Parents around the country are faced with one of the most difficult decisions of the school year due to the coronavirus: To continue virtual learning or send their children back to the school.
Families across America have traded in their normal routines for Zoom conference calls, Google classroom and various other virtual engagement platforms in the name of education. Children across the world have had to make swift adjustments in daily interactions and teaching styles, leaving educators and parents concerned about potential setbacks. The start of the school year has many parents, teachers and caregivers questioning the safety and possible consequences of continuing education as normal. At the height of the pandemic, many families struggled with their new routines.
“Imagine teaching three different curriculums [sic] with children who are completely over it, it isn’t fun!” said Sheree Jones of Massapequa Park. “I have three kids, one who was in fifth, first and pre-k at the start of the stay at home order and each one of them have had twenty five page packets on top of scheduled virtual meetings with their teachers weekly; the thought of continuing that routine is unnerving to say the least, but keeping my children safe is worth the struggle.”
Due to work responsibilities and lack of child care and proper devices, many parents are forced to send their children back into buildings, knowing the possible risk, while others are able to continue virtual learning. Some parents are eager to continue life as normal while others like Sheree Jones remain cautious and skeptical of the new normal. “Though my children are continuing to home school, I am still concerned for my sanity and temperament through it all, it’s a lot to handle,” said Jones. “I have transformed a designated area in my home to hopefully keep them engaged and focused, so they suffer no deficiencies in their class instruction.”
Many children are being equipped with devices through their school district so they’re always able to continue their work despite disruption. Jones added: “I bought [a] desk, bulletin boards, posters in hopes that their environment feels like a classroom despite the location.”
Schools across the country are making decisions and changes to accommodate a new world order. Implementing safety protocols, distant interactions and host of other changes so parents, teachers and students can adjust to this new normal. “The district has been forthcoming with new changes and uncertainty throughout the pandemic,” said Jones. “I’d rather a well thought out plan of possibilities than one of complete certainty.”
Though parents are preparing for a new school year, the future is still uncertain. With talks of a “second wave” and the possibility of children not being able to maintain social distance, it’s impossible to predict the future of our school systems.