PreK–12 schools in Maine and around the country reopened for in-person instruction this fall after abruptly closing in the spring because of the coronavirus pandemic. But with many now operating on a hybrid schedule to limit the spread of the disease, educators and families continue to face uncertainty, and demand for reliable resources related to remote learning and other issues raised by COVID-19 has increased, according to a news release from the University of Maine.
To meet this need, the UMaine’s College of Education and Human Development has created a website to help address questions and provide research-backed information for teachers and parents. The PreK-12 Resources for Educators and Families site, umaine.edu/edhd/pk12-resources, includes links to materials on topics such as social-emotional learning, trauma-informed teaching, special education, literacy and more.
Faculty experts and graduate students in the college vetted all of the resources and provided short descriptions to make it easy for members of the public to understand how each one can be used. In addition, the different topic areas are organized into resources for educators and resources for families to make it easier for users to find the most relevant information.
While other educational organizations offer resource websites, one unique aspect of this site is the ability to highlight the latest in research and outreach from the College of Education and Human Development, as well as its collaborators. For example, the homepage features links to the Beyond Crisis Schooling project and Community Learning for ME.
Led by educational leadership faculty members Catharine Biddle and Maria Frankland, the Beyond Crisis Schooling research team analyzed how Maine schools adapted during the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic, highlighting “examples of the most interesting and innovative responses of Maine school districts to school closure.” Community Learning for ME is a volunteer-driven, grassroots website designed to be a community resource to support parents and teachers. Several faculty members in the college have contributed content to the site since it launched in the spring.
As the needs of the public shift during the pandemic and beyond, the college plans to update the resource website with the latest in research-based information and links.
Members of the public with questions or suggestions about content listed on the website are encouraged to email the college at coehd@maine.edu.
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