Items

2020-11-08

Thank you Phoenix PD!

These cards were sent to the Phoenix Police Department by children to thank them for keeping their community safe. Its nice to see that there is still a lot of support for officers. Law Enforcement is a hard job and sometimes it can be hard to remember that people still care about and support those who protect and serve.

2020

Heartwarming

This is a small article I came across while browsing on Facebook. All to common these days are depressing, sad, aggravating messages and stories, so coming across a positive story was particularly exciting. Thank you to all those officers who provided help and comfort to that little boy!

2020-04-01

Hello Neighbors

After our governor ordered a lockdown, my children could not see their friends or classmates. In order to try to stay connected to our neighbors, we left daily messages in chalk so they could see them as they walked by. We also left our chalk so our neighbors could write messages in return.

2020-06-03

Final Day of Distance Learning

My 6 year old finished her kindergarten year at home due to COVID 19. Her teacher put together a "yearbook" for her as well as a "class ring" and a gift. My daughter's first year of school was not what she nor I expected but her teacher was fantastic and made the best of it.

2020-10-30

Parenting During a pandemic

During this pandemic nobody knew what was going to happen with anything including the school system. What some people fail to realize is that most homes have both parents working to provide for their family. Well what happens when a pandemic hits? Everyone was unsure of what they were supposed to do. Nobody knew whether or not they were going to lose their job or if they were going to be able to provide for their family. one thing i noticed that should have had more light shed on the subject was parents teaching their kids during a pandemic. Homeschooling was never on anyones list of things they were going to have to do. I focus on the families that have both parents as the people bringing in money. When the pandemic hit and everyone was able to transition working at home the parents that had the kids going to school suffered the most. Not only do they have to work at home but they now have to find time to make sure their kids a re being taught there school work. I could not imagine being a parent in this time and having to juggle a job teaching kids and making sure food is prepared and everyone is happy. I noticed that this made a lot people appreciate kids as well. Stay strong! what teachers have to go through on a daily basis. I appreciate all you working parents that are being forced to teach their

2020-10-30

Disneyland Workers Face Huge Layoff

California guidelines dictate that the state's largest theme parks won’t reopen until infection rates drop considerably in their counties. An Orange County health official has said that means Disneyland likely won’t be able to open before summer 2021. Due to this, many Disneyland workers have been laid off from a job that felt like home. Many furloughed Disneyland workers are struggling to make ends meet.

2020-10-27

How we voted in the 2020 election

This is the story of how we voted in the 2020 presidential election.

2020-10-26

Mom's Homemade Masks

This is an image of the workspace my mom and sister have been working at while creating masks for our family to wear. My sister has also sold a few to coworkers in our school district. This image shows how important masks are in order to stop spreading germs. Wearing a mask is extremely important when going out in public in order to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. My family has made several different kinds of masks. They have made different themed ones, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, as well as generic ones. They have made different styles, like the pleated surgical-style ones in this photo in addition to the Olson style masks. They have also created different sizes, for the adults in our family and smaller ones for my four nieces. This photo is important to me because it has been very difficult for my siblings to find masks at stores that will fit on kids ages 1-4. They are also more inclined to want to wear a mask because it is something special that my mom has made for them in patterns that they love, like animal, Disney, and holiday prints. I don’t think there is a lot of information out there about parents with young children who are growing up in the time of a pandemic. It can be difficult to leave the house some days to do something as simple as grocery shopping, because kids like to touch everything and don’t always cooperate when wearing a mask. One of the biggest struggles I’ve heard my sister talk about as an elementary school teacher is trying to get her students to keep their masks on. It's really important for people to understand these struggles and help each other out while in the midst of a pandemic.

2020-08-20

Pandemic be damned: Ahwatukee Nutcracker is a go

The organizer of the Ahwatukee youth Nutcracker production talks about plans to go forward with the annual ballet. She also talks about the precautions being taken to protect the dancers that are auditioning and back-up plans in case the auditorium is cannot be used.

2020-06-15

Ph.D. exams in quarantine

My family stayed mostly at home through July. I began my Ph.D. exams in June and finished them at the beginning of July. I had to work in the office of our apartment complex, because I couldn't concentrate in our apartment with two kids. When the cases began to rise in July in Arizona, the governor closed bars, gyms, and water parks. As a result my complex closed the offices, and I had to scramble to find another place to work. Thankfully our professors decided to give us 2 weeks (instead of 1) to answer each question, and I passed with high scores.

