Perception vs. Reality
In looking back on the educational impact that the last 12 months has had on student achievement, it is critical that educators and parents alike ensure that their students not only completed the assignments and watched the videos or interacted in the virtual lessons, they must be certain that the students understood and learned the material. Critical to validating the understanding is student grade evidence; however, one must be very careful not to allow the grade to be used as the only evidence, absent of other more essential factors, which could lead to the perception of learning without the reality.
For example, many lessons in textbooks are accompanied by the infamous worksheet or even work packet, to be completed by students, often in isolation, and then turned in for a grade. Certainly, student practice is a constructive exercise to familiarize one with the types of problems they need to master or the types of questions they need to be able to answer; however, it is but one tool. COVID-19 required teachers nationwide to “shift-onthe-fly” creating and implementing alternative tasks and delivery modes in an attempt to teach material and content to students who were trying to access the new approach from a variety of settings. Some students presented with supportive, technology-savvy parents who could not only provide the necessary tools to allow student engagement but could also help their students when the content or access proved problematic.
However, many students spent more time during the pandemic with food insecurities than academic concerns. These students may not have had access to the technology tools or the Internet access to be able to readily access their assignments, let alone the ability to ask for additional help. While students who present with this level of technological poverty were historically challenged to have the most creative attachments or offer the most in-depth analysis due to their limited access, the pandemic evidenced a much more dramatic disparity for these students. Not only were they limited in their study spaces and support at home, they were also dramatically hampered by their diminished access to regular, professional support as well. While these children may have found ways to pass a given class or lesson, there is reasonable concern that inadequate evidence exists to show that they mastered the content, especially with respect to analytical subjects like math. Furthermore, for the growing population of students whose grades did not evidence mastery, academic rescue plans must be developed and implemented with urgency. Perhaps never before has summer school seemed like such a critical option to ensure that students are prepared for their next level of content; therefore, it is essential that educators have the opportunity to accurately evaluate student progress and embrace the brutal facts regarding student comprehension, to ensure that no child is left behind.