The true essence is love

Mrs. Kathleen Smith is a first grade teacher at Hunt Meadows Elementary School in Anderson School District One. After the COVID-19 pandemic started, the school district established a Virtual Learning Academy, and Mrs. Smith volunteered to become a virtual teacher at the Academy. With strong support from the district leaders, fellow educators, IT experts and parents, Mrs. Smith has been able to adapt to all the changes, and is dedicated to making virtual learning as close as possible to face-to-face learning. She has been utilizing a variety of apps. She delivers books, anchor charts and tools for the students to use every other week. She still maintains a balanced literacy program and includes “brain breaks” for the class. She also applies the same model in teaching other subject areas. The pandemic has reminded Mrs. Smith that the true essence of education is love. From this story, we will witness her love for the children and her passion for teaching.