Some Tucsonans look toward forming 'learning pods' as uncertainty over in-person learning continues

As uncertainty about when students will safely be able to return to in-person learning continues, some Tucsonans are starting to think of alternative ways for their children to learn.

JOSHUA MATTSON AND AMANDAHEFFERNAN ARE PARENTS TO (TWOBOYS ONE WHO'S CURRENTLYTEETHING THE OTHER WHO'SSUPPOSE TO BE GETTING READY TOHEAD INTO KINDERGARTEN NAT BUTBECAUSE OF THE COVID-19PANDEMIC THEY AREN'T HOLDINGTHEIR BREATH ON GOING BACKINTO THE CLASSROOM INSTEADTHEY'RE LOOKING TO FORM WHAT'SCALLED A LEARNING POD3:37-3:43 - "WHAT WE'RETHINKING ABOUT IS GETTING SOMEFAMILIES TOGETHER ANDALTERNATING DAYS THAT KIDS AREAT DIFFERENT HOUSES.".

THEIDEA IS TO GROUP STUDENTSTOGETHER BASED ON AGE HAVETHEM GET TOGETHER FIVE DAYS AWEEK ALTERNATING THE HOUSETHEY GO TO EACH DAY 2:25-2:37- "SO IT COULD BE LIKE AHOMESCHOOL CLUB, IT COULD BEPARENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN AVIRTUAL OPTION BUT ARE JUSTCOOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER TOPROVIDE CHILDCARE OR PLAYDATES KIND OF." WHEN IT COMESTO SAFETY - JOSHUA AND AMANDASAY THAT'S SOMETHING EACH PODWILL HAVE TO DISCUSS 4:35-4:43- "EACH POD WOULD HAVE TO GETTOGETHER AND MAKE THEIR OWNRULES AND THEIR OWNCOMMITMENTS TO EACH OTHERABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS." THETWO ARE SO ON BOARD WITH THEIDEA THEY CREATED (THIS AFACEBOOK GROUP MEANT FORPARENTS CONSIDERING A LEARNINGPOD 7:45-7:53 - "WHAT WE'REHOPING FOR IS THAT PEOPLEWOULD JUST USE IT DEPENDING ONTHEIR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION TOCONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE."THEY NOT ONLY SEE THIS ASBEING BENEFICIAL TOWARDSTUDENTS WHO OTHERWISE WOULDLIKELY JUST SIT IN FRONT OF ACOMPUTER ALL DAY - BUT ALSOCOULD HELP WORKING PARENTS3:45-3:48 - "THAT ALLOWS THEPARENTS TO WORK WHEN IT'S NOTTHEIR DAY." THROUGH THEFACEBOOK PAGE JOSHUA ANDAMANDA SAY THEY'VE EVEN GOTTENSOME POSITIVE INTERACTION FROMSCHOOL TEACHERS 14:15-14:24 -"WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OFTEACHER MEMBERS NOW THAT AREINTERACTING WITH THE PARENTSTOO TO KIND OF OFFER ADVICE TOTHE PARENTS ON HOW IT'S GONNAGO, WHICH IS GREAT." THE TWOENCOURAGE ANY PARENTSINTERESTED IN TAKING PART IN ALEARNING POD TO INTERACT INTHE FACEBOOK GROUP.

VERONICAACOSTA KGUN NINE ON YOUR SIDEFREE BACKPACKS AND SCHOOLSUPPLIES ARE SET TO BE HANDEDOUT CURRENTLY TEETHING THEOTHER WHO'S SUPPOSE TO BEGETTING READY TO HEAD INTOKINDERGARTEN NAT BUT BECAUSE OFTHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THEYAREN'T HOLDING THEIR BREATH ONGOING BACK INTO THE CLASSROOMINSTEAD THEY'RE LOOKING TO FORMWHAT'S CALLED A LEARNING POD3:37-3:43 - "WHAT WE'RETHINKING ABOUT IS GETTING SOMEFAMILIES TOGETHER ANDALTERNATING DAYS THAT KIDS AREAT DIFFERENT HOUSES.".

THE IDEAIS TO GROUP STUDENTS TOGETHERBASED ON AGE HAVE THEM GETTOGETHER FIVE DAYS A WEEKALTERNATING THE HOUSE THEY GOEACH DAY 2:25-2:37 - "SO ITULD BE LIKE A HOMESCHOOLU ULD BE PARENTS THATE INVO