News

David Hotler, a teacher at the American School of Madrid, addressed these questions and many others during a webinar last week, attended by more than 50 teachers and school leaders from across North America. (You can re-watch the webinar, hosted and moderated by Future Design School Director of Learning Sandra Nagy, via the link below.)

We all now, without a shred of doubt, teach people, not subjects. Write that on the wall for the foreseeable future.

Then, slow down. Everyone is overwhelmed. The end of this school year will not be like the end of other school years. Take a deep breath and remember that. Think about that. Internalize it. Then stop complaining. Stop it.

We are certainly living in unprecedented times! Online learning, remote communication, and new ways of interacting with schools are our current reality — and at Future Design School, we want to support you during this unique time period. 

Colorado is well known for its spectacular mountains and breathtaking views, but also for its dark history with gun violence and mental health crisis. There are very few students, teachers, parents, or colleagues that have not in some way been directly impacted by violence, fear, and mental health in some manner. I became a school leader bound and determined to make empathy our highest school initiative.

Students and their families are facing a wide range of unique challenges as schools close down and move online. With that in mind, here are some resources that parents and guardians can use — organized according to four guiding principles — to support their children’s learning and help them manage the change in routine and loss of in-class resources.