RICHFIELD, Minn. (FOX 9) - While the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of people across the globe, it is also putting on display some great examples of human ingenuity. It has people finding new and different ways to stay in touch while they can physically see each other.
In Richfield, a preschool teacher is using the power of stories to keep kids connected and learning.
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Minnesota preschool teacher connects with student through storytime videos
With normal classrooms disrupted amid the pandemic, one preschool teacher is getting creative.
"Hello everyone, I’m back again to read another story," said Alex Engelsgjerd in a storytime video.
To his preschool students, Engelsgjerd is known as “Coo Coo."
"Every single day, I walk into class, no joke, I just hear 'Coo Coo, Coo Coo,'" he said. "They all call me Coo Coo!"
Without a class to walk into right now, “Coo Coo” is hoping to give his students and other kids stuck at home a story to smile about.
"So, the first book I’m going to read is 'Corduroy,'" he told his students. "It’s one of my all-time favorites."
"Any way that we can get the kids to become interested in staying educated and staying learning, I think, is going to be super, super important over the next few weeks," he said.
Every day, he’s reading a story on his Facebook page for "Coo Coo’s Storytime."
"It's just so important for them to get that kind of education in any way possible, and books are not only entertaining for them, but they can also be very educational," he explained.
Educational because, even without a classroom, there’s still a quiz, giving kids a chance to stay engaged and get lost in a good book.
"It’s really, really important for anyone any families with kids just to give them some positivity, some lightheartedness, some time to kind of just sit down and relax and enjoy a story," said Engelsgjerd.
If you want your kids to join in the fun, you can check out his Facebook page: Coo Coo's Storytime.