2020-05-27

The impact of COVID-19 on student achievement and what it may mean for educator

I wanted to submit this article because I relate to it so much and how the pandemic has made so many students like me struggle to succeed from home where there is so many distractions and you just can't focus most of the time.

2020-03-25

Bedtime Band

Due to pandemic restrictions, I moved to work remotely in mid-March 2020. While hunkering down, this additional time spent home rather than commuting allowed for additional family time in the evening. My wife, two sons, and I would make it a point to pick up our instruments after dinnertime and sing. One song that grew from our nightly 'concert' was 'Bedtime Band.' I will never forget the little melody we created and our six and four year old playing their little drumset and ukulele. While the pandemic has brought much adversity to many, I'm grateful for the additional time I've spent with my family. *Video file converted to audio - originally recorded on my iPhone

2020-10-12

Sounds of Corona

As I raised my three kids, they were fairly limited on the amount of screen time they could use every day. Screen time includes video games, phone time, TV, movies, etc. and they were allotted about two hours a day. When they were smaller, it was closer to an hour but once they all owned phones, it doubled. In March of 2020 when schools closed and we were stuck in the house because of Corona, their screen time grew quickly and exponentially. Despite my best efforts to keep them busy or more productively entertained, they played a lot of video games. When they play, they are very loud. I don't know if this is normal it is for my kids! I’ve submitted a short audio clip of them playing Fortnite because when I think of Corona (especially the early days of strict quarantine), I remember the sounds of my kids playing video games.

2020-09-06

How has Covid-19 Effected Children and Adolescents Mental Health

Personaly I can relate to this because since school closed and I wasn't able to do any of my everyday activities such as seeing my friends and playing sports. Not only is online school hard, but I also find myself less motivated to do things and I feel like I have less energy.

2020-05-22

Covid 19 Mental Health Effects on Children and Adolescents Unit 2 Assessment Artical

Personally, I find having to deal with online school hard enough and that's not to mention that amount of time I spend at home without being able to see my friends, play sports, or any other activities that I was part of. I feel a decrease in energy and having no motivation to do anything.

2020-09-26

COVID-19 2020

The story I am submitting is about people losing their jobs and homes during this pandemic. It is important to me because I know some people who have lost their jobs due to this and they were struggling to pay their bills, wondering when their next meal was going to come, even the parents who had to quit their jobs because schools had closed down so that was another stressor during this time.

2020-09-16

The Crushing Reality of Zoom School

This article is a candid look into how doing school online through Zoom has proved to be an exhausting challenge for children, teachers, and parents.

2020-09-23

The Challenges of Caring for Children and Working at Home

I have been working from home and caring for both of my kids with my spouse since March. It is challenging and chaotic, but also it brings a lot of joys in watching kids develop. Teaching at the university level has also brought its challenges and joys, but I hope that by making my own struggles visible, it makes me more relatable to students.

2020-09-16

Navajo United Way, Inc.

The Navajo United Way, Inc. received aid from the ASU/Luce Covid-19 Rapid Response project. Community served: Native American (Navajo) Project: Diapers, wipes, water, formula for Navajo children

2020-09-08

Building a sandbox in the backyard

My husband has been working on building a sandbox in our backyard for about a month in between being a dad and other things. It’s his first project like this. We wanted to have something fun for our kids to do in the backyard. This is one of those home-related projects people took on this summer since we are all stay closer to home. He’s done most of the work. Our daughter and J have helped from time to time. She doesn’t know what she’s helping build. We can’t wait to surprise her with the completed sandbox!

2020-09-03

The Mental Load Of Motherhood Has Never Been Heavier

I know I’m not the only mom hurting right now. Many moms across the world in this period of uncertainty are hurting. We’re hammered with issues. Not being able to leave our homes the way we want to. Not being able to see our friends. The fear of sending our kids to school. Deciding if we should take a vacation to bring some normalcy back into our children’s lives. To improve our mental health. Financial stress. Stress about when this pandemic will end. Taking care of our children 24/7 without a break for the last five months. Caring for kids and working at the same time. Supervising our kids’ virtual lessons. Increasing anxiety and depression. The list goes on. This pandemic has brought so many moms to their knees. I see you hurting, exhausted, anxious moms. I see you running on empty. I see the toll that it has taken on our children and on our families. I want to offer some advice that I know I would appreciate getting. Next time you see a mother and want to offer support in a way that won’t kick her while she’s already down, rather than tell her to find a silver lining in this chaos that we are living in, simply respond with “I am here for you. We will get through this together. I know it’s hard.”

