"We Have to Get Kids Back in the Schools" - Wrong! (PART ONE)

I don't know of a single person who doesn't want schools open - not teachers, not students, not parents, not elected officials, not medical and science experts, not the community. 

But just saying kids have to be back in school is not helpful and not a plan. Any type of return to school with the pandemic still raging involves a level of risk and requires changes to what we envision when we hear "back to school." That means we have to face the reality that "getting kids back into the schools" is not what our goal is. What we do need is plan for how we can educate all our children during this current crisis, with or without using our schools. 

Instead of saying that we have to get kids back in the schools, try saying this:

How can we redesign education during a dangerous pandemic so we can meet high safety standards, support the social/emotional needs of adults and children, and provide the best learning experience possible in a time of crisis?

Here's what we are looking at for many of our in-person classroom experiences at the elementary level:

• Less than full classes to meet safety guidelines - with some kids possibly connecting remotely and/or with kids coming to school every day or on alternate days. 
• Coordination of in-person along with the remote learners, which could look different on different days and throughout the year based on the degree of illness in the community.
• Distance - should be 6 feet but I am seeing some say 3 feet (makes me very nervous).
• Masks (hopefully masks and not just face shields) for part or all of the day.
• All students facing the same direction. No face-to-face interactions.
• No small group work (unless you can do it via computers as kids sit at their desks).
• No or limited hands-on experiences.
• No shared equipment. This could significantly impact science, math, art, music, and physical education experiences.
• More time devoted to hand washing, desk cleaning, mask breaks. Wash hands when you arrive and before and after eating (so that's lunch and snack). Do this while maintaining distance among all students and adults.
• Time outdoors (weather permitting) to stretch and this can also be a mask break - make sure kids stay apart though.
• Recess: keep distance, no shared equipment.
• Lunch - I have no idea - probably in the classrooms and not the cafeteria - at a distance, facing the same way, so no face-to-face socializing. Let's face it, how do you even socialize while eating all facing the same way at a distance of 3 feet or more?
• Transportation:  Buses with fewer kids each trip - so we might need two rounds through the community to get everyone? Will that mean a later start to the day? Longer time getting home?  I'm not sure. Maybe more kids will walk or get picked up. The transportation issue alone keeps me up at night, and I can only image how those who have to plan it out must be feeling!
• Possibility of no assemblies, live guest presenters or volunteers, field trips, few or no before/after and recess clubs simply because they won't meet safety guidelines.
• Increase in absences - adults and students. Plan for needing more substitute teachers. Plan to support students who might be sick or quarantined for long periods of time.
• Increased use of computers. Prepare for technical difficulties, fatigue, distractions.
• Challenges in hearing the teacher and students who are speaking through a mask. Challenges in reading facial cues. How does this impact those tuning in from home?
• Passing out papers - probably not. Convert to a paperless classroom if you don't already have this.
• Schools without air conditioning will likely need to start with virtual learning. There will be so many who fall ill if they are in a 90+ degree room with a mask on for hours. I know from experience in unconditioned classrooms how unproductive this can be, and that was without wearing a mask. 
• Less time devoted to curriculum. Plan for transitions to take longer and for the time it will take for a full class hand washing and room cleaning throughout the day. Plan for more review, troubleshooting, safety reminders, breaks. Many modifications will need to be made to adhere to safety guidelines which will limit some experiences.
• For many rooms, only desks and chairs will fit. Any flexible seating, comfy furniture, small group table, etc. will need to be removed; otherwise, the distancing won't work.

So when I hear some saying we have to get kids back to school, is this what they mean? Because this is what it will be. We need to be realistic if we are going to try to make this work. So back to my question:

How can we redesign education during a dangerous pandemic so we can meet high safety standards, support the social/emotional needs of adults and children, and provide the best learning experience possible in a time of crisis?

