Post date: Mon, Sep 27, 2021
Category: Education
By: Caroline Ogutu,

The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic with all its mayhem showed us all how resilient human beings are. Despite all the fears, struggles and uncertainties, we encountered, we made lots of adjustments, acquired new learning and found our “new normal”. As educators we are trained to develop the whole child by ensuring their academic, physical, and emotional growth, 2020 pandemic really put our skills into practice as we became the main advocate between the families and the school. Schools still had to provide meals, lessons, counseling services where needed and teachers were the ones to identify who needed the services.

Before COVID hit, schools were all in person, technology was used as a supplement for enrichment and interventions. Covid hit and schools were shut just when we were supposed to go back for the final quarter.  Schools had to quickly meet to figure out how to meet the needs of students. With limited technology at that time, teachers had to be creative on how to truly continue serving their students to create continuity. Most of the teachers used the supplemental online programs that the schools already had for students who had access to computers, and we made copies of work and parents had to pick from the front office. Meals were provided for all students and parents had to go to school to pick breakfast and lunches.  Our most at-risk students who have Individualized plans got their services too.

The main communication mode became the phone and email. Accountability and support were provided for teachers using google meets. We served as best as we could for those last nine weeks. Graduations and promotions were done in a drive through mode because groups were not allowed to meet.  It was quite an experience and school closed for summer

The New school year started off on schedule (July 2020) and everyone was online and to ensure continuity of learning, the following measures were put in place:

• The students were all provide with laptops/iPad /think pads and those without internet were provided with hot spots.
• All teachers were trained on how to set up and use google classroom and google meets. The School District also bought an online program that reduced the need to make lots of copies.
• Teacher students’ interactions were majorly online and normal lessons were offered as usual with a different mode (online). At the beginning it was strange and managing students who were in their own homes was challenging at times.
• Parents also had to monitor especially the young students who were very unfamiliar with this kind of learning.

By the end of the first quarter), hybrid learning was made available in October for parents who were comfortable sending their children to school with the following measures put into consideration:

• Schools set up infection control protocols to avoid closures.
• Everyone had to wear masks, temperature checks were done at entry point, limited interaction between classes (students ate their breakfast and lunches in their class, they were assigned a place to play, and no one used the playground equipment.
• Teachers had to set up their classroom based on the CDC guidelines of social distancing. We shifted from groups/pods and went back to traditional rows.
• In case of infection in a classroom they had to go on quarantine and if more than one class had infection within the school then the whole school went on the 14day quarantine.

Well, it worked quite effectively because our school never had to close. A few classes went on quarantine. With the online program, learning was never disrupted because all they switched to was from in person to the google meet.

After the 1^st semester ended in December another survey was done to allow parents to make the choice for their students to go in -person or stay online. More parents chose in-person and so more classes were set up. For the 2^nd semester only 1/4 of student population stayed online. We were able to complete our State Assessments and end the school year in May. We hope to start normally next school year but whatever happens we are ready either way.

This 2020 pandemic has taught us the following lessons that have to be well thought by policymakers and education stakeholders:

• We all need to be flexible, adaptable, and resilient.
• We have learnt that nothing is guaranteed, and you must get up and plan how to forge forward with the circumstances at present. Those who failed to adapt to what was going on are still struggling to date.
• Schools provided stability to most families and kids were given an opportunity to thrive despite what was going on around the world. Communication amongst all those affected played an important role to help us survive this year.
• Technology should be a key investment in all schools. The fact that we had a technology support department that supported teachers, parents and the students made it all smooth running. We were able to go through the school year without any delays.
• This year more than ever our survival and thriving were enhanced by the emphasis we put on the socio emotional lessons. Education should still focus on the whole child and children will succeed no matter where the learning takes place.

Education data facts on the United States of America

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