The Challenge For Teachers
In many ways, converting to an online teaching format is difficult for teachers. The curriculum must be redesigned and the learning experience must integrate technology. The teacher must plan out opportunities for students to interact with them and each other. More of the learning is the student’s responsibility completed through independent reading rather than classroom discussion.
Live interaction between the students and teacher is limited to a few hours a day at most and most students can complete their work in a shorter time than in the classroom environment. Physical education class has been one of the most difficult to conduct with activities taking place in the child’s home or outdoors; many kids have gained weight due to inactivity over the past year.
After school disappeared entirely and new online learning experiences popped up to replace them. When social interaction is limited to digital interaction, people adapt their habits and schedules around the remote learning experience.
The Challenge For Parents
One upstate New York mom was informed mid-year that she had to choose whether to send her kids to school or not and live with that decision for the rest of the school year. But when her freelance work began to pick up again, she could not find the time to do it while teaching her youngest son kindergarten. Her middle child had been telling her he was doing his work and had not been turning it in. Both scenarios pressed her to plea with the school to make an exception and allow the kids to return to school. Not everyone can afford the top private schools in the U.S. or tutors.
Even the best parents find themselves challenged to keep their kids focused on schoolwork while they are surrounded by their favorite toys, video games, pets, and other distractions. And if they work from home, they must stop to break up arguments, make lunches and clean up while attempting to put in a full eight-hour workday. Those who could not work from home had the added stress of juggling bills without the income. Many have been more involved with their child’s learning experience than ever before and are voicing their opinions about the curriculum and teaching methods.
The Challenge For Students
If your child is a good student, his or her dedication probably resulted in good grades despite the change in presentation. For kids suffering from ADHD or other learning disabilities, not having a teacher in the room to oversee completion of classwork has been a setback. Often, students simply login for reading and spend most of the class time working independently. Many kids are likely to get left back this year or require tutoring to get caught up. Many colleges have waived standardized tests as requirements for entry. And many graduations have been delayed or cancelled entirely.
The Future Is Now
It has been a time we all want to put behind us. We have learned how to make the best of remote learning, should it be necessary in the future, but for most students, as well as everyone involved, the in-person learning experience is irreplaceable for learning. No matter how our technology evolves to provide more conveniences, human connection and socialization will always be an important part of education.