2020-08-06

First day of Kindergarten

We had been counting down this day for over a year. My oldest daughter could not wait to start kindergarten. The full impact of Covid had not hit me until her first day of school. It was nothing like I thought it would be. I snapped this picture of us (myself, my kindergartener, her little sister, and her dad) walking to the front of the school. There was no walking her to class to meet her teacher, no in class-pictures, no watching her take a seat at her desk. Instead, we walked her over with our masks on, waited while she got her temperature taken, and then watched her be escorted to her classroom since we were not allowed in class. A week after this photo was taken, her school decided it was best to do 100% remote learning. Since she is only five, she cannot understand the severity of Covid and has a hard time understanding why she can't be in class with her friends.

2020-09-02

Proper way to wear a mask

Humor has become so important to our everyday lives. If the mainstream media were to be believed, it would be all doom and gloom. Sometimes, a laugh is just what the doctor ordered. Wearing a mask as one goes about their daily routine is a new concept for many, especially children, who might not really understand the reasons why and might be afraid. This particular photo of a German Shepherd demonstrating the proper way to wear a mask is both funny and helps make wearing a mask seem not so scary for children.

2020-02-28

Abandoned Playground

In this photo caution tape was put up around the playground to prevent any kids from going onto it as well as a sign that said that the playground was closed due to the corona virus. Generally during that time of the year (the spring) the playground is always inhabited with children and families. Usually in the afternoon, kids from the school behind it always played on it. The shutting down of schools and effort to prevent the spread of germs caused this playground to be also be shut down. It felt weird to me when I walked past the playground and the basketball court that was next to it, to see nobody there and it reminded my family of a ghost town. We walk past that playground almost every day and to see in empty was a weird and eerie sight.

2020-08-31

Learning how to dot your i 's and cross your t 's

College students are not the only ones dealing with the challenges of online classes. Many families find themselves in a tricky situation during the COVID school year. I've been working with a family for a couple weeks now trapped in this dilemma. Both of them work full time and their two boys both in elementary school have to attend online classes. If you think college students struggle with online instruction then imagine being a grade school age child learning how to read and write. The value of in person instruction and the importance of a classroom environment becomes apparent very quickly. Children need a structured day that allows them to play and learn with other kids. The family I've been working with has the financial means to have someone like myself come in and help their 6 year old traverse the challenges of online instruction. This period of non traditional learning which kids will undergo leads one to ask questions about the long term effects of this on their future as students when they finally do return to class. Will they easily transition back to a classroom environment? Or with they will they have a longer period of adjustment? One can only hope that the necessary separation of the pandemic won't have long term affects on the development of children.

2020-08-19

A Small Group of Protesters Gather to Protest for Reopening of Tuolumne County Schools

A small group of protesters gather in rural town Sonora, California to protest for opening schools in Tuolumne County. Protesters are seen in the photo either wearing masks improperly or not wearing a mask at all, suggesting reopening schools may not be in the best interest of public health. While I understand distance learning is difficult and fraught with problems in education systems and for parents, it seems unwise to put children in a position where they may be able to quickly contract and spread COVID-19, especially when some parents are not providing a good example for how to keep themselves and others safe while in public spaces.

2020-08-15

Our youth is yours

Turning twelve is a toast to tweens. To the parents, it’s a wistful goodbye to childhood. Before the March 16, 2020 enhanced community quarantine, two mommy friends and I were happily hatching a surprise party for our tweens. Our kids were childhood friends who shared the same birth month. Secret Viber invites were sent to the parents of their classmates and to close family. Then the news of the Covid-19 pandemic took over the headlines. Metro Manila was going to be on lockdown. The viber chat was shutdown with the cancellation of the party. The chicken nuggets and fries celebration was shelved. Michelle, Mika and Maddie would mark their memorable 12th year on this earth witnessing a global pandemic that would rock the world.

