2020* - The Year with the Asterisk

The day was Tuesday, March 17 when I said goodbye to my classroom and fellow teachers. What followed was 100 days of lock-down learning at home for students, a challenging task for families and teachers alike.  It was a hell of a way to end my eighth year of "traditional" teaching in an all-to-nontraditional way. Students were offered the option of grade-as-is or pass-fail, many of who chose the latter, and who would blame them? Just do the minimum required and you pass to the next level without any consequences. Apparently it worked as graduation rates hit an all-time high, but from my personal point of view a new knowledge gap was created which will impact this generation for many years to come. Too many of our young people sat on their duff, although it was in the safe environment that so many felt was necessary.

When the first day of a new school year rolled around on September 1, it marked a period of 168 days when students went without being in a traditional classroom with direct instruction. Unfortunately there is a segment averaging approximately 20% which has chosen to remain virtual, some fearing for their personal health and others fearing the accountability of having to attend school, much less wanting to complete any assignments. Those who do attend are restricted to a well-intended plan called the "hybrid system" of two days in class, three away. This provides teachers (myself included) with only one class period per student each week, diminishing most chances to build relationships which are so valuable today in education.

My greatest fear is the learning gap that will scar American society (and notably so many young people) for many years into the future and diminish our standing in the world. Be it soft skills or hard skills, look at the damage covid19 is inflicting on us all. What are the chances that we will be able to pick up the pieces to a shattered economy and societal norms in the immediate future? As much of an optimist I see myself being, the logical answer is "no much".....or at least it feels that way more and more each day.