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Due to the coronavirus and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning Americans of its inevitable spread, many of us are anxious about sending our children to school. Despite children being in a lower risk group, no one wants to take that chance with their babies. Not only is it still cold and flu season, it’s difficult to discern the difference between the flu and COVID-19 without testing. For parents who either have to deal with school closures or are voluntarily withholding their children from attending class, technology has been one way to mitigate the loss of classroom learning time.
“Both of my kids schools have a wonderful site where all schoolwork is uploaded and homework,” Clarissa Laskey told Mom.com. “There is also a portal for kids to communicate with the teachers.”
Why some schools are closing temporarily
In a news briefing with reporters, Dr. Nancy Messonier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, warned of what lay ahead.
“Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in this country,” she warned. “We are asking the American public to work with us to prepare in the expectation that this could be bad. I continue to hope that in the end, we’ll look back and feel like we are overprepared, but that is a better place to be in than being underprepared.”
In attempts to help ensure students have safe and healthy learning environments, many cities and school districts are implementing aggressive mitigation efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. The CDC recommends schools work with local health officials about dismissals and large event cancellations as well as cancelling childcare programs in addition to K-12 schools.
This explains why some schools still remain open despite parental frustration.
“Our daytime public school does nothing,” Emily Chen worried to Mom.com. “Not even materials to take home to study.”
Mom of three Emily Wright concurred: “Our district is being VERY uncommunicative.”
The difficulties related to school closures
Though parents really want their kids to stay home, many families may still need child care because they cannot take time off from work or their employers will not or cannot allow them to work from home.
Schools also have to factor in low-income families, regarding access to technology, education, and food continuity, as well as continuing essential medical and social services for students with special needs. Thankfully, many districts are experienced enacting these continuity plans due to snow days and inclement weather.
“In Alaska, everyone has Google Classroom, and kids take classes via APEX online whenever they want,” Laura Sampson told Mom.com. “The switch will be easy as long as you have connectivity. That’s the big problem though, and one I think that needs to be explored: Does every kid have access to a computer in the home to use for online classes?”
You can keep track of which schools and districts have closed on EDweek.
How technology can help schools and families during closures
Many schools use technology to ensure continuity of education for their students. Mom of two Tomika Bryant said to Mom.com, “Kids have computers and they will have classes via Google Chat and other methods.”
Roodlyne Lyne told us that her children’s school also uses a Google product: “Our school uses Google Classroom; all assignments and even lectures are loaded in there. The teachers use school email and digital agendas.”
While classes are still on for her kids, she believes they have enough tech in place to keep going remotely.
“We use an online classroom tool called Canvas where the teachers can post lessons and resources and children can submit assignments and have discussions,” explained mom of two Miranda Wicker. “It’s county-wide, and we’ve done extensive research into whether every student in our district has access to the required technology. If they don’t, I believe the county provides it.”
Florida mom of four Whitney Cornelison said Florida Standards Assessments start April 1, 2020. “We’re being encouraged to utilize iReady and the other learning sites in their school dashboard,” she told Mom.com.
For parents who also have their children involved in extracurricular activities, like weekend Chinese schools, Chen told us, “Some will be first experimenting with Google Hangouts Meet.”
Others shared other platforms they’ll be using. “Our weekend Chinese school is using Zoom,” Jia Liu told Mom.com. “The free version is good enough for little kids. They don’t need anything fancy. The challenge is getting them to sit down and focus throughout the course.”
Some education companies are helping out. According to Jeff Harry, “Play-Well will be running lego STEM classes via Facebook Live and YouTube and having kids use the Legos that they have at home.” He elaborated to us, “We are doing this for free for anyone to join in.”
