No School-Till Fall?

Many school systems are closing for the rest of the school year. I am a teacher and a parent and I can see both sides of the anxiety this brings.

Teachers feel no closure. They are worried about sending their students on to the next grade level unprepared. Students will be going to middle school or high school, which are huge transitions. They worry about not only the academics, but the social and emotional ramifications of not finishing the year.

Parents are very concerned. Recently I had an online conversation with a parent that is a friend of mine. She said, "If school is closed for the rest of the year, and parents have to work and aren't able to be off, then teachers have to teach more...I can't continue to supervise all the classwork and make sure the kids log on for their 30 minutes online with the teacher." I too have been trying to teach my daughter at home and instantly realized why I do not home school. My friend continued to say, "I'm mostly concerned about my 5th grader who goes to middle school next year (culture and academic shock) and my 1st grader who needs that teacher-student-class interaction for listening skills and following instructions and not messing around."

My response to her was, "As a teacher, I feel like logging in to the school system and having parents teach when they are just trying to meet basic needs is a problem. The kids will be OK. All of the students across the country-possibly the world, are having their education interrupted. I think the focus needs to be elsewhere. They will catch up. Social, emotional, and coping skills are much more important at this point. Without these skills, students are not going to be able to learn anyway. If we can connect with students to let them know we care, this is most important."

As an educator, I have to believe that our administrations will help teachers in the fall to look at the curriculum and determine where the students ended. Every year, teachers have to set the rules and expectations in the classroom and most students respond well to this because it helps them feel safe. They know what to expect and what is expected of them.

As a parent, I feel that having your child connect with their friends virtually or by phone really helps. The good thing is that all parents and students are feeling the same way. Hopefully teachers have been able to connect with your child as well. After my daughter had an online math meeting with her teacher and classmates, I could see the difference it made for her.

Virtual class meetings are all well and good if you can access them. I called about half of my families when I didn't hear from them through email. This made a big difference to the students too. Don't forget, students can also call into most virtual meetings so that if they do not have a computer, they can still hear familiar voices and feel connected to their school family.

It is hard to imagine when this will all pass, but this is a great teachable moment for everyone. We all have an opportunity to reflect on what is important in life and how blessed we truly are. Keep sending messages of support to your friends so they do not feel that they are the only ones struggling. We really are all in this together!