Jenny Scarborough

Facebook to the Rescue Teacher creates community to support distance learners.

BY JENNY SCARBOROUGH

Two days before the June 17 deadline to choose between digital or face-to-face learning for the new school year, I was making every attempt to determine what was best for my sons. I researched medical websites and By the time we reached 1,500 studied fact-checkers that analyzed news reports. members, we had divided into subgroups I sought the advice of my retired-educator parents. for Pre-K through 12th grade, as well as a My husband was in a month-by-month, work-from-home group for special education students. Admins in situation, and I would not be able to stay home because these groups are organizing by schools and teachers, I am a teacher. Luckily, that day, we received informal setting up connections, and rallying to keep each other confirmation that my husband would be home through strong. One mom in the 6th grade subgroup organized December, so we chose digital learning a virtual meet-and-greet for the kids for our sons, who are in third and sixth grades. Our biggest worry was their socialThe DL Kids of and had her son moderate it, complete with talking points. After the meeting, emotional health and the consequences of keeping them from social connections. I did what everyone around me seemed to be doing during their summer of isolation: I looked to social media. People on Facebook were creating or joining groups that kept them connected with others in Cherokee County who had common interests and concerns. I read through local groups, hoping to find a family in our situation. The rhetoric became overwhelming, so I decided to create my own group – The DL Kids of Cherokee County. I reasoned that if I found 10 people like me, it would be a success. What occurred was the equivalent of digging a tiny hole in the ground and suddenly striking oil. Within 24 hours, 500 people asked to become members. I Cherokee County This is a group for families in Cherokee County, Georgia, who have chosen digital learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This group was started to help parents find connections for their children and help maintain their children's social-emotional health. We have become a community of parents supporting each other as we help our children navigate these unprecedented times … It takes a village to raise a child. We are that village. ” “ they broke off to play their favorite online games together. At this moment I realized this was the community I hoped would form. A community lifting up each other, helping navigate this unique experience. As of Aug. 4, as I sit putting the final touches on this article, our membership is 1,982. [At press time, the number had grown to 2,129]. Parents continue to help each other find answers to questions and find patience as teachers and schools work tirelessly to pull everything together. Retired teachers and former teachers are offering to help our kids by tutoring, organizing social activities, and facilitating pods so parents can continue working. (Pods are small groups of students who work on schoolwork at the same recognized the need and started organizing. location.) We have started albums within I set up posts for different grade levels and encouraged the groups to better disseminate information. people to tell what schools they attend. Over the next 24 The biggest surprise was how quickly this happened. I hours, our number grew to 700. I asked for volunteers set out to find connections for my own children and, in to help as co-administrators, and two wonderful ladies less than seven days, found a community of parents able answered the call. I would be unable to manage the group to set aside differences and focus on what is truly most without their insight and perspectives. As the digital important: the children. learning deadline passed, membership jumped to more than 1,200. I was amazed at the response. Parents who had chosen digital learning wanted to know what other families were doing. Parents who were on the fence Jenny Scarborough, a teacher of 24 years, has wanted to see if their ideas were feasible. Most of all, taught in Cherokee County since 2007. She is married and has two sons in third and sixth grades. parents wanted empathy and understanding.