It’s hard to think of a more difficult year for both students and teachers alike than 2020. With virtual and hybrid learning now the “new norm”, educators and their pupils are working outside their comfort zone. Some educators, however, are getting creative to ensure students get the most out of their online learning; such as 2020 NJ Teacher of the Year Kimberly Dickstein Hughes.
Hughes joins Steve Adubato, PhD, for an online chat in this episode of One-on-One with Steve Adubato. The two discuss the changes to her teaching methods; which earned her the 2020 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year award. She believes connecting with students is more important than ever, but knows keeping them engaged through a screen is tough.
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Hughes has been working at Haddonfield Memorial High School for the past 12 years. She has an English and political science degree from Rutgers University. During her first two years at Haddonfield, she was also earning her master’s in English secondary education from Rutgers. In 2009, she received her master’s degree and was hired by Haddonfield full time.
“I’ve always lived by that I am a public servant,” says Hughes, “and I am working toward the greater good and doing what I can to meet the needs of my community in any way possible. And when charged with flipping an entire institution overnight, in 24 hours, we did that and we’re still doing that.”
While the COVID-19 outbreak disrupts the 2020 school year, hybrid learning is New Jersey’s current solution. This means many teachers, like Hughes, have to interact with students both in-person and online. In order to do so effectively, Hughes took on a leadership role in developing online curriculum for NJ teachers. Working with NJTV Live and the NJEA, she empowered educators by providing on-air examples of successful online teaching.
Click here to learn more about how Hughes is helping teachers and students get the most out of hybrid learning.
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Top (Hero) Photo: © One-on-One with Steve Adubato / Caucus Educational Corporation