By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Eagle Radio January Teacher of the Month presented by Allen Samuels CDJR is Amanda Hood. Hood is a 1st Grade Teacher at Morgan Elementary.
"I have taught here in 1st Grade for two years," Hood said. "In between Sterling College and here at Morgan, I taught English in China for a year in between."
School has looked different for her students because of the pandemic.
"First grade is a very hands on age," Hood said. "That's had to be changed and a lot more individual activities, versus trying to do things together with groups. It has looked a lot different, but we continue to try to make it work and find things that kids can do one on one at their desk or moving around."
Hood notes that the hybrid model of instruction has provided some advantages.
"I think it's really allowed for, since we only have half at a time, the relationships I've found to be deeper just with the students. I can get to know them better, with only having a few in during the day. That's been really neat to see where each kid is at one on one and being able to know them better."
One group has ten students in it, the other has seven.
"Honestly, I've been really impressed with how well they handle masks," Hood said. "They just kind of wear them and there's lots of reminders, but they just know that's what they are supposed to do. They really do it well and seem to still have a good attitude."
Most of them have been able to handle the use of technology, but they do still need to touch things to be able to learn how to write, for example and coordinating that is difficult when they are not in person.
Hood received a gift basket from Allen Samuels and her nominator, Justin Krehbiel, gets a pizza from Pizza Ranch.
You can nominate a teacher for February here.
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