HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas — With options for remote learning, limited face-to-face instruction, and hybrid education, teachers and parents are having to adapt more than ever.
Teachers who are parents are having to help their students and their own children adjust as they strive for academic success.
One South Texas family shares how they’ve been navigating through this time. Many teachers who have kids are juggling their duties as educators and parents to help their students and children with remote learning.
The valley is an area hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic in July we saw the death rates reach record highs. The virus affecting so many members in the community.
Maria Gonzalez is a first-grade elementary teacher and her husband Manuel Gonzalez is a ninth-grade chemistry teacher. They live in Hidalgo County, one of the four counties that makes up the Rio Grande Valley.
They've been navigating through the beginning of the school year as teachers and parents.
"It was just running to one room, coming back, going to the other room, coming back to my room and then sitting down for my live session and I would tell the kids okay mommy is on live,” said Maria Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has two kids her youngest is in kindergarten. Gonzalez says online learning is a bit more challenging for her.
"Sometimes you'll hear her, "mom I need help" and I’m in my google classroom and it's really hard sometimes you know,” said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez’s oldest, Israel Gonzalez is in fourth grade. Gonzalez says he's managing even stops by their offices to wave hi.
Israel says his favorite part about virtual learning is he gets to talk to his friends and family, he also shared what he doesn't like about virtual learning.
"My least favorite part about virtual learning it's because I don't get to spend enough time with my family,"
To help their family adjust to these new changes and balancing everyone's remote schedule they made sure to stick to a routine as if they were getting ready to go to school.
"Those little steps and routines have helped my family out so much that by a certain time we're having breakfast, the kitchen is already clean,” said Gonzalez. “By a certain time they're logged into their google classrooms and that is something that has brought a lot of peace into our busy routine."
Gonzalez advises educators to be patient with themselves and to remember that this is new for all educators and everyone is in this together.