USAG Ansbach’s DoDEA schools switch to virtual learning due to COVID-19

Photo By Sgt. Hunter Garcia | Clara Hodges, a USAG Ansbach Middle High School student, works on her homework at her home in Ansbach, Germany, May 11, 2020. Hodges continues being a studious student and dedicates herself to school despite changes caused by COVID-19. (Courtesy photo by Erika Hodges)  

ANSBACH, BY, GERMANY

05.06.2020

Story by Pfc. Hunter Garcia 

12th Combat Aviation Brigade

ANSBACH, Germany - During the COVID-19 crisis, students within Ansbach Middle High School in U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach continue their education by participating in virtual learning. The teachers and parents of the Ansbach Middle High School adapt to the new challenges that come with virtual schooling on USAG Ansbach, Germany, May 6, 2020.


Dr. Donn Keels, a USAG Ansbach Middle High School science and math teacher, talks about the strategy the Ansbach DoDEA schools took while transitioning to virtual learning.


"It's really leaning towards students' success,” he said. “It's compassionate about the fact that everybody has a different situation at home.”


Due to this new format, a lot of planning had to take place to create a functional virtual classroom. Keels said the Ansbach teachers were well prepared for this situation.


“We knew we were going to have to go to another format to teach,” he said. The teachers had to cooperate and communicate amongst themselves to determine the best ways to teach for virtual school.”


Erika Hodges, a USAG Ansbach Middle High School Parent, describes the things her children are enjoying from virtual learning.


“They are really enjoying the varying forms of communications with their teachers,” she said. “They’re not only getting the verbal instructions during the class time, but they’re getting a lot more written instruction.”


A lot of responsibility was put in the hands of the students. Keels said it will take persistence and discipline for the students to learn from this style of teaching.


“You get out of it what you put into it,” he said. “To actually learn from it, you really need to put your heart into it and have the spirit of what the instructional class was.”


The Ansbach Middle High School will continue using virtual classrooms for the remainder of the school year.

• Date Taken: 05.06.2020
• Date Posted: 05.14.2020 08:22
• Story ID: 369949
• Location: ANSBACH, BY, DE