8-5-21 WI Newsletter

School’s Back in Session for the better!

While there was definitely learning loss and stress these past 2 school years… there have actually been some things that are changing American education as we know it for the better.

Here’s Five Fast Facts about how education changed (for the better) since 2020:

👨👩👧👦 Parents are more involved - Many parents were upset by the quality of remote learning last year but that forced teachers and parents to work more closely on behalf of their kids. The result? Almost 50% of parents have a newfound appreciation for teachers after taking on some of that workload themselves.

👩🏻💻 Teachers are more tech savvy - Teachers are getting better with technology. Whether students like it or not, this can mean less distractions and teachers can teach actual real life skills that are now common in corporate jobs.  

🏠 Different ways to “do school” are now mainstream - Homeschooling grew by 17% along with big increases in charter schools and private schooling, and tax-funded programs that help families afford alternative education options. This empowers families to choose what’s best for their kids and for their situation.

👩🏻🏫 The IRL classroom is now more important than ever! - Students learn less in fully virtual environments. Online tools are great additions to in-class learning but not a replacement for it. In-person, teacher-led instruction simply has too many advantages.

🧒Children are learning to be independent - The pandemic made children focus on the skill of “learning how to learn.” This is essential both now and in the future when kids will have to navigate multiple jobs over the course of a career.