Covid 19 and Education
This time last year, it would have been hard to imagine schools closed down for months, Americans masked in public, and more than 1.1 million people dead from a worldwide pandemic. But that is our reality. Last month more than twelve of my family members contracted the Coronavirus. We waited with bated breath and hoped everyone will recover. Now, I wonder if I will always need an inhaler, and if my 6-year-old grandson will stop gasping to "get more air." Yet, our family's nightmare is far better than many people's. We had no deaths and no hospitalizations.
This virus has affected us in more ways than just health. The closing of schools has forced my daughter to supervise online education. And the differences in her teaching position and her children's school schedule have caused her to leave her job. But, we still count ourselves as lucky. We have the internet, computers, separate desks, and noise-canceling headsets. We are college-educated and can help with calculus classes and English assignments that other parents might struggle with. Furthermore, we have the security to leave a job and adjust to the online environment.
However, this virus is highlighting the disparity in our education system. Those students that were already behind are lagging behind, while those with greater resources are advancing. Teachers are being asked to teach in hybrid systems to meet in-person classrooms, hybrid classrooms, and online classrooms all at the same time. They must rise to meet expectations they were not trained to perform on. Overall, students, parents, and teachers are adapting, but the virus has changed the future of education.
In the immediate future, plans are being made and modified weekly. The overriding concern is for public safety, not education. As we navigate the new educational terrain. Students are becoming more proficient in online learning. But administrators must find ways to identify students who are not performing well in the modified learning environments. They must put in motion plans to reach students at risk of falling behind. As a long-term plan, teachers and administrators must find a way to help students overcome a chaotic education system's negative impact.
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