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Permanent School Changes: Part 1 (Elementary, Middle and High School)

The end of the 2019-2020 school year ended at home for nearly all students. The COVID-19 pandemic forced elementary, middle, and high schools to transition students to virtual coursework and close their physical campuses. Some people have questioned whether the future of education at these levels could retain some of these measures permanently. As many schools prepare for another semester online or in a hybrid format, parents, students, and teachers are wondering what practices will continue after the pandemic has passed. 

Traditional graduations for many high school students were canceled, but some schools got creative in order to give students a commencement ceremony. One popular format for schools that do not hold graduation ceremonies in a place of worship was to format the event like a tailgate of sorts. Students distanced from each other waited behind a large, outdoor stage and received their diploma when called while families and friends were set up in their own spaces outside. Although informal compared to traditional graduation ceremonies, many parents enjoyed the ability to be comfortable with friends and families, and students were still granted the experience of walking across the stage in a cap and gown after their name is called. 

Virtual learning has also complicated the lives of many parents who chose the profession because its hours match their lifestyle as parents. They are off of work when their children are off of school day-to-day and during the summer. This is particularly prevalent in the field of teaching. Parents who teach begin and end their workday at the same time their child finishes school; now parents who teach at a separate school from the one their child attends must simultaneously balance teaching on two different levels. This, coupled with the belief that students ought to learn in person, has led many parents to seek out institutions that are holding in-person classes or even choosing to home school. 

The idea of virtual learning becoming a mainstay in elementary, middle, and high school education has been considered by some but many teachers and parents recognize a critical issue with it being conducted in its current form. In the traditional classroom, the proximity of teachers allows them to control students who are acting up and remove distractions. At home, students must discipline themselves to be attentive during class as the teacher much watch anywhere from ten to forty student’s webcams simultaneously. Additionally, teachers are only able to see the students face and may not be able to discern whether the student has other non-school related pages open, the television on, or any number of other distractions. For these reasons of decorum, focus, and integrity, online learning is considerably more challenging and stressful for teachers, especially those teaching young children. 

While elementary, middle, and high schools will likely only have to weather the pandemic before returning to normal schooling, there are some possibilities for changes. Some schools may attempt to continue a hybrid format where students are not in the classroom every day for six to seven hours. Other changes are likely to be minor such as different health protocols, more school nurses, or even different commencement ceremonies. One other major change in the happening may be the rise in home schooling choices for the long term. Whether parents deem they can give their kids a better education themselves, small groups of families hire their own teacher to drive their children forward, or families are simply afraid of the return, home schooling could see a dramatic rise and in parallel home schooling support (whether it be physical materials or online learning programs) could see a dramatic rise. The greatest change will likely be on the students’ perspectives and expectations for education after living through a historical moment for education and the world. 

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