1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,880 JUDY WOODRUFF: The pandemic have been difficult for all of us, but particularly for students, 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,880 who have experienced major disruptions to both their education and their social lives. 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,520 In a special program, our Student Reporting Labs team 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,120 explores how young people are dealing with this new normal. 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,040 Here's a slice of their reporting, a look at one teacher taking an 6 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:23,040 unconventional approach to learning. 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:28,040 SKATEBOARDER: Go do some tricks. 8 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:32,320 KENDALL VANVALKENBURG, Teacher, Red Canyon High School: During the pandemic, I noticed that a lot 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,800 of students were skateboarding. I can see the skate park from my house. So, when I see kids 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,480 interested in something, I'm going to figure out a way to brick that into the classroom. 11 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:44,000 NARRATOR: Ms. V. is a teacher at Red Canyon High School in Gypsum, 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,360 Colorado, trying to solve a problem that students know all too well. 13 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,840 KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: There is something missing in the education 14 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:54,840 system. Kids find themselves not wanting to go to school and at the skate park. 15 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,280 Why can't we take that something else that makes school a part of it? 16 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,120 NARRATOR: While the class may just look like students fooling around at the skate park, 17 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,440 they're actually learning about urban planning, design and how to build a stronger community. 18 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,800 KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: We talked about barriers that stand in the 19 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,680 way of kids being able to skate. And then we came up with solutions 20 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,440 to those barriers to make skateboarding more accessible to all kids in our community. 21 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:24,400 CLAIRE EVANS, Student: Mostly, what we're doing right now is trying to get a skate park in Avon 22 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,400 to make things a little more accessible to kids there and also help reduce the crowding. 23 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,640 We are working on getting funding from Tony Hawk Foundation to 24 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,640 revamp this place that we're standing at right here. And 25 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,480 we -- my group specifically has been working on a design that we think could be really cool. 26 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,800 DAVID CARRILLO, Student: I'm actually, like, doing work for my community. And it's not really like 27 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:53,120 just a class anymore. I'm part of something bigger than just this class. 28 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,840 NARRATOR: With each new trick, students understand more about themselves, as well as how to connect, 29 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,480 how to teach, and how to learn from one another. 30 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,720 KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: It's hard. If you're learning to do from the most basic skill 31 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:09,720 to a really difficult skill, it takes a lot of resilience to get back up and try again. 32 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,760 CLAIRE EVANS: It's one of those things where, if you could put your mind to something and 33 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,160 just kind of get into it, you can really prove to yourself that you can do whatever you want. 34 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,400 CALVIN PARRISH, Student: I always thought it was like super cool. And I thought the skaters 35 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:25,400 were super cool. So it just -- it makes me feel good. And I like learning new things. 36 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,440 CLAIRE EVANS: School can be stressful for kids these days. And I think it's really important 37 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,200 that we have these days to be able to just be able to relax, because it's not like we 38 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:38,200 get recess anymore. We don't get to go play with our friends and use our imaginations. 39 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,280 If we get rid of that creativity, by the time we're adults, we're not going to be doing anything 40 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,160 useful with the world. We're not going to be able to solve these 41 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,600 world problems because we're all looking at the straight -- what's ahead of us, 42 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,360 just not taking time think about things that are outside the box. 43 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,200 JORGE JIMENEZ-VELAZCO, Student: It helps a lot with conquering your fears, 44 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:02,200 because it's scary to do some things. And when you finally own up to it, it is relieving. 45 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:08,680 I recently learned how to drop in. It's really scary, but I did it. 46 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,760 NARRATOR: And while Ms. V is teaching her students how to face their fears, 47 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,920 at the same time, she had to do it herself. 48 00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:20,920 KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: I learned how to drop in. And I was scared, because you fall. 49 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:28,040 And I'm looking at a student who is a language learner who I have watched take so many risks 50 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:36,240 in the classroom, and I have watched sit there and struggle when he was younger. 51 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:41,240 And I have, like, forced him to read and write and grow. He's got the drop in. He totally can do it. 52 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,840 And he's cheering me on. And so, of course, I'm going to take that risk. 53 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:52,840 JUDY WOODRUFF: What a great teacher. And this program is exceptional. 54 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,920 You can watch Student Reporting Labs' full program, "Our New Normal," 55 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,760 tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. And that's on our YouTube channel.