2020-08-21

A day in the life of a kindergartner

After a few days of online schooling, my daughter had a breakdown. She was trying her best and feeling frustrated. Her breaking point was finally accomplishing her task and not being able to get her teachers attention because of technical difficulties. Her teacher was congratulating all her classmates and recognizing their work but she didn't. She felt defeated and wanted to quit. I tried to console her and blamed the computer and not her teacher. She then decided to crawl under the table and cry of frustration. This picture is important to me because it describes how remote learning is going in our home. I have tons of pictures of her in front of the computer doing well in class, but this is a moment that happens a lot that I rarely document. My daughter knows she cant go into school because of Covid and understands as much as her five-yar-old brain can but she is without a doubt struggling. This photo reminds me that children are suffering just as much, if not more, than adults are during this challenging time.

2020-08-22

The meadow people: lessons from homeschooling day 1

Do I have what it takes to homeschool my kid? I never thought I would consider homeschooling, though I find myself in this unusual position. I am working from home, teaching online, and the current online curriculum isn’t working for my daughter. So after talking to one of the ASU JOTPY interns (Chris Twing) who also homeschools her kid I had the chance to look at 3 different homeschool programs she sent me. In the end, I liked the curriculum from Blossom and Root. It seems to encourage creativity and individual expression, and I love that. The math will require a supplemental program, but if she wants to go back to the bilingual school she’ll have to pass a math exam in Spanish anyway. So, either way I’ve got to come up with a Spanish math plan. This picture shows one of the activities from the literature lesson. We read two stories from The Meadow People, the “Selfish Caterpillar,” and the “Lazy Snail.” She had to make characters out of clay and retell the stories in her own words. It was honestly a lot of fun, and much better engagement. I love working, but this is helping me see a way to support by child and connect with her through education.

2020-07-20

On Learning: Importance and prevalence of education

It is my last year of undergraduate studies and a really crucial year for the transition into Medical School. Experiencing such a thing as this pandemic at such a momentous period in my life was intimidating at first but gradually transitioned into a much required reflection. The lockdown had started at the end of the Spring semester and the importance of school and studies started to fade away into what seemed like a never-ending holiday. The semester then ended and summer seemed like an extension of the holiday even though entrance exams were just around the corner for Medical School. Two months went by in a flash and nothing but a lazy attitude was accomplished. I then recieved this letter in an email from my grandfather who was half-way accross the world. The letter was a short story about his life and the educational aspects of it. He was clearly reliving some of his memories from when he was my age and wanted to impart some much needed advice onto me. Without knowing my mental state at that point, he knew exactly what I needed and could somehow sense my cowardice. His letter gave me a "kick in the butt", which was much required. From the letter; arose in me a certain kind of motivation that had escaped since the start of the lockdown. The letter is a small example highlighting the privilege of an education. It exemplifies the importance of learning, which can be useful for every student. The yearning to learn must never stop, especially at a time such as this.

2020-05-04

Fish Wish in the time of Covid - Jewish Melbourne

We decided as a family to create a film that documented our experience of lockdown. The film is a narrative that is loosely based on our family's lived experience in the time of Covid-19. The act of making the film as a family served to connect us creatively. The film also acts as a time capsule.

2020-08-08

Work From Home Playset

The perfect toy for 2020. For kids who want to imitate their parents, here is the toy for them. Note the earbuds, the laptop with Zoom software, the crying baby on the floor, the snacks, and the wine.

2020-08-06

Work From Home Playset for Kids. Humor

With Corona, parents have to cope with working from home, providing full time child care, homeschooling, planning, shopping for and preparing all the meals, and all of the household chores. This playset for kids shows how they can act like their parents in these days of quarantine. Children always like imitating their parents. Now they can do that during this "new normal."

2020-07-30

Melting Through Time

Melting Through Time is a drawing by my 13 year old daughter who felt that this depicted how she feels being in lockdown stage 4. I feel that it is an accurate representation of how many people are feeling irrespective of age: trapped, powerless, confused and wondering how to find purpose and maintain their identity.

2020-03-28

Cleaning The Climbing Frame

This image shows workers in Mexico cleaning playgrounds to stop the spread of Covid-19.

2020-08-04

A New and Uncertain School Year

The marquee along Maple Street, Wichita, Kansas, for Benton Elementary School urges parents to enroll their children now in what many thought would be a challenging school year. In late July, the Wichita school board delayed the start of the school year until after Labor Day in order to give faculty and staff more time to adjust their curriculum to more flexible models, clean facilities, and set up necessary shields, barriers, and social distancing measures. Despite the mandate requiring these measures, as well as masks and hand washing every hour, teachers and students still ventured into an uncertain school year, as Wichita-area schools forged ahead with in-person instruction and contact sports.

