How educators are preparing to support students as they return to the classroom this year.
With summer drawing to an end, Covid maintained. Schools are now focused on bringing all children back to school in person, we spoke to several teachers to understand what they might be doing differently to support students this year.
Incorporating More Technology.
What will educators do differently in the new school year?
6 out of 10 teachers said they enjoyed and would continue to use free online resources and educational platforms in the classroom. Having an electronic copy of all lessons, the submission, tracking and grading of assignments occurred seamlessly with the help of technology.
“I learned how to use many different tools like Canva and Flipgrid. I learned that kids can use a phone really well, but a lot of adults overestimate how well kids can utilize technology. They can learn it quickly, but they have to be taught explicitly.” -Ms Grothaus, Houston TX.
Teachers were surly amazed and proud of how students adapted to change and how they utilized technology. Undoubtedly, they enjoyed how students could communicate and connect with them regardless of the time and place. A new realm in the educational sector is open, allowing students and teachers to practice, enrich, and reinforce creative activities in and outside the classroom.
Learning loss is not new to educators, but the misinterpretation of the term has brought negative thinking that has caused anxiety and stress not only for teachers but parents and students alike.
“I don’t like to look at the past year or so as the time that learning loss occurred. Yes, I do believe some students fell behind due to unforeseeable circumstances but learning still occurred. Students not only learned academics but learned valuable life skills such as flexibility, resilience, self-regulation, etc…. Also, the student learned how to navigate the technology world. It was so cool to see students as young as 5/6 being able to navigate zoom, and other apps with little to no help after being shown a few times.” -Keenan, Pennsylvania.
The term learning loss implies that every student should have learned the same thing at the same time. However, during digital learning due to Covid, Teachers became more conscious of their students’ different learning styles and learning pace.
Covid has brought a significant change in learning loss considering not all students hit the normal objectives set out by the Academic Standards. As learning resumes back into the classroom with the new school year. Teachers will have the added challenge of helping students “catch up” to normal academic levels.
“I think in terms of losses, covid has in fact shown us the loopholes in our educational model.” -Mr Aftab Chaudhry, London.
Tackling learning loss
Identify and fill learning challenges in the new school year?
Over 60% of teachers, mostly in middle school and high school, were teaching students from their homes last academic year. Without the day to day ability to assist students who may have fallen behind, many schools are thinking about how to support these students this year. We asked teachers to share how they will help and shape students dealing with learning loss.
Five emerging ideas on tackling learning loss:
- Social-emotional student support, before tackling the academics, allowing students to feel safe as they learn.
“I don’t like the term “learning loss.” We are in a pandemic. Some students have lost parents and caregivers. Teachers will do what teachers have always done. We will meet the students where they are academically and help them move forward.” -Ms Foot, Alabama.
2. Using good reliable technology will help meet students where they are and help them build on what they know.
3. Working with core teachers to prepare for learning challenges through detailed documentation.
“I am working with other core teachers to prepare for the loss. Documentation will be the key and lack of distraction from outside influence.” -Nkem, Detroit.
4. Group activities that target liberated learning by grouping students for intervention and make-up courses based on the students specific learning needs.
5. Teaching in-depth even during the review.
“Most sequence courses like Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 have a lot of overlap so, instead of just refreshing those areas we will teach them in-depth.” -Stephen Hargis, Texas.
Measuring Learning challenges with ClassPlanit:
We understand that identifying and filling learning gaps in students can be overwhelming. Teachers require real-time information on student progress and understanding. With ClassPlanit, we give analytics on Learning Gaps — areas where students should have an understanding but did not retain or have forgotten the information presented to them — this is a GAP.
ClassPlanit identifies the students’ understanding level in all the areas and provides teachers with each student’s information in context to their understanding and what they do not understand.
SHOUT OUT to all the students, teachers and parents for their remarkable resilience. In Particular, Ms Grothaus, Keenan, Mr Aftab Chaundhry, Ms Foot, Nkem, and Mr Stephen Hargis for sharing their experiences for this Blog.
It is no secret that children all around the world have lost substantial instructional time due to the pandemic and suffered from learning challenges. Despite all hardships, students learned a lot in new and interesting ways. Students have overcome unbelievable obstacles and thrived last academic year. This was in large part due to the amazing work teachers did to adapt and support students. We have no doubt that this academic year teachers will continue to find innovative ways to spur student performance no matter what the global pandemic throws at us.
Q? How will you Identify and fill learning challenges in the new school year? Share your innovative ideas, in the comments.
