Quaranteaching in the Time of Covid-19: Exemplar From a Middle Grades Virtual Classroom

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic dropped educators across the world straight into remote learning with little time to prepare. As some have inevitably struggled, other middle grades educators have overcome beginning hurdles to not only survive but thrive amidst this new challenge. One teacher in particular, despite being in her first year, has found innovative ways to connect and motivate her middle grades students in a virtual environment. This article extends the steps, tips, and resources article (Pace, Pettit, & Barker, also in this issue) to provide a personal example of the successes (and yet still challenges) that exist when "quaranteaching" is done well. From TikTok videos, to Kahoot games played over Zoom, to contests to encourage attendance and increase motivation, Amanda Woods, winner of the National Association of Professors of Middle Level Education (NAPOMLE) Teacher Candidate of the Year in 2019, shares how she continues to meet the developmental needs of her young middle grades students even when she cannot see them physically each day.