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'This is a nightmare': Marion County teacher shares frustration with online teaching

Belleview Middle School civics teacher Terry Kinder voiced her frustration with district testing rules for online classes in a video posted to Facebook. Image: Terry Kinder via Facebook
Belleview Middle School civics teacher Terry Kinder voiced her frustration with district testing rules for online classes in a video posted to Facebook. Image: Terry Kinder via Facebook

A Marion County civics teacher who posted a tearful Facebook video on the challenges of online instruction has been invited to join a task force addressing the problem.

In an open letter to the School District earlier this month, Belleview Middle School teacher Terry Kinder said time-consuming tech questions, pointless district testing and distracted students have made online learning "a daily train wreck."

"This is not a classroom," she wrote. "This is a nightmare."

Her frustration spilled over in the video, recorded from her vehicle before school.

"And I'd rather be honest," she said, wiping tears from her eyes, "and speak my mind now and try to bring about change so at least I can say I tried before I quit."

On Tuesday night, she came to the School Board with solutions, such as an IT specialist at each school to help kids and free up teachers.

As it is, she says, 50 percent of her online students are failing.

Superintendent Diane Gullett announced the task force and thanked Kinder for, quote, “starting to lead the way” with her solutions.

 

Joe Byrnes came to WMFE/WMFV from the Ocala Star-Banner and The Gainesville Sun, where he worked as a reporter and editor for several years. Joe graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and turned to journalism after teaching. He enjoys freshwater fishing and family gatherings.