Overcoming an Online Education
Covid-19 has caused significant changes in just about every aspect of life. From how we socialize, to how we work and play, covid-19 has forced us to adapt and overcome. However, one major change affecting our youth in particular, is the switch to online learning. Students face many challenges while learning whether it be social anxiety, trouble understanding content, or simply having to much work. Now, with the switch to online learning, students and their parents face a whole new set of challenges.
Many students went back to school this fall, but not in the way anyone expected. In order to contain the spread of covid-19, the majority of schools across the country made the switch to online learning, forcing students to begin learning from their homes. Rather than take the bus, students now simply open their computers and login to Zoom. No need to get dressed for school, students can stay cozied up in their pajamas while they learn about the quadratic equation. No more forgetting a snack, just go downstairs and grab something right out of the fridge!
Sounds kind of nice, right? Wrong.
Although there are a few small perks that come with online learning, it has been no party for most family’s across the country. The unexpected issues that students, educators and parents encounter on a daily basis have had everyone struggling this school year. Lets begin with the student. Many students rely on a strict learning environment to achieve success. Unable to sit in a classroom, many students are more distracted and feel that it is becoming increasingly difficult to remain engaged. Especially for younger students, there is a growing problem with teachers being able to effectively engage with them since there isn’t a classroom environment they can thrive in.
Parents have also had to bear some of the burden when it comes to online schooling. Many parents rely on school as a form of day care, allowing them to go to work knowing their child is safe at school. However, with the move to online learning, parents are forced to either work from home or find some form of child care, which can be extremely costly. Parents have also had to become somewhat of a teaching assistant as younger students are struggling with the new technology they have to use, such as Zoom. These changes have been hitting families hard. Take Laura J. Murphy, a fellow blogger and parent of two, who touched on her own children’s experience with online learning. She writes, “He has been silently struggling, not asking for help, upset about miscommunications with teachers he has never met in a school he has never actually stepped foot in while accumulating absences in the empty shells of his virtual classrooms” (Murphy, 2020). Laura and her son are just two of many parents and students who are struggling with the switch to an online education. Her son has been falling behind because of the lack of communication and structure throughout his classes.
Light at the end of the tunnel?
Hopefully, as the school year goes by, educators and parents can better adapt and move to overcome some of these challenges. After all, providing an engaging, enriching and worthwhile education to our students should be our primary focus.
Murphy, L. M. J. (2020, October 12). Why Remote Learning Was a Big Hot Mess — Age of Awareness. Medium. https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/why-remote-learning-was-a-big-hot-mess-12fd89f6b161
