Student teacher Krysten Masztal of Catskill, works on word and letter recognition remotely with Noah Oles, age 5, at his home in Gardiner.
As school districts throughout the Hudson Valley adjust to a new normal of remote learning, students from the SUNY New Paltz School of Education have stepped up to ensure that learning continues for the region. Through fieldwork, online tutoring and enrichment, innovative student teachers are helping schools and organizations find their way through the unprecedented educational changes resulting from the pandemic.
“With almost all activities moving to the virtual space our students, with faculty guidance, have quickly come up with creative learning exercises that are aligned with our commitment to making effective use of technology in the delivery of instruction,” said dean Michael Rosenberg. “Our educator preparation programs are by nature clinically rich and we have adapted quickly our field-based preparation methods to meet the needs of our students, as well as local teachers, families and learners.”
“We have been so lucky to have about two-thirds of our cohort be able to continue working with cooperating teachers,” said coordinator Heather Finn. “These teachers are always extremely supportive of our students and we are so grateful for our relationships with them.”