CHULA VISTA, Calif — A California teacher who was feeling a little lonely in his classroom has taken a crafty measure to make his empty classroom feel full.
Scot De Pedro teaches at Discovery Charter Elementary School. With the coronavirus pandemic, they've moved to virtual learning. Sometimes, it's hard to keep the wheels from falling off the wagon.
"We've never done this before. We're trailblazers and these first few weeks is all about problem solving," De Pedro said. "These kids are going to be here, and they're not just going to be here and be like, 'ugh.' They're going to be here and be excited."
De Pedro said as a teacher, he needs the social and emotional connection just like the kids do. So while he can't be in the same physical space as his students, he resorted to a skill he used years ago while working at SeaWorld: drawing caricatures. De Pedro drew one for each of his 52 fifth-graders and put them on their desks.
"It's about five minutes per face," De Pedro said. "They're all smiling. They're all looking right at me. They're all paying attention."
De Pedro said even with virtual learning, he never wanted to be in a classroom with no one in it. Now, he doesn't have to be.