At Dearborn Academy, our staff is supporting student learning in-person as well as remotely as we work to keep students and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are pleased to see smiling eyes above masks, and hear laughter from students throughout the building and on Zoom.

It is a joy to watch our students being flexible as they learn new routines.

When Learning Remotely

One challenge for students can be learning to be comfortable sharing their faces during Zoom video calls and online classes. This is not only important for their current schoolwork, but it is an important part of getting them ready for life after Dearborn. Most colleges and many workplaces are using Zoom and similar platforms for classes and meetings. 

It is also difficult for students who are showing their faces on video to connect socially and to do group work with a student who is not sharing their face. Head of School Rebecca Altepeter likens this behavior to holding a meeting with 10 people in the room, and one is sitting outside the door yelling into the people in the room. It is a barrier to working as a team and to cultivating friendships.

When our students are struggling to share their face because they are feeling too shy or anxious, our clinicians provide extra support to help them manage the feelings that arise from this challenge. With this encouragement, our students can persevere and learn these critical communication skills!