Students have adapted to different forms of learning in 2020, both in person and online.
However, , an educational group in Grand Traverse County, is offering an alternative called “pod schooling.” It’s part of a nation-wide phenomenon.
“I stumbled across it on Facebook,” said Jennifer McDowell, whose daughter attends the winter camp at Experiential Ink. “We discovered there was an open house back in the fall and we stopped in just to see what was going on and to learn about it, and it seemed very interesting.”
Pod schooling is where a group of 10 to 15 students do their assigned schoolwork safely in person. Tutors are there to help students with their work.
“There are groups of people who either aren’t comfortable sending their kids back to school or they have a parent or sibling who is ill,” said Executive Director David Yuhaus. “That makes it not possible for them to go back into a school with all of the other students.”
These “pods” contain students whose families have already been quarantining themselves, and Experiential Ink limits the amount of people who come and go inside their facility.
“We do try to limit the number of students that do show up as far as limiting it to a household or limiting it to a neighborhood that has been in quarantined amongst themselves,” Yuhaus said.
The “pods” allow kids to socially interact with peers their age, as well as take their learning outside.
“We’ve got a lodge that fits 200 people and we’ve got 100 acres here to go run around in, it’s lots of room to spread out,” Yuhaus said.
McDowell said her daughter loves the program.
“It’s been a wonderful opportunity for her to be outside, learn new things, and to experience nature,” she said.
© 2023 - 910 Media Group