By Marj O’Neill ’21, Staff Writer
The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the consequent shut down and evacuation of LVC’s campus has impacted education students and student teachers.
At this point, the education department does not have all the answers as to next steps for their programs. The department is waiting on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s response to the school closings and online instruction format at institutions of higher education.
“We have instructed our student teachers to keep in contact with their host teachers and to offer support to any online instruction or resources that may be provided to K-12 students,” Dr. Jennifer Kanupka, chair and associate professor of education, said. “Every district is different, so this looks different depending on where the student teacher is placed.”
These circumstances only apply to Secondary and Music Education student teachers, as Early Childhood and Special Education student’s student teaching semester is in the fall. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors in the education program are currently in a holding pattern until the education faculty knows more about what is to come.
“Fortunately, our program at LVC provides more opportunities for our students to observe and assist in local classrooms than is required by the state, so even if we are off the remaining weeks of the semester, our students will still be in good standing,” Kanupka said.
Students await the return to the classroom, whether it’s sitting in a desk learning, or in front of a class teaching.
