Remote Family Engagement through Virtual Tutoring: An Emergency Response to Support Children, Families, and Students

Abstract

Family engagement is a reciprocal relationship between educators and families that supports whole child development. In response to the unique contexts and situations created by the COVID-19 pandemic, a faculty member in the School of Education at Hunter College, City University of New York (SOE), and families that had opted in to 100 percent remote instruction for their children conceptualized a remote virtual tutoring model that supplemented and supported asynchronous instruction, learning, and development. The model also gave fieldwork interns in the SOE early childhood program the opportunity to engage in authentic teaching and learning experiences; to plan and implement culturally and linguistically responsive activities; and to assess development, learning, and engagement. In this field note, I discuss the virtual tutoring model and its impact on the participating families, children, and fieldwork interns. I also describe lessons learned during the implementation and provide suggestions for replicating the model.