HERTFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) — In Hertford County, just a mile away from the Chowan River, is C.S. Brown High School STEM. Inside the walls of the school is science teacher Julia Lequin.
She’s been teaching at the school for four years, but with students having to learn from home during the coronavirus pandemic, she had to quickly adapt to teach her students remotely.
“I said to myself ‘How can I teach in a box, or facing that blank screen?’ Because I can see no reaction because there is no face.” said Lequin.
To Lequin, she needed a way to see her students, but not put pressure on them to have to always be in front of the whole classroom.
“How many students like to give their responses to the whole class? 70% want their responses just to me. And the 30, they don’t care how their responses are shared to other classmates,” said Lequin.
So, she started using the program FlipGrid with her students. It gives a student a direct way to communicate with the teacher. Since she started using it, Lequin has found it has increased participation and has been a success because she can see her students and watch them grow.
“I want to see my students, I want to see their reactions, their faces. And to be honest, if you believe me or not, I miss my students,” said Lequin.
Her efforts toward keeping a close relationship with her students and watching them grow is why Lequin is one of 10 On Your Side’s Excellent Educators.