We need to work together to figure out if there IS an answer. Can we find tools, resources, strategies that will support in-person learning with current conditions? If the environment we are putting our children into is a terrible, stressful, dangerous, boring, learning environment, and we have no idea how to make it better, then we need a new plan. The last thing we want to do is make things worse. We aren't only thinking about the education of our children now, we are potentially going to have an impact on the physical and mental health of our school communities and their families. So if what we are offering for in-person learning is terrible, can we really say it is worth the risk? Do we really HAVE to get kids back into the schools if we can't ensure a good education and a safe and welcoming space for all?  

Continuing to think of in-person learning, can you fill in either of these answers to my question?

Yes, we can redesign education during a dangerous pandemic so we can meet high safety standards, support the social/emotional needs of adults and children, and provide the best learning experience possible in a time of crisis, and here is how we can do it.... 

After brainstorming and considering all possibilities, no, we can't redesign education during a dangerous pandemic so we can meet high safety standards, support the social/emotional needs of adults and children, and provide the best learning experience possible in a time of crisis and so we need to...

I don't have all the answers, but I do know we need to face this before we move forward. I have been discussing possibilities with colleagues, reading all I can from our health and science experts, trying not to follow toxic dialogue on social media, and doing all I can to help prevent the spread of the virus.

If we cannot plan an in-person scenario worth risking our health for, we need to spend the weeks we have left before school starts putting all our effort into designing a virtual experience that will answer the question I pose.

In my district, we have an amazing community, staff, administration, school board, and families. We have a lot of really, really smart people who have proven in the past that we can work together to do what is best for our community, and especially for our children. We are not all going to agree on what the best options are, but, if we commit to sticking with it, stay honest with our reality, agree to being respectful in our words and actions, and open our minds to some creative changes in how, what, and where children learn, we will surely find a plan that keeps us safe and inspires our children to learn and grow.

In "We Have to Get Kids Back in the Schools" - Wrong! PART TWO I will share some ideas I have for how to create meaningful learning experiences for students during the upcoming school year that will also bring us closer to a modern learning environment even after the pandemic has passed. (coming soon)

Continuing with Video Conferencing

In March, I posted information about how I've been using video conferencing with elementary children for probably about 15 years (see post here). From activities with other other classes around the world, to virtual field trips, to read alouds, and even to directing a dog sled team in Alaska, my students have had many fun and educational experiences. In these challenging times, we are trying to figure out how best to work with our students during the 20-21 school year, with the possibility of full distance learning, alternating days of in-person and at home learning, or even in-person but with major modifications. 

One suggestion I've seen is to do some sort of live streaming while there are some students live and some at home. I do have several concerns about a live stream of an elementary classroom all day, including kids having to watch a computer screen for long periods of time, the privacy issues, technical difficulties or just the lack of needed equipment, and providing the best support for those at home. But, if you can make it work for you and your students, I think there could be some great benefits of including video conferencing experiences for kids at the elementary level. Planning now for how to make live video experiences work will give teachers additional tools to use regardless of what our school year looks like.

Tips:

1. One suggestion if you plan to do live video is to have a PLAN B. There are many ways things can go wrong, and I think I've experienced most of them! From freezing video, no audio, lost connection, student misbehavior, it's going to happen. Plan ahead and you can handle it. 

• Make sure the kids know there could be problems and what they are expected to do if there are problems.
• Practice before an actual event. Once children see themselves on screen a few times, most are not as silly. Fortunately, many of our students have now had experiences with video connections and so this will help for future experiences. 
• Give kids paper and a pencil or crayons and have a couple of writing or drawing prompts ready in case there are delays in connection or technical difficulties.
• If possible, when you are connecting with another adult, exchange cell numbers and have your phone ready in case you need to call one another.
• If possible (harder with current physical distancing guidelines) have a spot outside of video view where children who are having a hard time focusing while on the screen can sit and "observe." Then follow up after the event to discuss how things can improve for next time.
• Know how to mute your mic! Whether one child is having a hard time or you need to redirect the class, a quick mute of the mic can help avoid broadcasting what you might want to keep private among those in person.
• Use a small wipe-off board or paper to get a quick message to those in person while not having the message viewed or heard on screen. It could be a prompt to speak louder, a reminder to focus on the speaker, a suggestion to raise hands and take turns talking, or a way to give positive feedback that doesn't interrupt the live discussion. You could also work with kids to come up with nonverbal cues you can use to guide them as well (think sign language). 

