COVID- 19 in schools
Have you ever tried to wrangle a hyperactive seven- year- old into sitting through a zoom meeting? Found yourself bribing your child to complete five minutes’ worth of online work? If you happen to be one of the many parents stuck at home playing teacher, you are not alone.
Getting a child to absorb any online learning is no easy feat, particularly for younger children accustomed to doing hands- on activities. For children with learning disabilities the situation becomes ten times worse, and the “information highway” turns into something more resembling gridlock traffic on I- 70. So what are the parents of disabled children to do?
My younger brothers have learning disabilities. It is already difficult for them to absorb information in school, but through a computer, it is practically impossible. With no in- school learning in sight, it doesn’t seem my brothers will get the education afforded to everyone under federal law.
“School days” are reserved for watching my dad’s blood pressure steadily rise as he tries to teach. Online learning has been a struggle not only for our family, but for families across the United States.
It’s not only less effective but causes financial strain on parents stuck teaching their kids instead of working.
In- person learning is not without its own risks. It’s hard to imagine a school environment in which 500 children manage to keep masks on and stay six feet apart from each other at all times. There doesn’t seem to be an effective way to bring kids back to school without exposing them to COVID- 19.
Amongst the parents I babysit for, there’s been discussion of hiring private educators to teach their children. While perhaps one solution to guaranteeing a quality education, hiring a teacher presents a whole new set of problems for lowerincome families.
It costs, on average, $ 40 an hour to hire a teacher. Eight hours a day, five times a week — the bill becomes more than many can afford.
School districts are doing their best to manage parent and student expectations. There is not one clear- cut solution everyone can get behind. Online learning is inconvenient and ineffective, while in- person learning may spread COVID.
Speaking as someone who had their senior year of high school shut down and their graduation ruined, I believe that we need to stay six feet apart, keep our masks on, and vote for someone who will give our children the education they deserve. , 18, Fairview