TORONTO -- For weeks now, Roya Rizaie has been out of her classroom and teaching online. She says it’s going well, but that it’s not quite the same as seeing her students in person.
“Oh, I miss them so much. It’s unbearable!” Rizaie told CTV News Toronto. “We’re making the best out of the situation. I can’t wait to see them again.”
The Grade 3-4 split teacher at Yorkview Public School started hearing from a parent, reaching out to let her know that one of her students was feeling a little sad being away from class during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I just came with the idea of, OK, what if I go over and read a book and just hang out with her a little bit,” she explained. “Just to check in and build that communication and that kind of relationship back again.”
Rizaie visited her student for a “lawn reading,” which she described as her providing story time from a physical distance on her student’s front lawn.
“So it was nice, just chit-chatting, reading a book and just kind of talking things out and seeing how they’re doing during this time,” she said.
Yorkview PS principal Artemis Manoukas was supportive of Rizaie’s idea, so long as she was adhering to social distancing rules. Manoukas said she was impressed that one of her teachers was able to have such a strong impact on a student during the pandemic.
“I think we need to remember that there’s a human connection that needs to be maintained during these scary times, especially for kids,” she said. “I think it’s different than what they’re used to, and I think we have to let them know that it’s going to be OK.”
On Monday, Rizaie and Manoukas made another house call, this time to the home of 11-year-old Radin and nine-year-old Vandod Behzadi.
“We feel happy that they came, and surprised,” Radin said.
“And also felt excited to see them again,” Vandod added.
Vandod, who has autism, has also been missing his routine and seeing Rizaie every day.
“He loves his teacher this year, and he said ‘I want to be with her. Why [do] I have to stay home?’” Nona Rastegar, the boys’ mother said. “All of us miss Yorkview school. They miss their teachers so much, so much. We deal with it day by day.”
In celebration of it being May the fourth, Rizaie read “Good Night Darth Vader” from the Behzadi’s front lawn, as the boys sat on their porch steps. Rizaie, Manoukas and Radin’s teacher Mario Angers also did a drawing contest on the driveway for fun.
“It’s good to see them,” Rizaie said about the Grade 3 and 5 Yorkview students. “You know, everybody just needs love nowadays and it’s just about caring for one another and I think that’s the most important thing right now.”
“At the end of this, we’ll be OK,” Manoukas said. “We’re going to come out stronger, and we always say at Yorkview we are stronger together.
As the “lawn reading” came to an end, and the Yorkview staff prepared to say goodbye, Radin thanked Rizaie, Manoukas and Angers for coming to see him and his brother.
“I miss all of you,” he said. “Hope we can see each other again, and stay safe.”
