Page 7 - FIS World December 2020

tine, Mr. Switzer stayed on-site to support teachers who needed assistance in the transition to the DLP, but in the following week, moved to his home office.
“As many of the teachers were working from home, I felt like it was important to also try and get a sense of what the experience was like for them,” he said.
“I’m also a parent of two Upper School students, so being at home while they were there gave me some perspective on their world, too!”
As the Upper School Principal, Mr. Switzer provided some final words of encouragement to all members of the school community.“I think it is really important that we all find ways to feel connected even though we might be working in isolation. Homeroom check- ins, break times, lunchtimes, are a great way to keep in touch with your classmates via Zoom or other com- munication tools. I also think it is really important to not stare at a screen too much. Get out of your chair regularly and get some exercise throughout the day. And finally, practice gratitude. Write thank-you notes to your friends, teachers, parents, family members to tell them why you are grateful for them. It will make you feel better and it will certainly brighten their day.”
Overall, through the series of interviews, one thing became extremely clear: the incredible response of both the school and the community. When speak- ing with students from different schools in different countries, I realized that it was rare to see such a suc- cessful and effective implementation of a Distance Learning Plan. Finally, I’d like to remind us all to ex- press gratitude to the teachers and staff that aided us while being faced with a hasty transition to Zoom and online learning. During the quarantine period, it was the teachers that truly shone and showed the students that anything – including teaching – could be done during these turbulent times.
Seoeun (Sunny) Choi
FIS Alumna, Class of 2020
Virtually overnight, faculty and students alike moved to online teaching and learning
December 2020 FIS World 5