Warning: This post may make you think, agree, disagree, yell amen or yell other (less religious) phrases and that’s great! The statements below are intended to encourage discussion. There are no absolutes, no right or wrong answers because there is so much we don’t know and won’t know for years.
I think it should be considered that traditional learning may not happen this year, but life and career skills will be learned: collaboration, technology, working remotely, troubleshooting, patience, and we aren’t the only ones who think this. How deeply will digital learning transform K-12 long term? discusses takeaways from the Digital Learning During the Pandemic report.
Over and over, it is said how detrimental it is to have schools closed, but, to play devil’s advocate, detrimental in what ways? Yes, students may lose a year of learning, but will they come out of this having gained new skills, just a different set than was planned? Are students able to learn more because the class is muted so less distractions? Are some more successful when not annoyed by their classmates?
For students who struggle, those learning to read, to write, to start grasping the early concepts of math, yes, this is hard, but will there be long term negative effects? We may not know for years. Will these students be better suited to the modern workforce? To utilizing technology to its fullest potential? To dealing with curveballs thrown their way? To adapt? To troubleshoot?
100 years ago, schools in America met for about 75 days a year. Now the school year is about 180 days, according to NCPedia.org. Multiple grade levels often learned together. As a former elementary teacher, I smile when I hear secondary teachers groan about “4 preps” (teaching 4 different classes) and think of all the prep elementary teachers have to do: reading, writing, math, science, social science, to name a few. However, in a one room schoolhouse? Multiple preps across multiple grades! And teach it all in 75 days!? Does that mean children were less educated?
As mentioned earlier, younger students may struggle, but maybe we should focus on what they can learn. Letter identification using a keyboard, accessibility features like dictation to “write” a story digitally, using digital inking to illustrate stories, seeing family members as tech geniuses for being able to do so much on a computer. Parents of teenagers might relish this last one because soon, those children may think they know more than you and you’ll need to remind them that you once taught them to walk, talk, and feed themselves. 😊
For more suggestions on tools to assist with learning at home, check out our YouTube channel and resources shared on Wakelet covering a variety of platforms from workshops Karyn offered this past summer for parents.
GK Techies 