Parents form 'learning pods' to help children learning from home

Learning pods brings groups of students together

A mother has set up what she calls learning pods, where parents work together to create classes small groups of children inside a home under the supervision of a teacher.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Some parents are going to all lengths in an effort to get their kids desperately needed in-person instruction while their young students are enrolled in virtual learning programs.

"In 2020, we are all looking to pivot. This was an idea that just came to us to continue the path of education and in-person instruction for our children," New Jersey mom Laura Bergman said.

The idea is that parents set up their own small group, or "pod," of students to continue lessons outside the regular school setting. It is a trend around the country as parents face uncertainty about schools this fall. Parents hire teachers to hold mini-classes outside or at one another's homes. Parents believe it will be beneficial.

"My kids picked right back up especially at the younger ages. They thrive on routine and on this classroom setting," Bergman boasted.

A recent FOX NEWS poll showed two-thirds of those surveyed want children to attend public schools in person this fall to some extent, while twenty-five percent would prefer to be fully remote.

"We want them engaged and with no arts and no music and no recess, this is a really good way to kind of fill that time doing things they love," mom Andrea Toch said. She is part of the learning pod with Bergman.

The U.S. Department of Education is warning parents and schools to be prepared for whatever the new semester brings. Frank Brogan, the Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education, said "don't develop one plan, develop multiple plans because you're going to be surprised to find out nothing is going to work for a one-size-fits-all approach to this thing.”

The money to fund private pod instruction, learning space, and child care are all major issues that some parents know will not come easy, especially as they try to manage their own jobs to keep their families afloat.

If your family is part of a learning pod, tell us about it. We would like to share your experience with other families. Email us at fox35news@foxtv.com.