Hang on, hold tight: Kindergarten teacher Garett Talcott is about to take his kindergarteners — and about 2 million TikTok fans — on the flight of their lives.
When the Redmond, Washington kindergarten teacher’s school went remote last spring, he wondered how to “take the magic of kindergarten and put it through on a screen,” he tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, which celebrates educators amid Teacher Appreciation Week.
His solution? Virtual field trips everywhere from the aquarium to the zoo — with a few dance parties, simulated plane flights and roller coaster rides tossed into the mix.
“It’s just looking at the things differently, having that little bit of optimism,” says Talcott, 32. “I think the pandemic really forced all teachers to grow.”
One of the first posts to go viral was when Talcott took the tykes to the Woodland Park Zoo to learn about animal habitats. He called the zoo to get permission and made sure they had a strong Wi-Fi connection.
“They were thrilled to have us there,” Talcott says. “Learning is about fun and engagement and making experiences they’ll remember. That’s how learning sticks.”
Talcott admits he loves animals, so the zoo and Seattle Aquarium visits rank among his favorites.
Garett Talcott.MIchael Rivera-Dirks
“Getting to interact with the live zookeepers, to learn from them — they’re the animal experts and learning where actually penguins are from. That was fantastic,” Talcott says.
A surprise visit from Flaherty the sea lion, who hopped up next to the viewing wall while Talcott was sharing with his class, zhuzhed up the aquarium adventure several notches.
For more teachers going above and beyond for their students, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.
He also took his students on a virtual field trip to the Seattle Space Needle’s renovated observation deck with a scary-looking glass floor.
“I was like, ‘Should I do it? Should I do it?’ And they are like, ‘Yes, but be careful, watch your step,’ " Talcott says, laughing.
“I work off of their energy. If I see a student disconnected from it, boom — we may go on a roller coaster ride,” Talcott says. “If I see someone that needs to get up and move, we’re going to have a dance party right then and there. It’s about really seeing what your students need, and again, making that learning fun.”
The big thing, he says, is when you’re having that fun, the students don’t want to miss out.
“You have to hook them and keep them hooked. And it’s about building those strong, healthy connections with them, whether that’s in person or remote,” Talcott says.
Every kid, Talcott says, is excited when they start kindergarten.
“They either continue to love learning or something goes wrong,” Talcott says. “I think it is so important to have that initial feeling that school is a good place to be and a fun place to be.”
Talcott asks that parents give the teachers a little extra love during these trying times.
“We did not learn this in college classes. This is all new. Big shout-out to the students and families because we couldn’t do it without them. It truly is a team effort,” Talcott says. “If there’s anything I’ve learned through this whole thing, it’s to continue to grow ourselves. Try things out that are new. Continue to be innovative and use your heart through everything.”
Because students in his district now have the option to choose remote or in-person learning, Talcott has become the remote kindergarten teacher for the remainder of the year.
“It’s nice to know what I’m doing the rest of this year,” he says, “and who knows what the next year will bring?”
source: people.com
