In August and September 2020, Classroom, Inc. engaged over 40 New York Life employees in two virtual webinars that discussed best practices that keep employees’ children motivated and succeeding at home.

For over ten years, Classroom, Inc.’s close partnership with the New York Life Foundation has helped provide thousands of middle school students access to Classroom, Inc.’s games and curriculum that develop literacy, life, and career skills. While COVID-19 has disrupted many of our regular routines, it’s also provided opportunities for Classroom, Inc. to collaborate more closely with partner organizations, such as the New York Life Foundation.

The sessions were led by Kwamara Thompson (Managing Director of Programs and Partnerships) and Ali Tepper (Director of Content and Curriculum). The first interactive session (“Distance Learning Do’s and Don’ts”) taught employees how to use distance learning tools such as Zoom and Google Classroom to keep children excited and motivated to learn in distance-learning environments. Participants also learned how to create collaborative environments and recognize their children’s learning styles to maximize their engagement.

The second session “Back-to-School with Read to Lead!” addressed how Read to Lead is an effective digital literacy distance-learning tool that empowers middle school youth to be the “boss” in a virtual workplace where they have to make critical decisions.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students and parents need learning resources and supports more than ever. We’re committed to doing what we can to help families overcome the academic and social challenges brought about by this crisis,” said Marlyn Torres, Senior Program Officer of the New York Life Foundation. “Having one of our partners work with our employees was a great opportunity for them to see why we invested in Classroom, Inc. They observed first-hand their expertise and techniques in making learning fun and creating a motivating, interactive, and collaborative experience.”

If you’d like to learn more about the ways that Classroom, Inc. supports corporations, please contact Matt Chacko at mchacko@classroominc.org.