May-June-2020-Advisor

TRANSITIONING

6 CEA ADVISOR MAY-JUNE 2020

CEA SURVEY SHEDS LIGHT ON DISTANCE LEARNING CHALLENGES CEA partnered with AFT Connecticut and WFSB Channel 3 on a survey to gauge the impact of child care—that limit how much they can help with remote learning.

While some teachers report that the vast majority of their students have the equipment and resources necessary to engage in distance learning, others acknowledge that most of their students do not. • Far from saving time and money, the switch to distance learning has meant significantly longer days for educators as well as an increase in the projected funding that will be needed to address student trauma and make up for the learning loss resulting from the pandemic. Remote learning without a roadmap With no guidebook for teaching remotely on a prolonged basis, schools were unprepared for the sudden switch to distance learning. Consequently, teachers put in long hours to build the system from the ground up, working quickly to master online communication and

have a lot more coronavirus cases than other parts of the state,” said another. “I have a student who hasn’t done a stitch of work; she has five family members afflicted with COVID-19. I have a student who has experienced a death in the family. I have 117 students, and some sign in every day but turn in no assignments. A lot of them have parents who don’t speak English: 57 percent of my students are new or recent arrivals and are English learners, and now they’re trying to get the tech piece.” “Intervention is not working well for most of our students right now,” another teacher added. “I was just discussing with my department what changes we would like to make to the math intervention classes in the fall if we are still distance learning. Is anyone else thinking about what to do for our neediest students? We’ve even gotten to a point of requesting a wellness visit from our student resource officer.” “Once we’ve ruled out language barriers and technology issues,” said one teacher, “we look at doing porch visits with masks and PPE to reach students who have ‘checked out.’” fill in the gaps where resources for some students were scarce. Nearly three-quarters of teachers (74 percent) reported a heavier workload now versus pre-pandemic. Inequities that have long existed within schools and from district to district came into sharper focus as many students lacked access to technology. Nonacademic services provided by schools—from meals to wellness checks—were also disrupted, and teachers throughout the state played a crucial role in stepping in where the need presented itself. No substitute for in-person instruction Among educators, there is widespread agreement with State Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona’s assessment that there is no substitute for in-person classroom education, where teachers interact directly with students. In fact, the most widely reported challenge teachers have had with distance learning is not seeing their students face-to-face. (In urban districts, lack of technology presents an even more pressing challenge.) By its very nature, distance learning hinders important interactions between students, teachers, and peers, and that could help explain why even though two-thirds of teachers said students were “accepting” of distance learning, many also reported that young people were stressed (47 percent), confused (44 percent), or frustrated (43 percent). Parental involvement, access to technology not a given Statewide, the greatest obstacle teachers identified for students engaged in distance learning is a lack of parental assistance. Indeed, parents often have multiple other responsibilities—including work and

The future of electives For some teachers, distance learning has proven difficult for reasons related to content areas and the expectations around them. “We use Photoshop and all sorts of tools that students do not have at home,” said a high school art teacher. “It’s a great loss.” “Our musical concerts are performance-based,” said another. “Normally we have an active schedule that includes travel, and I fear that distance learning will turn many students away.” Budget cuts to arts programs are also a serious concern. (See story, page 9.) Separated from colleagues Being separated from their students isn’t the only obstacle teachers face. “I miss my casual opportunities to connect with colleagues so much,” one educator observed. “In the school building, we can pop in on each other’s classrooms, and now it’s harder to collaborate.” “It helps to have forums like these,” a colleague noted, “just so we can hear other teachers’ stories, strategies, and ideas. It helps to know we’re in this together.” Language barriers and lack of content knowledge also pose difficulties for many. Technology deficits have emerged as a major roadblock to distance learning as well. “Until every single student has access to technology and Internet for free and—particularly with young students—a parent available throughout the day to assist them, I don’t foresee this ever being the norm,” said one survey respondent. Unlike their colleagues in wealthier suburban districts, nearly one in three teachers in Alliance districts reported that students may not have a computer or tablet at home that makes distance learning possible. The lack of access to technology in low-income households is a grave concern if distance learning replaces classroom instruction. Even if all students are given a computer or iPad, a lack of Internet access (or access that is too slow) hinders distance learning for low-income students. Long-term costs While it may seem that school closures result in cost savings for districts, the opposite appears to be true. Not only are resources required to make distance learning possible, but they will also be needed to remediate and fill in widening gaps created by the lack of in-person instruction and school supports. Discussions are beginning to center on how much remedial education students may need as a result of lost classroom instruction —a problem exacerbated by budget uncertainties and some municipalities’ efforts to reduce, rather than supplement, their education budgets.

distance learning on public education. More than 1,875 teachers responded, representing 159 school districts, and results were publicized at cea.org and in a series of televised news stories. Among the key findings: • The switch to distance learning proved challenging for a number of reasons, including the absence of a plan, little or no professional development, and inconsistent parental support or availability. • Lack of engagement with students is a major and ongoing challenge when it comes to distance learning. • The pandemic has laid bare deep inequities, including food insecurity and technology gaps.

Inequities facing students

Percent of teachers surveyed

STRAIGHT TALK ON DISTANCE LEARNING CEA OFFERS OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS TO WEIGH IN They included a choral director,

the classroom. I am super tech-savvy and thought this was going to be a cakewalk, but it is so much harder and more time-consuming than I ever would have imagined.” “Everything takes so much more time and has so many more steps, and it all feels less effective.” Fortunately, a CEA survey distributed weeks later revealed that over time, teachers felt more comfortable with distance learning, although they overwhelmingly acknowledged it cannot replace in- person learning. The need to connect In cases where families have greater access to technology, teachers said, the desire for social connections has made student engagement easier. “They don’t all have each other’s contact info,” one educator explained, “so that motivates them to show up for virtual learning—to see each other.” But a variety of circumstances has prevented many students from connecting and learning. “I’ve emailed and called home, but there are some students who have just dropped off,” said one teacher. “I’m in Fairfield County, where we

school psychologists, an art department chair, a long-term

substitute, and teachers from urban, suburban, and rural districts. Some had decades of experience, while others were newer to the profession. The ties that bind all these Connecticut educators together are a desire to help each other and the determination to help their students succeed in a time of distance learning. Those were the goals of two virtual CEA forums aimed at fostering dialogue and an open exchange of ideas. The groups talked about their challenges, which included spotty technology and difficulty engaging students. Among their comments: “Our district, like others, was really not ready for this. It was a long time before we went to real-time interaction with students. I worry, because there are kids I haven’t seen or heard from since we’ve been apart.” “At the middle-school level, it’s so hard to engage students when we’re not in the classroom and not present at the same time.” “Literally everything is three times more work than if we were in front of the kids in