How do schools go from recovery to reinvention in fall?
The panelists described operating without a playbook during the crisis to now having the funding and time to build on what they learned. Mississippi School Superintendent Carey Wright said her state put 400,000 electronic devices into the hands of students and teachers when schools moved overnight to remote learning. Now, she wants to capitalize on that new technology to improve instruction and address problems, including teacher shortages. How can I put this outstanding teacher that may be in DeSoto County, which is in the northwest of our state, teaching AP chemistry to somebody in the southeast portion of our state that could not find an AP chemistry teacher if their life depended on it? asked Wright. Then, how can we synchronize those schedules, so the children have the advantage in the southeast of this amazing teacher that they never had the opportunity to have before?  Among other points raised:  Schools must overcome the reluctance of some families to send their children back face-to-face. Most of our students in Virginia will be coming back in person in the fall, but we still have significantly large numbers of parents who are hesitant, especially if there is not a childhood vaccine by September, said Lane. We have to get our students back in person for them to be successful and make sure we maximize their potential.  Schools should not attempt to reteach all the standards kids may have missed. Wright said she told Mississippi teachers to start with grade-level standards. Dont go back to the standards you missed in the spring. You will always be behind. Lets talk about how we accelerate as we move forward.  Schools cant ignore teacher trauma. With new technology to master overnight, concerns about their students well-being, and dual demands to teach both virtually and on-site, Chanda Jefferson, 2020 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, said. Teachers are hopeful, and teacher are exhausted. Jefferson welcomed the federal aid that will enable schools to pay for more social and emotional learning, trauma-informed teaching and multitiered systems of support, but cautioned, We want to make sure all that sticks around after the funding is over.  Involve teachers in how to spend the federal windfall. As we have these investments in education, new companies are forming to sell their silver bullets, said Jefferson. Teachers need to be involved in the selection process of what we will be using in our schools. Teachers should be looked at as leaders and our expertise utilized.