I have been following the state of Education even more closely since the pandemic of 2020. I have written about the teacher shortage, but his week, my subject is even more compelling, because our students, the future leaders of our country, are suffering from the effects of pandemic education.
CBS Sunday Morning did an expose on how the pandemic affected students, and it is well worth the watch. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/covids-education-crisis-a-lost-generation/ Here is my takeaway from the piece.
Tracy Smith of CBS did a deep dig into the after-effects of remote learning. She interviewed Jeffrey Canada, an educator for more than 45 years, and founder of The Harlem Children's Zone, which educates students from K-college. He sees the ravages of the shut down first hand. Student scores on a national test given to 4th and 8th grade students show that reading scores are at the lowest point they have been in 30 years. Math scores were similar - in fact, 40% of the 8th graders who took the test could not understand basic math concepts. This score is the worst since this testing began in 1969. By the way, these results are from across all socio-economic areas, not just areas with lower incomes. (National Assessment of Educational Progress) Additionally, school enrollment and attendance is down, and guns/shootings and other issues related to violence have skyrocketed.
Mental health has been impacted tremendously. Dr. Heather Huszti, aChief of Psychology at the Children's Health Center in Orange County, California, told Tracy Smith that their facility was overrun with 50% more students with suicidal thoughts and the inability to cope with life, school, and deaths during the pandemic. It follows that students cannot learn effectively when they are suffering from these kinds of mental health issues.
What about physical activity? Many students did not even go outside during the pandemic, and Physical Education teachers such as Dan DeJager at Meracki High School near San Diego, is doing his best just to get them moving again. Using relay races, frisbee, and any fun games he can invent, his program is aimed at easing kids back to the important physical activity they need for health and mental health. Dan likens students to "wet cement", saying that educators only have a short time to make a positive impression of their early habits.
What about the correlation between physical activity and mental health? In some cases, the physical activity can be just as effective as taking medication, and with no side effects, according to Dr. Hustzi. .
Mr. Canada from The Harlem Children's Zone fears that the pandemic may have created a "lost generation" of students, an entire group whose lives will be impacted by the glitch in their education. He predicts that their lifetime earnings will suffer because of their undereducation, and so will America, as these students are the future leaders of our country.
What can be done? At The Harlem Children's Zone, classrooms are open in the summer, the school day is extended, and teachers are paid extra to work with students for intensive tutoring.
Of course, all of this costs money. I happen to think the students are worth the investment. They are our future, our country's future, and they were robbed of their education. I hope schools and teachers can work together to correct this situation in a timely fashion.
Visit Dede's web page for complete details on her award-winning book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER. Many colleges have made the book required reading. Signed copies are available www.dederittman.com Dede is also a national speaker on The Three C's for Classroom success: Confidence, communication, and Creativity; Avoiding Teacher burnout; and many other inspirational topics.
I LOVE writing. And I love writing children's books- my newest passion. Although it will be a ton of work, I am looking forward to selling my books. Since I was a secondary teacher, I know that I have much to learn about elementary students, and I will have to follow my own advice and be my genuine self. However, I also know that I am passionate about helping kids who have to wear glasses, and that GRADY GETS GLASSES sends a positive message. I am willing to work hard and do all the things that also made me a successful teacher for 37
Teacher friends- let me know if you want me to read GRADY GETS GLASSES at your school. I am willing to come in to discuss the creative writing process, why writing is important, and personal fulfillment through writing, along with reading my book. I would appreciate the exposure, and I would make signed copies available for purchase in your classrooms following the reading. Please email me at dederittman@gmail.com The website www.gradygetsglasses.com now has plush Grady bunnies for sale!
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