Catching Students Up

by Christine Boatman

Over the past year, my students have experienced loss and trauma caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—including health crises, financial hardships, and limited access to education—as well as from a wildfire that tore through our community, burning many homes. Now that my students and I are returning to an in-person classroom, I am considering how I can best support each student through this transitional period. Teachers everywhere are faced with the challenge of helping students readjust to a classroom environment, face residual trauma from the past year, and “catch up” after what was, for many, a less-than-productive school year. Here, I share some strategies that I have found essential to supporting my students as we return to in-person schooling.

By Suzy Pepper Rollins

School hallways have been still for weeks. Normally bustling cafeterias, sports fields, and playgrounds prolongingly silent. But most importantly, classrooms have been empty. No science labs, no sharing of writing, no dissecting of poetry with an elbow partner, and no exploratory math stations. No nods of approval by teachers or laughter at humorous sections of a novel. No leaning over to a classmate’s desk for assurance on a tough math problem.

What will the learning toll be on millions of students whose educational experiences were abruptly switched to remote, often online, learning? Some learners may have barely skipped an academic beat and will return to school ready to move on. Others may have experienced daily frustrations. And many will fall somewhere in between.

Tag: Catching Students Up

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