Are you worried that your child will be left behind? You’re not alone


Dr. Stipek said that parents of elementary school children should seek resources and guidance in their schools and, to the extent possible, supplement school learning with reading, games and activities. “Something as simple as talking about measurements and the effects of different ingredients while baking cupcakes can be educational,” he said. But with many families currently feeling the crisis of work and childcare, “parents should not feel guilty that they are not doing enough,” he said. “Schools will have to adapt to get to know the children where they are.”

That’s what Greg Korchnak, a teacher at Summers-Knoll School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, plans to do. “There are parts of the school and our education system that don’t make learning accessible to all students,” said Korchnak, who runs the school’s remote learning program. “This moment is an opportunity for school systems to be thoughtful, discard the parts that don’t work, and find new ways to reach students beyond the traditional model of education.”

In addition to students with learning disabilities, children from low-income households may also have an increased risk of falling behind. Although Dr. Stipek is confident that teachers will do their best to help children catch up when they return to school, she is concerned that lack of in-person instruction may increase the achievement gap that already prevails between groups. socioeconomic.

“Wealthy parents are better placed to help or hire help for their children who work online,” he said. “Children in economically disadvantaged families are less likely to have constant access to the Internet, and their parents have fewer resources to provide additional support. This situation may exacerbate a problem that already exists. “

Amy Estes, a teacher in Sacramento, California, said her public school district is preparing to expand its technology offerings and paper materials to children who do not have access, as well as increase resources such as meals, counseling and home visits. Additionally, Estes has spent the past month helping the school write a rigorous online curriculum that includes ways to meet the diverse needs of non-English learners and special education students. “We are working to ensure that teachers receive the training they need to design lessons and interact with students more constructively,” he said. “The benefit of moving to distance learning officially is that districts can now help teachers do a better job.”

Regardless of socioeconomic status, a home full of anxiety and stress can be the primary driver of children left behind, said Bruce Fuller, Ph.D., professor of education and public policy at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education. . When parents lose patience or don’t listen, Dr. Fuller said, children can begin to become emotionally disconnected, in turn disconnected from reading and rich conversation within the family.

“Children’s cognitive learning is based on a secure emotional foundation,” he said. “If they continually see their parents unhappy or anxious, it can begin to inhibit their own development. That’s troubling, because this is a really stressful time for parents. It can be difficult to maintain a calm and caring climate for children when parents must take over the school. ”