2. If possible, have a second adult or a responsible student volunteer who will monitor any type of chat if that is part of your connection. When my students engaged in Zoom calls this year, I had a really hard time following the chat, especially when I was sharing my screen. Students enjoyed the job of monitoring the chat during our calls. This is definitely easier with older children. For those who typically have parents or senior volunteers in your classroom, this could be a great way to include them during a time when they are not permitted in the building (if your school allows this).

3. I have always communicated with parents and my principal when I would be engaging in any type of video connections. My principal was always invited to join us, and parents always had the option to have their child excluded from video/audio. While this very rarely happened, some parents and children do not want to be part of a live event, even when it is not recorded. If so, we make a plan for them to participate out of view. 

4. A half hour is about it! I have found with kids from grades 2-6 that 30-45 minutes is about the amount of time kids will sustain focus on a video connection, depending on the amount of activity happening. If it is lecture and Q&A, plan for a shorter time. If there is some sort of collaboration, physical movement, or reflection time built in, they will hang on for longer. 

5.  Some children get very nervous with live video events. They might not feel comfortable talking or being the focus of the video view. So, you will likely have some children who do not participate in parts of the activity, such as asking questions. This was a major challenge with our live Zoom calls this spring. Consider some other ways for them to participate, such as writing questions on index cards that a student volunteer or teacher reads, a "thumbs up/down" to show agreement/disagreement, etc. At the same time, there might be some students who want to be in the spotlight the whole time. Recognize this is a strength for them but also be prepared to redirect that energy if necessary. Dedicating some time to reflection after the event might help both those who are reluctant to participate and those who want to be in the spotlight to think about how they will engage in future events.

6. I have found that most children use a quiet voice with live video. If your children are also wearing masks and if you cannot have children come close to the mic due to distancing guidelines and not sharing equipment, this could be an issue. I don't have a perfect answer, but you might consider having children practice using a "loud voice" ahead of time, you could be prepared to have to repeat what your children are saying, quick answers (like yes/no) could be written on wipe-off boards or paper, or you could make use of a chat feature. 

7. Remind students that sometimes with video connections there is a delay. They will have to talk slower, and they will have to be prepared for a pause before getting a response. With experience, the children (and adults) will have a better time with this issue.

Resources:

Here are some ways my students and I have connected via live video over the years. These are great experiences for your students in regular times as well as during the pandemic.

1. Skype in the Classroom, including Mystery Skype - Mystery Skype is a great way to connect with other schools. Each class has to ask yes/no questions to try to guess where the other class is located. Some modifications might be needed if physical distance guidelines are in place. There are other suggestions for how to use Skype to connect on the website, including guest speakers and virtual field trips. And you don't necessarily have to use the Skype tool to arrange some of these experiences.

2. Skype a Scientist - a great way to bring experts into your classroom! 

3. See my March post for other Skype/video conferencing suggestions. 

4. Performances - whether it is role playing or acting out a play, a performance is a great way to help kids feel comfortable during a video event and to allow kids to participate whether they are in person or at home. We had a great time performing the Sticky Burr webcomic during our time at home this spring. Check out the comic and accompanying resources. For children who don't want to have a part, they can participate by being the audience and providing positive feedback for the performers. Fun!

5. CILC - Check out these video conference experiences. Some have a cost but some are free.

6. Smithsonian American Art Museum (also posted in CILC) - connect art with history as staff at SAAM engage your students in an interactive event. They are very well organized, help you plan for any technical difficulties, and provide you with resources.

I hope you will take some time to think about how you can bring some creative, interactive video experiences to your students during the next school year. While it can feel risky to have kids involved in live interactions, there are some really great benefits for learners. As with other activities you do with your students, preparing them and yourself ahead of time, including preparing for challenges, will help the live events run smoothly.

I know there are other ideas for using video connections. If you want to share your suggestions or have questions, please add to the comments. 

~Maryann