National Rural Education Association Official Podcast

S01E11 -- The Rural Teacher Experience, an Interview with the National Rural Teacher of the Year Award Winner, Wade Owlett

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Rural Education Association Podcasts, the cohosts interview Mr. Wade Owlett, a 5th-grade teacher at Clark Wood Elementary School in Elkland and recipient of the Pennsylvania Rural Teacher of the Year Award as well as the National Rural Teacher of the Year Award. He received the award on October 12, 2018, in Denver, Colorado. In this interview, Mr. Owlett shares his experience with teaching online in the new normal of COVID-19. He shares both the process as well as social challenges in teaching remotely. Mr. Owlett shares his concerns about the emotional development of his student when not in a face-to-face classroom. He discusses the various options that were available to teachers and school districts following social distancing and online learning, including curricular development, enrichment, teaching, and grading.