For one Broward County mom, the going back to school debate is a little more complicated.
Ryann Goldberg is a kindergarten teacher, but she’s also a mom to a 4-year-old boy with special needs. NBC 6 anchor Sheli Muñiz spoke to Goldberg Wednesday through Skype.
GOLDBERG: It's definitely hard. It’s hard to finish up a school year virtually, and having a child of my own who is requiring some home school needs, so I kind of feel a different way as a mom and a different way as a teacher.
SHELI: Expand on this.
GOLDBERG: As a mom, especially of a child with special needs, I want my child in school 100% of the time. That is where he can get the best chance to get the skills that he needs he needs to be in a social environment. He needs the self-help skills, the life skills. As a teacher, I would do what’s needed. If I had to go in 100% of the time, do a hybrid of both, it’s what I do, I would make it work. It’s tricky, but I would make it work.”
SHELI: What conflicts come with starting a whole new school year virtually with Kindergarten students?
GOLDBERG: So, when we stopped in March, the kids had a groove, they had an expectation. Things were a well-oiled machine, so although not ideal, the kids were able to keep up with what was needed, digitally, at a distance. Now, however, I can't imagine having a group of just 5-year-olds being required to sit here on a screen to see me rather than get that whole child approach in the classroom.
SHELI: What do you want parents to keep in mind during this debate, as parents and caretakers are filling out these questionnaires?
GOLDBERG: It is a debate, my goodness, there’s certainly a lot of opinions going on. What I want them to keep in mind is that we have the same little people, big people in our minds and in our hearts and that’s the students. We want what’s best for them. We want them growing and learning, and we also want them to stay safe and healthy, so I think everybody in a roundabout way has the same end goal. We just don’t know how to start.
