Dr. Darryl Tonemah is a husband, father, musician, and psychologist. During this time at home, he as been ruminating on the idea of “teaching to temperament”. With degrees in psychology, sociology, and gerontology, Dr. Tonemah’s perspective inspires and educates.
Dr. Darryl Tonemah is a husband, father, musician, and psychologist. During this time at home, he as been ruminating on the idea of “teaching to temperament”. With degrees in psychology, sociology, and gerontology, Dr. Tonemah’s perspective inspires and educates.
-teaching to temperament. That makes sense to me. If they are that active kid, they’re allowed to be that active kid on that, on that call. They’re not forced to sit still, shut up and listen, they’re allowed to bounce around and be a distraction because they’re not distracting anybody else in a room.” Darryl explains how virtual learning also lends favor to students who are introverted or intimidated in a mainstream classroom.
He doesn’t claim only good outcomes. Dr. Tonemah acknowledges that right now some of our learners live with their abusers. These students, previously comforted and supported by their teachers, are stripped of their respite. A damaging truth for our learners as well as a heavy emotional burden for our professionals.
They [professionals] may have been the safe person in the student’s life and the school may have been the safe place in the student’s life. So they’re taking care of their own wellness, though, because this whole novelty of something different – just in itself – novelty creates stress in the system… everybody feels that. But compound that with “I still have to teach kids.
Where do we go from here? As an education system, as a school district, as education professionals – how do we combat the stress and trauma COVID-19 delivered? “When I talk with superintendents and teachers, I say, just take care of yourself, let’s worry about the nuts and bolts of what’s going to happen further down the road. But right now you need to be okay… Because if you’re okay, that’s the first step in having the students recover.”
Recovery. That’s where we all are, at this point. Every state, every school district, every academic building has been impacted by COVID-19. As we’re preparing our professionals and learners to embark on new system and education model, let’s make sure we’re all feeling safe, secure, and ready to take that first step back to something better.
Tune into Season 1, Episode 9 to hear more insight from Dr. Tonemah and our hosts, Jonathan and Doc.
Catch this episode and others on www.theboredofed.com or wherever you tune in to podcasts.
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