Distance Learning – Did it Work?
The school year is over, and it is time to evaluate the effectiveness of Distance Learning. Was it successful? Well, the answer is, yes and no. I can only speak for myself and my experience, but for some children, it was okay, and for others it was a huge struggle. Did learning occur? Yes, but not anywhere near the level nor the intensity it would have happened in the classroom. In many ways, this last quarter of school was a way to keep the students’ brains connected and engaged, and if we actually managed to learn something along the way, fantastic!
I teach fourth grade, and the kids can be pretty self sufficient in many areas, but maintaining self control and motivation are two qualities that are still difficult at this age. Who had to take up the slack? The parents, who were already struggling with their own daily issues during this pandemic. To help alleviate this, I taught new or more complicated material (like Math) during frequent Zoom sessions, though it was difficult to maintain the attention of the 20 or so students that would show up! These one hour Zoom sessions were perhaps the most important action I started during this time – it gave my students time to talk and connect with each other. Some of them had not seen or talked to anyone in weeks! We would always spend the first ten minutes talking and sharing news, but then it was time for “school.” Inevitably, though, there were interruptions that would not normally occur in the classroom. Kids spinning in their chairs, having their dogs waving in the camera, holding up Pokemon cards, etc. All these behaviors of inattention that are so easily handled in the classroom become very difficult during a Zoom class. And very apparent when the work is handed in later. Yes, at our school, we required work to be turned in. And it was graded. For the most part, my students and parents did their best. And I mean that literally, because some of my parents did the homework – in their own writing!
Was this difficult and overwhelming? Yes! For both the parents and the myself! Several of my students did not have the best (or any) internet connections, and we worked around getting the information from the Zoom classes to the students and parents. Every day I was faced with 20 – 60 emails or texts ranging from questions about assignments to scanning and turning in work, requiring 8-10 hours at the computer daily. (Yes, I did take breaks. I’m old! I stiffen up when I sit for too long!) It was overwhelming, and I am grateful that my students and parents never gave up. I am not sure how teachers do this full time – I constantly worried about the few students that missed a Zoom session or fell behind, sending out emails about what they missed and further explaining the assignments. I am not cut out to be an online teacher, that is apparent. I fretted over completed work that was not up to par and missed being able to simply take a student aside to review the material with them. But, in the end, we made it through, with only a few (maybe more!) bumps along the way.
I am extremely proud of my fourth grade students, along with their parents, who helped support them to complete the work successfully. But was this distance learning an overall success? It had to be done, considering the circumstances, and they did learn content material, but I hope they also had the chance to learn more about themselves and their families. (Besides becoming a better Fortnite player!) Will the students be behind on standards for the coming year? A little. But, they will learn about fractions again next year, along with adverbs, prepositions, writing paragraphs, and so much more. That is the beauty of education, the repetition of important learning standards that can be expanded upon each year. If we have to continue distance learning, we would definitely need to revamp the methods of presentation and expectations in order to keep students on track with learning goals. I am hoping for a ‘normal’ start to the school year, but whatever is decided, we will adapt and strive to educate our students in the best way possible.
