SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Matthew Schneck is a history teacher at East Village High School. He has spent countless hours preparing his classroom for the return to in-person learning.
San Diego Unified School District started in-person learning Monday; Schneck said 60% of his students will learn virtually and 40% will be in his classroom. He has spent hours preparing his room spacing out desks, ventilating the room, even investing in CO2 detectors.
But he said the most challenging part will be being there emotionally for his students who have had such a rough year.
“I had a student call me in January sobbing because his grandfather died of COVID-19. It was a multi-generational family and the grandfather had lived in his home. At that point, I just said forget your assignments and take care of your family," Schneck told ABC 10News.
Schneck has been researching with other educators across the country, learning what they are doing to successfully teach a group of students in the classroom as well as a group of students on Zoom.
“I am just so excited to see my student’s faces again ... to see when they are confused or conflicted or not understanding something. To see their faces just makes all the difference when you were trying to reach them," Schneck said.
