K-12 Parents are frustrated and worried about the next school year.
During the final months of the school year students, parents and teachers all participated in an unparalleled experiment as schools across the country shifted to remote teaching at home. With COVID-19 on an uncertain course, schools are considering their action for the coming academic year. In May more than a hundred K-12 parents told SCADpro about their experience and how they feel about the future of remote schooling.
The initial experience with schooling from home proved challenging for parents and left many wanting; more than one described remote learning at home as a “mess.” Parents in our survey clearly prefer that their child(ren) have an on-campus, in-class experience. Many found Zoom classes to be “chaotic” and felt that students lacked the support they get with in-person learning.
They are also aware of the risks, however. Given the uncertainties, when asked if they would prefer to have their child(ren) return to school next year or continue schooling from home, 1 in 4 of our survey respondents said “don’t know” or “it depends.” Among remaining parents, return to school was the favorite by a 5 to 1 margin.
Takeaways
Parents offer school administrators the following feedback as they prepare for the start of next year.
Offer Training for Teachers and Support for Parents
The biggest takeaway from our survey is that schools need to provide the training, support and tools parents may need to achieve a more consistent and inclusive virtual learning experience for their children. Parents reported struggling to support their children’s learning. As one wrote: “there are questions my child may have that I’m not able to answer.”
Reduce the Load and Acknowledge the Struggle
During the pandemic, parents pitched in to help with schooling from home. However, for many — especially single parents and those with younger children — the job is overwhelming: it is “extremely difficult for the mother to get her job done well and keep track of the children’s education” reported one parent. Schools should consider ways to reduce the load and reward parents.
Standardize Teaching and Have Quality Control
While some teachers set regular assignments and offered support, parents report that others fell short. Based on their experience during the pandemic, parents fear their students are being short-changed educationally and worry about the long-term consequences. Parents would like to see their children doing less “review work” and more “actual learning” and evidence of regular feedback from teachers.
Go Off-Technology
While older students are better positioned to learn independently via “distance learning”, younger students need more “tactile experiences” such as books and pen and paper. If a return to the classroom is not feasible, schools should consider more “outdoor” and “off-technology” assignments.
Be Ready to Deliver
Recognizing the abruptness and extraordinary circumstances faced by everyone over the last few months, parents cut their kids and teachers some slack. “I really appreciate that they are doing this during a pandemic” wrote one. However, they have higher expectations and are less likely to be forgiving when school resumes.
Go Low-Tech
Disparities in availability of technology, time and other resources represent an enormous handicap for many families. Parents report lost power cables, crashing web browsers, and lack of access to printers. While some reliance on technology is inevitable, schools should consider ensuring that technology requirements do not present a barrier to students, and should be sympathetic when students experience technology failures.
Peer-to-Peer Interaction is Key
While schooling from home, students of all ages miss interacting with peers and engaging in extracurricular activities. Schools should consider offering more ways for students to interact with one another. Several parents reported that their children miss their friends and being in a classroom.
Conclusion
Distance learning has put parents into the classroom. It has made them more involved in their children’s education than ever before. It has placed tremendous demands on school administrators, teachers, parents and students. Serving our young people during this time, and making sure that they are not cheated of an education, is a challenge but it is also an opportunity — an opportunity to build new approaches in education, and to build new partnerships. To make the most of these opportunities the different stakeholders will need to communicate with one another, reflect on their experiences, and work out how we can all serve our students better.
