By FRED KRONER
One year ago, this wouldn’t have been a story.
It wouldn’t have raised any eyebrows to hear that a group of Lincoln Trail Elementary School students – five boys and six girls – are together in a classroom from Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
That was the well-established norm, following a pattern that had been in existence in our country’s educational system for decades.
Since March, throughout the United States, schools at all levels have been in a state of flux. Last year ended with a remote-only educational setup.
This school year, in Mahomet-Seymour, has featured various options – including totally remote learning as well as a combination of remote and twice-a-week in-person learning – and then there is fourth-grade teacher Brooke Plotner’s class.
Plotner’s entire class of 26 students is learning remotely, but not all of them are doing their school work individually at their respective homes.
Eleven of Plotner’s students gather each week day at the Mahomet United Methodist Church in what can best be described as a co-op program.
The plan was the brainchild of Kristina Robinson, who presented her concept to church leaders, who then sought approval for the idea from M-S administrators.
It was given the green light prior to the start of the school year.
A parent – who also works at MUMC – Robinson saw a need and found a way to meet it.
“My daughter (Nora) could handle the education (associated with remote learning), but she was very lonely in it,” Kristina Robinson said. “The isolation affected her tremendously.
“I knew what we did in the spring wouldn’t work. We knew we (MUMC) wanted the building to be of some use and be a solution for families.”
Robinson’s plan called for the students to be together each day, but not to deviate from the lesson plan that the teacher (Plotner) would have for instruction.
“We use two classrooms,” Robinson said. “One room is set up with desks and each student has their own desk.
“The other classroom is for google meets, with a laptop hooked up to the TV for a bigger screen.”
The students each wear masks throughout the day, removing them only to eat at lunch time. Students bring their own lunches.
“They don’t share supplies,” Kristina Robinson added.
What has transpired, according to Robinson and other parents, is a critical aide in the social development aspect for the young children.
Jessica Hanson said her 9-year-old-son, Kendon Hanson, was doing well last spring with the remote learning concept.
“He was an only child for almost seven years,” Jessica Hanson said. “He figured out how to do things on his own and independently.
“We could say, ‘Here are your assignments. Go do them,” and he had the discipline to do that. We joke that he is our 9-year-old going on 35. For us personally, and for him, he’d be fine academically at home.”
However, the Hansons saw one element that was lacking for their son.
“He is very social and wanted interaction with his friends,” Jessica Hanson said. “The social component is so important.”
The family, however, was still ready to commit to the remote plan again this fall, until the opportunity arose to join other classmates at MUMC.
She has no regrets with the late change.
“The chemistry of the kids could not be any better,” Jessica Hanson said. “Having that consistent schedule every day gives him the opportunity to have a few friends he knows to play with.
“They are a little community.”
Like the other parents with children at MUMC each week day, Marci Grindley said the key draw extended beyond the educational component for her 9-year-old daughter, Jordynn Grindley.
“Jordynn did the absolute best that she possibly could in the spring with remote learning,” Marci Grindley said. “It was new to learn and navigate at first. The lack of physically being in the classroom was quite the struggle.
“The lack of being social throughout this pandemic has been extremely difficult, to say the least. Jordynn missed her friends tremendously. Thank goodness for technology, however it definitely wasn’t the same.”
When she evaluates the spring scenario at home to the fall scenario at MUMC, Marci Grindley said there is no comparison.
“The changes that I have witnessed with my daughter is that she is happy again,” Marci Grindley said. “Navigating uncharted waters during this pandemic is indescribable.
“Jordynn has adapted and has a co-op routine. With her being with her friends and other adults, she is smiling, laughing, giggling and it is amazing to see for all of our children.”
It’s totally different, she said, than spending the time at home with only a parent available for in-person help.
“The fact that our children are together and learning together – like they should – she enjoys it so much,” Marci Grindley said. “If one has a question, of course they ask an adult. However, there are those instances where they ask each other for help and their thoughts on how they are tackling the assignment.
“She prefers being with others in this setting instead of being home learning. There is more of a focus when you are at the co-op. The children realize they are not alone in this journey we are on.”
Plotner took a wait-and-see attitude when she first heard about the idea.
