Navigating the New World of Full-Time Work and At-Home Learning

Within the first week of transitioning to emergency remote learning, social media timelines filled with “school schedules” for at-home learning and comments by appreciative parents about how teachers don’t make enough money (celebrities included). As the weeks pass, posts now feature parents expressing their frustrations at trying to balance working from home full-time while supporting children learning at home full-time. While I do not personally fit into this category, I know many people who do and I wanted to learn more about how they’re navigating this new world of work life and home life, especially when they themselves have careers focused on supporting families or helping others to develop to their fullest potential.

First, I talked with Knikole Taylor, instructional technology coordinator for Life Schools in Dallas, Texas. Our conversation focused on how her experiences as a teacher and an educational technology coordinator supporting an entire charter system’s teachers gives her a different lens through which she supports her three children’s at-home learning. Second, I talked with Vanessa Gonzalez, executive vice president of field and member services at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in Washington, DC. Our conversation focused on how her experiences in social work and at the U.S. Department of Education provide a unique perspective in supporting her daughter’s at-home learning.

Please take a few minutes to give these quick conversations a listen.

Educational Technology Coordinator & Parent of Three: Knikole Taylor’s Story

New America’s Kristina Ishmael interviews Knikole Taylor, instructional technology coordinator for Life Schools in Dallas, Texas. In the interview, Taylor provides an idea of what the family’s daily schedule looks like, what challenges she’s faced while working and parenting full-time, and what her advice is to other parents.

Social Worker, Education Ally, & Parent: Vanessa Gonzalez’s Story

New America’s Kristina Ishmael interviews Vanessa Gonzalez, executive vice president of field and member services at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in Washington, DC. In the interview, Gonzalez provides an idea of what their routine looks like, what challenges she’s faced while working and parenting full-time, and her advice to other parents.

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