Rather than leaving their children at home on their own for virtual classes, Midland College employees can now bring them to work.
A large classroom at the Marie Hall Academic Building on the main campus houses the children from kindergarten through fifth grade, with five Midland High School seniors helping them with homework, assignments and virtual classes, Midland College’s Public Information Office said.
Denise McKown, dean of education at Midland, joked with Midland’s vice president of Instructional Services, Damon Kennedy, that since many local schools would not offer in-school instruction to start the school year, “We may as well just hold elementary school here,” the Public Information Office reported.
Kennedy took it seriously, and they began to think of ways to create a learning environment for the children.
Midland College has 70% of its classes online this semester, so finding an empty classroom was easy. Five high school seniors were hired to supervise the students and help them with classes.
“We work 19 hours per week,” Madelyn Kennedy, a Midland High School senior, told the Public Information Office. “After I finish here, I go home and do my own class assignments. The kids are great. Sometimes we have to keep them on task, but for the most part, they are pretty focused.”
The younger students need to take breaks more often, so the high school students take them outside every hour for 10 to 15 minutes.
“Many of our employees would have had to take a leave of absence in order to stay home, and this is the busiest time of year for Midland College,” Kennedy said, the Public Information Office reported. “We need our employees to be here. So, it’s a ‘win’ for everyone – the children, employees and the college.”