ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – The average student could begin the next school year having lost as much as a third of their reading gains and half of their math gains, according to researchers at Brown University. Add up all the impact COVID-19 had on academics; the average student could fall behind seven months. Black and Latino students could fall behind even further with nine to ten months. We’ll share what parents can do to get their kids ready for school.
Math. Science. Reading. Teaching is a tough job. “The parents are not the experts, so it was hard,” said Julie Marks, a mother of four boys. “There’s a much greater appreciation for teachers now than we’ve ever had before, because they’re beginning to see what teachers did,” said Sarah Sprinkel, a retired teacher.
Getting your kids ready to go back to school after five plus months being out of a classroom is even tougher. First, make a schedule. “We always say the younger the child the stronger the structure,” said Sprinkel. Structuring out the day keeps kids controlled and focused. “I have the kids do a list every day. They have to read for 20 minutes. Have to write in a journal,” said Marks.
Parcel out the day to mix in fun activities with required activities. Use everyday experiences as teaching opportunities. Use cooking to teach fractions and playtime with Legos for engineering. Start cutting back on some of that extra screen time your kids had for the past couple of months. It will get their mindset ready for school again.
If your kid is having anxiety about going back to school, reassure your child about the safety measures being taken place to protect student and teachers. Also remind them about the positives of being able to see their friends and learn new things.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/us/coronavirus-education-lost-learning.html
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Bob Walko, Videographer and Editor.
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