2020-05-01

Home school during lockdown one in Melbourne

My kids will remember this time of their lives but they won't remember the details. I wanted to document a new way of them learning from home and show them in many years to come how they adapted and thrived

2020-07-25

Orange County Fair at Home!

It is a huge summer tradition in our family to go to the Orange County Fair. Even when we go somewhat ironically, we always have a great time. When the fair was cancelled this year, my mom and I decided we would run the fair for my kids at our house. We went all in. We made a “photo booth” and a theme, to emulate the somewhat cheesy themes the fair has every year. My daughter made rides and games, with tickets for purchase. There was an art exhibit, and a “carnival of products” where my daughter “sold” suncatchers she and her brother made. We awarded items in our garden with fair ribbons. And, most importantly, we home made every fair food you can imagine - Orange Julius, soft pretzels, sausages, grilled corn, corn dogs, funnel cake and more. Orange County Fair 2020, COVID, Quarantined, and Closed actually turned out to be a pretty amazing day!

2020-06-13

Art at Home

As part of a virtual Girl Scout camp out, Karis, age 9, participates in a virtual art class to paint her version of "Starry Night." Girls Scouts has had activities every week of the summer to help girls continue to thrive.

2020-07-24

Stephanie Kelley Oral History, 2020/07/24

Stephanie Kelley, a seventh-grade science teacher from Carlsbad, California, discusses her school district’s decision to terminate in-person instruction, the implementation of distance learning strategies, and the future of K-12 education in the United States. As a nationwide debate over the effectiveness of distance learning ensues, Stephanie believes that technological platforms can be a powerful tool when utilized correctly. Stephanie shares how community building in the classroom at the beginning of the year helped establish higher levels of student trust and participation during virtual instruction. Beyond the classroom, Stephanie discusses her hobbies during the COVID-19 pandemic, including television, reading, and accompanying her husband to local dog parks. Looking ahead, Stephanie believes that schools in her region are not ready to fully reopen, citing a persistently high number of positive cases. Stephanie shares that public health officials should be listened to when deciding whether schools should close due to a pandemic. She also expresses extreme disappointment at the level of political interference in children’s education.

2020-07-26

Trekking to Glendale for the Splash Pad

Everything in Tempe has been closed since late March. Well, almost everything. The bars and restaurants have opened and re-closed. By contrast, playgrounds, splash pads, and pools have stayed closed. It’s been so hard not be able to take the kids somewhere to burn off energy. But, because of the inconsistency in state and municipal responses, the counties surrounding Tempe have different rules. That means we can go to a swimming pool in Chandler or a splash pad in Chandler. I realize that taking the kids anywhere in a pandemic is polemical, but they need a break from the monotony. It’s way too hot during the day (111-118 F) to just go on a bike ride or walk around the neighborhood. Therefore, we have to do something with water. We don’t go out every weekend, but we try to get out once in a while. My 6yo is struggling the most, she misses her friends, she misses school, and I feel like these outings help with morale.

2020-07-10

Alexis Walker Oral History 2020/07/10

Alexis Walker grew up in Southern California but is currently living in Fayetteville, NC while her husband is stationed at Fort Bragg. Alexis is currently a full-time mom and a full-time graduate student in Arizona State University’s online History M.A. program. Alexis’s day-to-day life is mostly centered around her family and the social life of the family is heavily centered around the military community of Fort Bragg. In this interview Alexis reflects on her experiences as a mother during the COVID-19 pandemic and how that has affected the way she cares for her children. Alexis also provides a unique insight to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of military members, their families, and the military community as a whole. With the stop movement order issued by the military, the lives of Alexis and her family have essentially been put on hold until the military decides to relax this movement and travel restriction. Finally, Alexis reflects on the varying responses to the pandemic within a community made up of great diversity due to the varying cultural backgrounds of military families.

2020

A Sailor's Life, Live!

Although the museum usually hosts youth educational programs in the summer, they've made the programs available online. For children interested in learning about the USS Constitution, they can view videos like this one and watch museum educators teach about the ship and its history. This video also includes USS Constitution crew members.