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Alumna adapts to rapid changes in education while teaching in Italy during COVID-19 pandemic

by Jessenia Rivera

Malina Pakulak knew becoming an educator would require flexibility. Yet, when the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck Italy, forcing the country into on March 9, Pakulak wasn鈥檛 sure what the teaching profession would look like in the coming weeks.
 
鈥淚t happened like the flip of a switch,鈥� Pakulak said. 

Having graduated from USF in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education, Pakulak began her first teaching job as a kindergarten teacher at Aviano Elementary, a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school in Italy where her husband, who serves in the military, is stationed.

On February 26, the day after Pakulak鈥檚 school shut its doors until further notice, a meeting with the school鈥檚 teachers was arranged to discuss one essential question鈥攈ow were they going to continue to provide the best education for students, given the current situation? 

As Pakulak listened in on conversations and contributed her own ideas, she remembered the experience and skills she acquired while a student at USF.
 
When reflecting on her teaching internships, Pakulak recalls working alongside educators to turn Sessums Elementary, her designated school at the time, into a suitable shelter for families during Hurricane Irma. She also thought back on the action research she conducted in various classrooms across the school district and how it all prepared her for situations of crisis like the current pandemic.
 
鈥淚 feel like learning about the importance of inquiry in the classroom helped me a lot in this situation,鈥� Pakulak said. 鈥淚t instilled in me the need to adapt so I can better suit the needs of students.鈥�
 
After leaving her school campus that day, Pakulak worked quickly to construct a digital plan that was just as much engaging as it had to be educational.