without any prior formal training in online learning. This is the position that Detroit Edison Public School Academy teacher, Kaia Alexander, found herself when Stay Home, Stay Safe mandates closed her school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the challenges that arise from being a new teacher, Ms. Alexander also had to learn new digital platforms (and teach those platforms to her second graders), develop strategies to manage virtual classroom behavior, all while keeping her students and families motivated and engaged.

In this discussion with Tara Hardy, Education Manager at Detroit Public Television, Ms. Alexander shares the challenges she faced, the lessons she’s learned, and some encouragement and gratitude for her students and parents as they prepare for an uncertain fall semester.

Ms. Alexander, thank you for your positivity and commitment to serving your students!