MACON, Ga. — Bibb County Schools' last day is May 1. With the switch to digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been challenging for students, parents, and teachers alike.
Michelle Sumrall's daughter, Aleshia, is a sixth grader at Howard Middle School.
"She gets up, and she attends that virtual class, and they interact with the kids," she said.
Sumrall said the transition to online schooling was seamless for her Aleshia.
"She adapted pretty quickly. Enjoy, I don't know if I'd use that word, because she does love the social aspect of school. She loves seeing friends, she's just always been that child."
Sumrall said for her, teachers made all the difference.
"They were very accessible, so I don't feel like I had to do a lot other than make sure she had access to everything she needed," Sumrall said.
Eric Fuller is Aleshia's math teacher.
"Some students would mute other students playing online, just like they would in middle school," Fuller said.
For him, online learning through Microsoft Teams was a new process and took his teaching to a whole new level.
"It's one thing to hear their voice, and we can see them through Microsoft Teams, but still different than having the opportunity to see and interact and read facial expressions, it's a big difference," said Fuller.
Fuller says once he realized students needed one-on-one help, he would record and post videos where he explains and writes out math problems in full. He says students liked it.
"I hope that we'll be back in the class, and the excitement comes from the opportunity to blend what we learned through this experience and emerge it into our class," he said.
With a shortened school year, Fuller says the hope is to be back in the classroom by August.
Bibb County Schools made the decision last week to end the school year early.
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