Ave Doster '22
Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, teachers and students alike; however, there is a stark difference in the experiences of students from different backgrounds and different schools. This difference often boils down to access to resources, like technology or computers, and a safe, comfortable space to learn at home. Since some students don't have access to these resources, they have struggled with keeping up with their studies over these past few years. Many students, from different backgrounds and with different resources, have all felt the effect of being in school during the pandemic in numerous ways.
Many schools in America still experience the results of being historically segregated institutions; and COVID-19 brought this disparity to even wider attention, affecting many students much more harshly than before the pandemic. According to an opinion piece by Olga Correa, “The unfamiliarity of remote learning during a global pandemic has been treacherous, filled with challenges for educators and students alike”. The massive shift out of the physical classroom in March 2020 revealed barriers to student learning, namely engagement, access to a stable workspace and reliable technology, and limited mental health and community support” (Correa, 2021). COVID has made many existing issues more heavily apparent to the eyes of educators, and it is affecting students like never before.
Students of all grade levels, from preschool through college, have been held back from learning during this time. According to a study from Brown Center Chalkboard, “Students were predicted to show even smaller learning gains from the previous year, returning with less than 50% of typical gains.” Remote learning has shown itself to decrease learning in students, especially those who come from marginalized backgrounds or attend low-funded schools. It is probable to assume that the result of these barriers will continue to exist and impact people's lives for years to come. In the coming years, as we hopefully begin to recover from Coronavirus, it is important that educators and schools think of ways to help the students that were held back, and encourage them to continue growing from the effects of this transitioned learning experience.
Sources
“How is COVID-19 Affecting Students Learning” Brown Center Chalkboard, Megan Kuhfeld, Jim Soland, Beth Tarasawa, Angela Johnson, Eric Ruzek, Karyn Lewis, December 3, 2020
“At Segregated Schools, Remote Learning is Inherently Unequal” TFA One Day, Olga Correa, February 8, 2021
Edited by: Kat Chang '22, Adithi Vimalanathan '22, Natalia Cseh '23, and Ms. Brilliant
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