Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras prepares a virtual math lesson. (Image courtesy Richmond Public Schools)
Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras is back in the classroom, virtually.
A 2005 National Teacher of the Year, Kamras decided to carve some time out of his job as superintendent to begin teaching a virtual class, “Mr. K’s 30 Minutes of Math.”
“I just wanted to make sure that I was right there with our teachers during this time,” Kamras says.
“This time” refers to the cannonball known as the coronavirus pandemic, which has shot a hole through normal life, hospitalizing many, killing others and shutting the door on the remainder of the school year.
Kamras’ virtual math class debuted in mid-March, coinciding with Gov. Ralph Northam’s decision to close all Virginia public schools for the remainder of the school year as the coronavirus swept across the state.
Using math puzzles and jokes and a cheerful delivery, Kamras glides through a lesson, employing Zoom chat so that student viewers — “I have a group of kids who join every day loyally” — can ask him questions, offer solutions to his puzzles and possibly cringe at some of his jokes.
Case in point: “Who was the roundest knight at King Arthur’s court?”
Answer: “Circumference.”
Kamras says it takes him about 45 minutes to prepare his 30-minute classes, held Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The daily lessons have given him another way to connect with students and allow them, or anyone else who else who opts into the class, to see a different side of their superintendent and pick up some math tips.
But Kamras, who has a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Princeton and a master’s degree in education from Harvard, says preparing for the program is no breeze, even though he taught middle school math for years.
“I have to say that, of all the things I’m dealing with right now, it’s the thing that stresses me out the most, because I really want to do a good job for the kids,” he says.
“It’s also the thing that gives me the greatest joy, to be able to connect and make a difference in that small way every day. I’m glad to be back in the teaching rhythm. So, trying to keep it light and fun, while still getting to the content.”
Kamras believes the daily lessons have brought him closer to students, parents and teachers. It also has brought him closer to his own children, boys aged 8 and 10, who tune into the program.
“They say that some days that’s the best time to interact with me. You know, in the last month I’ve been so busy dealing with the closure, taking care of everything else,” Kamras explains, “but they enjoy hopping on for ‘Mr. K’s 30 Minutes of Math,’ and it’s fun to talk about it after the lesson each day.”
Kamras says his wife, a former kindergarten and second grade teacher, also has switched back into teaching mode during the schools’ closure, and his boys are reading a lot of books.
“I’m blessed,” he says.
The superintendent emphasizes that he is just one of a number of teachers in the school system who have gone online with videos and offered other help to students. In addition, RPS@Home is an online service that the school system has established to provide online daily lesson plans and enrichment opportunities.
Comcast has offered 60 days of free internet for families, and the school system is also working to provide Wi-Fi hotspots.
Recently, Richmond Public Schools ordered 10,000 laptop computers to give to students who need them while classroom instruction is sidelined by the pandemic. The system also has distributed laptops that were already in the schools.
Although online learning may gain more traction as a result of school systems’ experiences with distance learning during the pandemic, Kamras is emphatic about what he believes is the best way to for children to learn.
“There is absolutely nothing, nothing, that replaces the impact of a loving, caring, highly skilled teacher. Period, full stop,” he says.
“We’re 100% committed to be on the path of [connecting students with the] flesh-and-blood extraordinary teachers at RPS. If we can supplement that with some online opportunities, I think that’s a great thing as well.”
A number of families have reached out urging Kamras to continue RPS@Home, and he says that effort will continue as a supplement to classroom instruction.
Kamras says he believes many family members who have had to play the role of a teacher at home or help their children with their lessons are gaining a new appreciation for the hard work teachers do.
Teachers in Richmond are continuing to go above and beyond to help students and families, he adds.
“Calling all their kids and families to check in on them, volunteering for the laptop distribution and, before the closure, doing car parades through neighborhoods to wave to their kids, dropping off materials for families that needed them,” Kamras says.
When schools will reopen remains to be seen. Kamras has been conferring with the state health and education departments to talk things through. Much will depend on when the governor lifts his stay-at home order and relaxes other restrictions.
“We’re preparing for a lot of different contingencies,” he says. “One would be if we’re able to do some robust summer programs, maybe starting in July. Another contingency is that maybe we’re not able to do that, so we open the school year a little earlier, in early August. Another contingency is that we’re not able to do that, so we open after Labor Day as normal. And a fourth: We wouldn’t be able to do that, so we’d have to start in October or thereabouts. We’re trying to map out [what] each of those would look like.”
As for “Mr. K’s 30 Minutes of Math,” the Richmond superintendent vows he will continue with the program as long as schools are closed.
Kamras says he has a lot of lessons, and a lot of math jokes, still to share.
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