Alex Berkley 02/17/2021

Alex Berkley, from Buffalo, New York, teaches special education at Pioneer High School. Mr. Berkley shares the struggles of making sure every student had access to technology. He also shares how the administrative rules affected his teaching practices. Mr. Berkley explains how having a balance from March to June was crucial. Mr. Berkley found it fulfilling to write poetry with other teacher poets which helped him go through the COVID-19 pandemic in a supportive environment. His poetry resembles memories of the time spent during long walks with his wife and one year old son, poetry gave him a creative purpose and brought happiness by writing about his child. He shares how the relationship with parents grew as a reciprocal communication. Mr. Berkley acknowledges how a push for more technology and training for students on how to use technology for educational purposes would have made a difference. He also stresses a notable improvement in kids with autism and their use of technology. Mr. Berkley looks forward to seeing a focus more on social-emotional aspects in education.