What Early Childhood Educators Learned During the Pandemic
PNC Grow Up Great Spotlights Amazing Teachers
2020 was a year like no other for early childhood educators. The importance of delivering high quality early childhood education became even more vital as children, teachers, and parents had to abruptly adjust to remote learning environments.
Each April, PNC celebrates Great Month, a time for our employees and communities to celebrate PNC Grow Up Great, a bilingual, $500 million initiative to help children from birth through age 5 prepare for success in school and life.
This past April, we highlighted amazing early childhood teachers across our footprint that found creative approaches to keep children engaged in learning during this ever-changing environment. We asked them to reflect on the obstacles they faced in a challenging teaching and learning environment, and what measures were adopted to encourage a thriving educational atmosphere for young children.
Partnering with Parents and Families
Some teachers found that they developed closer relationships not only with students, but with parents and families. Smaller class sizes allowed teachers to spend more one-on-one time with their little learners, and a remote learning environment caused more parents to be involved in day-to-day classroom activities and encourage their children to engage and participate.
Increased Use of Technology
Teaching and learning from home elevated the need for increased technology. Teachers acted fast to navigate and implement online learning platforms, educate children and parents on how to use the technology, and discover ways to ensure children were engaged to combat learning loss.
Getting Creative
Early educators know the importance of making learning fun! Teachers went above and beyond to find creative teaching methods and bring excitement into the classroom. Some even employed challenges to keep the children further interested.
Together, teachers, children and families found – and continue to find – new ways to learn and thrive in an unprecedented year. PNC Grow Up Great applauds all early childhood educators and will continue to work with them across our communities to ensure children have the resources to succeed. Learn more about how PNC Grow Up Great has been helping children from birth through age five develop a passion for learning that lasts a lifetime. Check out two teacher heroes in action here.