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“How Can We Help?” Supporting Students with Tools for E-Learning in Washington D.C. Q & A with Gabrielle Burno

In our last newsletter, we introduced our new spotlight series on the teachers in Washington D.C. who are working hard to keep their classrooms running smoothly, while overcoming e-learning challenges. We were amazed by their stories and can’t wait to share them with you.

Our team recently sat down with Ms. Gabrielle Burno, who has been a teacher in the D.C. Public School System for 8 years and is currently a Pre-K teacher at Hendley Elementary School. After learning about Gabrielle’s need, the Foundation provided Ms. Burno with 9 laptops for her 16-student classroom, where half of her students did not have access to laptops or iPads to complete coursework.

NWF: Gabrielle, thank you for your time to chat with the Newwave Foundation! We’d love to hear what inspired you to be a teacher and how you ended up teaching Pre-K students?

Gabrielle: I was inspired by a teacher I had (Mr. Rob) and I really remember the experience of having him expose our class to new ways of thinking. I wanted to give that feeling back to others. In high school, I volunteered at a nursery and thought that working in Pre-K would be a better fit. I’ve been a teacher with DCPS for 8 years now.

NWF: Wow, that’s incredible Gabby. What has your experience been like working in the DCPS?

Gabrielle: It’s been great so far! I work with a strong group of teachers. We’re not only in invested in our students, but personally too, for each other.

NWF: What are some pros and cons you see with distance learning?

Gabrielle: “The biggest con so far is that I’m not able to see my students in person. It’s been almost three months since I last saw them and not being able to see them regularly makes it difficult to make those genuine connections, I just want to give my kids a high five and hug them.”

NWF: What are some changes you plan to implement in your classroom in the future?

Gabrielle: Moving forward, I want to bring more of my home into the classroom. I’m getting more familiar with Zoom and Facetime and I want to keep creating personal learning experiences for my students.

NWF: Thank you for sharing with us, Gabby! Is there anything you’d like to share with our NWF community and any other teachers who might be reading this spotlight?

Gabby: Right now, it’s important to be empathetic. Even if you haven’t been directly affected (by COVID-19), mental health is important and its important to take it easy on yourself. We’re all in this together.

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