“I thought it sounded interesting, but I was uncertain what that might look like until I learned the details,” Plotner said.
Now, the fourth-year Lincoln Trail teacher is a believer.
“It’s an amazing experience for those students,” Plotner said. “Although it is not in-person (learning), they still get an opportunity in a smaller setting and can communicate with one another.”
Samantha Hurt said it didn’t take much time for her and her husband to sign up their 9-year-old-daughter, Emerson, for the program at MUMC.
“It only took a couple of hours for us to realize this was the best solution,” Samantha Hurt said. “Our main struggle (last spring with Emerson) was the social aspect. She missed her friends.”
A month in, and the Hurts are delighted with what has transpired.
“She loves it and looks forward to going every day,” Samantha Hurt said. “Her best friend is in the co-op and she has made new friends.
“She sees the teacher every day (on-line) and the kids like to have the different parents there.”
Without the program at MUMC, Samantha Hurt shudders to think what life would be like for her daughter.
“Our daughter is very shy,” Samantha Hurt said. “It took several years in school for her to start to open up.
“Her being home with no social interaction would not have been good for her. We’d have gone back the other direction.”
From Kristina Robinson’s perspective, she doesn’t want to see the MUMC program continue indefinitely.
“I have moments every day where I think, ‘This has to be temporary,’” she said. “There are times they (students) want to climb through the TV and hug their teacher.”
That’s a feeling to which Plotner can relate.
“I’d also like to reach out through the screen,” Plotner said, “and hug them, especially when they’re feeling frustrated with the technology.”
Originally, Kristina Robinson wanted 10 students in the program at MUMC, but wound up with “a bonus student,” she said.
The number is significant because one key component is the parental assistance.
“Every family volunteers to proctor a half-day each week,” she said. “Every half-day, a different parent comes in to facilitate learning.”
Kristina Robinson’s duties at MUMC find her serving as the director of inclusion, which means she “creates programs that meet the needs in our community, and connect the church to the community and remind people this is a place where they are welcome,” she said.
Robinson recognizes the irony that she helped to implement a student program which is able to serve only a limited number of fourth-graders.
“That dynamic is hard for me,” Kristina Robinson said. “Who I am and my values are very inclusive.
“To have a group (of students) that is very exclusive is what is hard.”
For that reason, she makes it a point to reach out to as many students as possible, regardless of whether they are in a classroom daily at MUMC.
“One student (learning remotely from home) was sad one day because his pet frog had passed away,” Kristina Robinson said. “Our students made a card and signed it, and we dropped it off at his house after school.
“We make sure these students are being seen. Our students get to be together, but are communicating with students that maybe are learning alone.”
While credit belongs with the school district for approving the plan and the MUMC leadership for allowing its building to be used in this manner, Samantha Hurt said Kristina Robinson’s role shouldn’t be minimized.
“This never would have happened without Kris,” Samantha Hurt said. “It was almost like she had the idea, then within a week had a plan and a binder full of ideas. She is an amazing person.”
Hurt’s sentiments were echoed by another Lincoln Trail parent, Marci Grindley.
“The amount of love, respect and admiration along with inspiration that Kristina Robinson has for everyone literally brings tears to my eyes,” Marci Grindley said. “She is truly appreciated and most definitely loved.
“The fact that Jordynn is back on a routine/schedule, being around friends and other adults for that social interaction means the world to me. Our children need to be social. They need to know there are still people in their corner doing what is best for them.”
Kristina Robinson said she can only imagine the stories these young students will be able to share in future decades.
“I can picture them as grandmas and grandpas talking about the time they did school this way,” she said. “I’m glad they’ve found a silver lining in it.”
Robinson said she is willing to share her model to others who would like to implement it.
“My dream would be for people to use this model and find a way to do it on their own,” she said.
If anyone is considering the option, then Marci Grindley will gladly provide a positive recommendation.
“If you have an opportunity for your child/children to participate in something like this, you will not regret it,” Marci Grindley said. “Our children deserve what is best for them in all aspects.”
Jessica Hanson said it’s important to keep in mind the overall purpose.
“We’re not trying to re-invent the wheel,” Jessica Hanson said. “We’re trying to supplement the wheel.”
