Education has changed drastically and quickly over the last 6 weeks, so what will happen this fall? Will the college classes resume? Will high schoolers return to their lockers? What about middle schoolers and their academics? How will primary grades react to the new season? No matter what grade your student is in, one thing is certain, students across the globe want to return to their academic program. Students miss their friends, teachers, exploratories, labs, sports, etc. We know this, but what we as a country do not know is when or how the state officials will let us get back in the classroom. I think the school calendar is going to change.
According to Beth McMurtrie, "Beloit is one of the first colleges to lay out a new course schedule for the fall, but every institution will face the same quandary. Even if the coronavirus wanes over the summer, public-health officials say, it is likely to resurface once large groups of people — say, students in lecture halls or dormitories — begin to congregate. The solutions will depend on whether a campus is large or small, residential or commuter, mainly undergraduate or with extensive graduate programs. But all are weighing a collection of options and interlocking scenarios, each of which will force a reconsideration of bedrock assumptions about the academic calendar, and of the shape and trajectory of college life." Check out her article here ~
A recent survey by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers suggests that the majority of colleges will open in September online or have a varied schedule for the fall. Issues are bound to be present as colleges have to figure out impacts on accreditation, scheduling, online courses, access to computers, and much more.
As an IEC, I have spent much of my quarantine time on webinars and zoom calls speaking to those in primary, higher and post-secondary educational systems. No matter the student's age, officials at all levels have made it clear that they are unsure of what will come next. They have to remain flexible and patient during this time and have advised that we do the same as well.