SecMAC alum Sarah Chirichigno discusses in-person teaching this fall
Sam Sanders interviewed SecMAC alumna Sarah Chirichigno (AB ’14, MS ’17, AM ’19, Teach Cert ’19) on the NPR program "It's Been a Minute" talking about her experience teaching—mostly in-person—this fall.
Chirichigno is a ninth grade science teacher in South Jordan, Utah. Her students have gotten accustomed to the new routines, which include cleaning protocols between class sessions. Chirichigno says her students are thrilled to be back in the classroom. She also works hard to engage the students who opt to learn remotely.
The school requires masks and students have been complying with the guidelines. The district proactively provided cleaning materials and additional resources for teachers to buy the personal protective equipment and technology to make them feel safe and capable of making the huge adjustments forced by the pandemic. The district is also monitoring for outbreaks and conducting contact tracing.
Chirichigno stresses the importance of building trust in her community in order for in-person classes to be successful.