For most of us, elementary school looked a lot different than it does right now. We went on field trips, had lunch with our friends, and held assemblies without worrying about infection. But ever since March 2020, kids as young as four are staying home and learning through their screens. The virtual learning experiences of ICSD elementary students and families are varied and plenty, ranging from good to okay to overwhelming and terrible.
As with any new ordeal, challenges are inevitable. Many families The Tattler connected with, especially those with younger students, reported how hard it was for students to engage and focus in the virtual environment. One parent of a kindergartener mentioned how their child needed to have an adult with her to keep her focused. Another described temper tantrums, complaints, and fidgeting when it was time for virtual meetings, adding, “The teachers are doing an amazing job but I still don’t think it is useful for kindergartners.”
Virtual learning has also taken a toll on parents, especially those with younger kids, who often find themselves spending copious amounts of time helping their students. A parent of a second grader stated, “Virtual learning for a second grader is a band-aid trying to stop a hemorrhaging wound. It’s better than nothing. It requires a lot of parent time to guide, remind, check on work, set expectations, [teach] the material and prevent the kid from playing games during class time.”
Unsurprisingly, screen time and computer use is also a concern among many ICSD families, with most parents not wanting their child in front of a screen all day. One parent noted the difference between ICSD’s predicted amount of screen time for kindergarten, 1.25 hours, and the actual amount of screen time their kindergartener was having each day, with multiple meetings spread out throughout the 6-hour school day. Another reported “significantly more screen time overall” (as compared to before the pandemic). When asked how their online classes were going, a fifth grader said, “Okay. I don’t love the hours of screen time.”
Another common obstacle we found with virtual learners was the lack of interaction with peers. Especially for younger students, learning social skills and being with friends are both crucial. A fifth-grade parent who originally chose virtual learning is considering in-person in the future, saying, “At the [beginning], we were happy to learn virtually because it gave us flexibility for the schedule. Now we would like to return in person because we think social life is important for kids to grow healthy mentally.” A parent of a second grader said that their student was “missing out on the socialization and interpersonal relationship building, people skills and [play].”
Despite its numerous challenges, most of the families the Tattler connected with could list a fair share of positives in their experiences of virtual learning. Family bonding has grown from the increased time at home, families are grateful that kids aren’t exposed to COVID-19, and students are becoming more tech-savvy than before.
One ICSD parent with a kindergartener and third grader said the two kids grew closer than before because of all the time spent together at home. They also noticed how less contact with peers led to less peer pressure and commercialism, telling the Tattler, “I’ve seen a marked decrease in my older elementary school daughter’s ‘need’ to buy more LOL dolls this year than in the past couple of years.”
Another explained how the time at home has helped with other commitments. “For our family, it has made it much easier to supplement with religious and additional language education at home than when our kids were ‘in-person,’” they said.
ICSD teachers are also making virtual learning easier for their students. One parent is “amazed” by their teacher’s creative, often offline, paper assignments that include puzzles and decoding. Another observed how their student learned to work more independently and manage her own time, and that teachers were integrating remote and in-person students’ lessons excellently.
Overall, while families believe there is still much to be desired in virtual learning, there have been good things that have come out of it, like family time and extra learning. As a parent of a fifth grader put it, “With the great improvement between the spring and fall, I’m very encouraged by the improving quality. I expect this to be more typical in the future.”