An expectant mom and teacher from California decided that getting hospitalized will not keep her away from her students. She teaches remotely while in her hospital room.
Teachers are one of the finest examples of what commitment and dedication to work mean. They are the unsung heroes who refuse to let nothing, not even the pandemic, stop them from continuing to provide education to our children despite their struggles. Such is the case of this educator from California.
Meet Janet Udomratsak. She is a third-grade teacher at Tierra Bonita Elementary School in Lancaster. She has been teaching for the past 11 years now. This year, due to the pandemic, she will have her classes done remotely.
However, there is one more reason why the school year's start would be different for her. Janet is pregnant with her second son. Sadly, she started experiencing complications and had to be hospitalized due to high-risk pregnancy.
Still, being on bed rest didn't stop her from doing what she loves — being with her students. For her, the school year's start is a crucial time for the kids and their teachers to connect and build relationships. That connection allows student to feel safe and comfortable with their teacher and motivates them to perform well in class.
According to inspireMORE, Udomratsak was supposed to take her maternity leave in October. Her employer already offered disability insurance so that she could focus on her pregnancy and just relax. However, she would rather be teaching than doing nothing.
Teaching remotely, regardless of her location
Her teaching from the hospital room was actually unknown to her students until one of the kids noticed that she was wearing hospital bracelets. Thus, her "little secret" was revealed. She was teaching right from a maternity ward complete with a little classroom setup.
She said being in the hospital setting felt no different than if she had classes at home. And while sitting, relaxing, and doing nothing would be "the life," her desire to be with her students is far stronger.
We're in this together
Thankfully, her family, the doctor, and the school district supported her decision. The hospital even allowed her to set up a makeshift classroom in her hospital room. The hospital staff saw to it that she is not disturbed while she is in class.
Her doctor said that she, or whoever is the doctor available, would only come in and speak to her once a day. The rest of the monitoring is reviewed on the computer. As for her husband and son, they only got to visit her once in almost two months. Visitation is restricted for now. And that is how teaching also helps her - it takes her mind off boredom and loneliness.
Udomratsak said virtual learning is a concept that is new for everyone, especially for the kids. And she wants to show her students that they are not alone and she is there with them. "The struggle is real," she told KBTX-TV, for her, and it's also real for them "as the students." And she wanted her students to feel that they are all in it together.
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