Southern Regional Teacher To Give History Lesson On NJTV

MANAHAWKIN, NJ — There's not much in the education world that daunts Bill Smith. But creating a lesson for a statewide television audience was a change of pace from teaching Southern Regional High School history classes.

Like many during the novel-coronavirus outbreak, Smith practiced resiliency. The Southern Regional teacher created a makeshift studio in his basement and will lead a lesson that airs at noon Monday on NJTV.

He had to work quickly though. Smith's lesson airs on the first day of "NJTV Learning Live," a television program in which teachers from around New Jersey will lead lessons for grades 3 through 6. Read more: Garden State Teachers To Give Daily Lessons On NJTV

"Like everything right now with the COVID health crisis, I kind of just made it up on the go," Smith told Patch. "I got the green light to do the lesson (last) Friday with a Monday deadline."

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Smith's episode will feature a lesson on New Jersey and the Underground Railroad. The teacher leads a "virtual field trip" through Google Maps, taking them on part of the path in which slaves escaped to free states and Canada.

Viewers will follow a virtual path that begins in Delaware. They will cross the Delaware Bay into Cape May, move into Salem County and travel north to Jersey City, Hoboken and New York City.

Smith assembled a makeshift studio in his unfinished basement. He brought down lampshades to replicate studio lighting and put up a blanket that functions as a green screen.

"It’s a blue, velvet blanket that’s for my cat," Smith said. "So I pin that up on the wall. This is after trying a bunch of different green-screen options, and this is the one that worked the best."

This lesson felt different than most for Smith, who earned 2018-19 Ocean County Teacher of the Year and became a finalist for the statewide honor. He's used to educating a classroom of familiar faces.

Related article: 'I Miss Them So Much:' A Day In The Life Of A Barnegat Teacher

Filming made Smith feel like he was talking to himself, seeing his face reflect on his MacBook.

"Nerves are really never an issue for me," he said. "But the prospect of doing this lesson was a little bit daunting, knowing that a lot of people were going to be watching it."

But Smith's nerves calmed quickly. He filmed the first part of lesson in his home office, where his cat and three dogs kept popping in and out of the picture and kept him at ease.

And Smith felt honored to participate in the good cause and air on its inaugural day.

"The idea behind this program is equity," Smith said. "There are a lot of students who, because of the digital divide, they’re not able to access things online. So this TV program lets them see this and lets them see teachers every day."

Find your local channel on NJTV's "Where to Watch" webpage. The on-air classroom lessons will be livestreamed and archived on the network's website, NJTVonline.org.

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