Due to COVID-19, teacher candidates in the 2019/20 Bachelor of Education program have had to quickly adapt their teaching and learning styles through the use of online platforms. We are showcasing some of the wonderful examples of projects created by them as part of the community field experience.
Molina Chow
BEd Elementary & Middle Years (Education for Sustainability)
- What is the name of the community partner or group you are working with?
- Drive Youth Employment Services
- What is your project’s subject area(s)?
- Applied design, skills and technologies
- Tell us about your project!
- My project is to support a non-profit organization through remote learning and targeting youth ages 16-30 to provide social, emotional, and mental support through cooking and kitchen skill development. YES CHEF! is a new program that was to be launched right before COVID, so remote learning was not a skill set that the coordinator had. Therefore, providing remote learning for the coordinator and the knowledge of working with youth in this demographic to launch the new program.
- Did you face any particular challenges in the planning, making or delivery of this project?
- It has been very challenging supporting newcomer youth as they are a vulnerable population already with limited English language and limited support systems in place. The family dynamic is usually large with younger children and families needing to adapt to the change of COVID has put this group of youth harder to reach and support. They are usually needing work to help support the family. Therefore, the number of youth accessing the service was limited.
- How was the project received? Did anything surprise you about the outcome?
- I was not surprised of the outcome as this group of youth is harder to reach. Without face to face communication, it can be limited and the ways to communicate is more challenging. When you are face to face with a youth, you can use other ways of communication but without that, voice or video can be somewhat easier but that’s only if the youth has access to high speed internet or even a phone. Some usually do not have access to that.
- Can you tell us about a highlight of creating this remote lesson plan?
- Although there was limited youth that were accessing the material, putting the material together can create another resource to help support youth once youth are established as are able to access the information.
- What media did you use to create your project?
- YouTube channel, newsletters, and Facebook
- Where can we view your project?
- youtube.com/channel/UCkVDiiGWX9FYUI3aY5gdw0w/videos