MARTINSVILLE, Va. – A creative twist on a classic childhood project has one PK-3 class at Carlisle School in Martinsville feeling closer to their teacher than ever.
Each Monday, Paige Swanson teaches her class on Zoom. And while that keeps them connected on some level, one particular project has created an even deeper bond.
“I have very supportive parents so I knew that they would go all out on this activity, but I didn’t know the extent,” Swanson said.
It’s a play off the original “Flat Stanley Project” where students take pictures with cut-outs of the character from the 1964 children’s book. Miss Swanson’s cut out is named “Flat Swanson," which she emailed to each of her students. They were tasked with dressing her and then taking her along on their daily adventures. And those adventures, don’t stop.
“I mean I’m getting up to ten pictures daily and Flat Swanson has done everything from joined the family dinners at night to visit baby goats,” Swanson said.
Three-year-old Cate Walker gives careful consideration to her time with Flat Swanson.
“Cate has been one of the most enthusiastic students with this project,” Swanson said.
She took Flat Swanson to her neighbor’s farm.
”I take her from the goats, the donkeys, and for the chickens,” Walker said.
Making sure she doesn’t miss a single animal, until she doesn’t have to miss her teacher, anymore.
“It just filled us with joy, it even made me happy and we went outside and spent a lot of time together,” said Cate’s mom Laura Walker.
Friday was technically the last day of school for the kids in Miss Swanson’s class, but the teacher says she’s going to continue to see them over Zoom each Monday until the end of May and looks forward to seeing where Flat Stanley goes throughout that time as well.