Student, Teacher, Parent
The transition to online education has been difficult for every student. But parents who are also students themselves have experienced a unique set of circumstances. They are students, parents, and educators, often at the same time, having to take classes themselves and then help their children with school work.
Oral History with UWM student, Alexa
In this oral history with Alexa Safer, a returning student at UW-Milwaukee, talks about the hardship of being a mother of three children in elementary, middle, and high school while also being a student herself. Instead of focusing on her own coursework, most of Alexa’s time is spent ensuring that her children’s work is turned in on time, that they are attending their school meetings, and keeping them entertained. Throughout this, she is concerned for herself, neighbors and communities pushing schoolwork to the side in some instances. Therapy has been consistent for her and her kids in providing a sense of normalcy for them all. Luckily, her teachers have made the transition manageable so she can pay more attention to ensuring her children’s success.
The Janeshek Family Home Learning
In this still image, Sara Janeshek, a mother of three, real-estate broker, and full-time student at UW-Milwaukee took a picture of her children working on a thank you poster for their teachers at St. John XXIII Catholic School in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Like her children, Sara is transitioning to the online course format during this time of social distancing while maintaining an essential business. Helping her children with their schoolwork in the morning, Sara does not get to work on her own material until later in the evening. With her children also forced to stay home, their family routine has become anything but normal. The pandemic has reshaped not only education, but family life.