4 Benefits of Virtual Learning to Carry Into The New School Year
“Good times become good memories, and bad times become good lessons!”
- Anonymous
We can all safely say that 2020 was the dumpster fire year that just kept on blazing in the way of crisis, obstacles, and disappointments. But, as in most hard times, once you’ve turned the corner the lessons that struggle taught you become clearer to see. 2020 brought all educators, parents, and students the “gift” of virtual learning. It was for sure a special kind of torture for us all! Veteran teachers had to relearn their craft in a sense, new teachers entered the profession at a crazy unprecedented and highly stressful time, parents had to juggle assisting with their child’s education like never before while paying the bills, and many students were left without in-person guidance and socialization because it simply couldn’t be avoided. The craziest part…we were ALL expected to some how maintain balance and show growth!
Now that we have had a little time to breath and reflect, I’m sure we’re all still on a roller coaster of emotion, but hopefully at least some of those feelings include pride in what we accomplished in such a tumultuous era. Need more than that to find the bright side in this dark time? Here are at least 4 benefits we all gained from the virtual teaching age that can definitely be utilized in positive ways going forward into this new school year:
As a parent, we have gained brand new invaluable insight into how our children learn
Ordinarily we as parents get small glimpses here and there from assisting with homework, or chats during parent/teacher conferences as to the type of student our child is in their classroom environment where they spend at least half of their waking hours. We all want to think our child is the focused type, who follows all the directions, answers most questions correctly, and generally causes NO waves in the flow of the classes daily routine. Some of us, if we’re being honest, are less than receptive to the second party delivery of the information that this is sometimes not the case. While the pandemic and unconventional structure of the school day have to be factored in, many of us now KNOW much more about the student our little one actually is. This helps us support and advocate for them more! Maybe they do best when the get extra thinking time, or they are the visual student that HAS TO draw or write to figure it out, maybe they are stronger in math/science and need strengthening in reading/comprehension, or work best when movement is incorporated into their day. Take what you learned to the new teacher and having this on their radar will help bridge some of the gap that ALL educators and students will inevitably face this year! This brings me to the next positive!
We all have a better understanding of the benefits in a cooperative relationship between home and school
I have encountered all different levels of parent involvement from the parent who calls daily so I have their number and name saved in my personal cell, to the parent who I couldn’t pick out of a lineup if I had to and am more than sure they’d have to google map the schools address to find it. There are SO MANY lanes in between! Obviously the student that feels most supported sees a clear and positive regular interaction between their guardian and their teacher. Hearing and seeing from both sides that there is unity in what’s expected from their effort and behavior always makes all the difference! I am an educator mom who’s only child spent her First grade year entirely virtual, and though I was by her side daily, I was also in regular weekly/monthly communication with her teachers and administrators to ensure the best year possible for her. More of a helicopter parent, guilty, and I’m sorry NOT sorry! I felt heard, my input valued and it yielded real results for Jovi’s academic growth throughout the year which is all that matters! I knew from experience what she needed, how to take my concerns amicably to those who would take action, and built a trust and communication with the school staff that became ultimately precious as are the connections I’ve fostered with my student’s families over the years! Work this year to be on the same team for your student/child!
3. Parents have a better understanding now than ever before of their child’s curriculum standards, vocabulary, and strategies
You are your child’s number one cheerleader and their first line of defense when something is wrong! Sure you get the report card with the letter coded system, but sometimes A/M/D has replaced the expected A/B/C and the topic being graded says “Number stories, and Analysis” instead of plain old “Math” and you have no clue what the heck the typed explanation that is supposed to offer clarification even means! How do you advocate for that?! This year the blessing in disguise is parents went the extra mile, as did teachers, to keep in the loop of the state standard wording on assignments, tests, daily activities, etc. You were exposed in greater detail to how a particular bit of knowledge is instructed, the vocabulary to use as well as a greater understanding of the different steps and strategies used when working things through! Some parents were blown away by the requirements and ability to pinpoint where in a process their child needs more and exactly what they can be providing or communicating to their child or their child’s teacher to help!
4. Educators, Parents, and Students…We can do VIRTUALLY anything!
I was on leave this year due to the medical threat that the pandemic posed, while co-habitating with at risk parents, and utilized my option to “stay-at-home assist” Jovi. I am in awe of every educator backed into a corner with no plan from government and limited support to say the least on coming up with and executing for their students this year! No matter the numbers on the student academic growth chart, or your even more absurd professional evaluation scores, you should be BEYOND PROUD of what you accomplished this year! PERIOD! Parents you had to decide how to help your child/children not lose a year of education while keeping your 9-5 and the household running all at the same time, many parents were put out of work, they left multiple children home to structure and focus themselves or sent them to school riddled with worry for the health of their household because they HAD TO! Students as young as 5 years old across the country were expected to self-regulate through hours of online instruction (which is NOT physically developmentally appropriate) for months and progress!
Last year felt like building a plane while simultaneously flying it, or learning to swim as you’re actively drowning, but look how we survived and in some cases even thrived! We persevered and conquered! This new school year, when the going gets tough, remind yourself of your 2020 strength, accomplishments, and amplify your pride in what you are capable of in order to keep going! We can ALL do hard things and in every hard thing there is a benefit to be taken away!