Turning the Calendar: Focusing on What Students Learned in 2020

Turning the page on the calendar brings joy. It is a new year, and while the current state of the world will not automatically reset itself, we have strong reasons to hope that our classrooms will begin to feel "normal" by the fall of next year. While we slowly and cautiously return to a sense of normalcy, I am reminded of the lessons we learned in 2020. We were forced to make numerous changes during the 2020 calendar year, and those changes have come with growth and new insights that we might not have achieved without the necessary adaptations we made during the pandemic. 

Watching my kindergarten daughter reading on her iPad, I realize that while she has missed some of the milestones and strategies that she would have experienced if her school experience had been "normal," she has gained so much. As I watch my daughter navigate her device showing me how she can access her teachers' Bitmoji classrooms to find videos to teach her new skills like how to draw a reindeer, I realize that the common fear that students are "falling behind" is so far from what is happening. She's learned to use Seesaw to advocate for herself, use apps to search for resources, and is acquiring reading comprehension skills. I am amazed at the skills she has gained. 

As teachers, we have modified our practices, adopted new technology, and implemented instructional strategies. We have grown exponentially, and so have our students. While we reflect on how we've changed and what we may carry with us well into the future, we also need to reflect on how our students have changed. Their skills will also remain with them for the remainder of their educational experience and even into their daily lives. 

Students know how to navigate resources.

Many schools adopted new learning management systems or moved resources to an online platform that may not have used one before. Students have learned to access much more elaborate digital learning environments. They have learned to submit work, share, and connect online, which will be the necessary skills for countless students' future professional settings. They have acquired troubleshooting strategies and shortcuts to find keywords, resources, and lessons out of necessity. Despite the emails I have received (and I'm sure several educators have received, too) about not finding their work, students have learned to solve problems and learned to ask for help (or search for help online). I have also found that CC-ing parents on emails with walkthrough videos seem to magically fix the questions about not being able to find homework, too. 

Students have learned how to find the answers faster. 

In addition to navigating resources, students have learned to find answers faster. While there are far too many resources for students to find online that give them answers instead of teaching students to determine the answers themselves, they have learned to locate correct answers. These discernment skills can be refocused and capitalized upon when back in a more traditional classroom. As teachers, we will always need to help them discover how and why, but we do not need to teach them the "what". If students can locate answers faster, more time is available to explore the process, teach critical thinking, and reflect on what has been discovered. 

Students have learned to multitask. 

Much to teachers' chagrin, students have discovered that they can be chatting, watching YouTube, and "doing schoolwork" simultaneously. The number of ways that students have found to distract themselves is sometimes frustrating, but the implications of this skill are powerful. Productivity is powerful and can lead to more success in school and in the workforce. Despite distractions, students are learning to get work done or complete tasks. According to my exit surveys and discussions with students, they are also learning the painful lesson of procrastination. While students may not turn in their formative work or may have turned in too many assignments late last semester, they have gained a deeper understanding of budgeting time and how to work while simultaneously completing another task (or distraction). Students learn from failure and mistakes. We must remember that just because they may not have been the best students during a pandemic, that does not mean they didn't learn valuable life lessons. 

Students have learned to drive their learning. 

As the learning environment has become digital, students have been challenged to learn in ways that they might not have learned in a traditional classroom. Through the use of video and asynchronous activities, they have been tasked with learning new content independently. While teachers are still behind the lessons, not having a teacher sit next to them and walk them through every task has challenged students to acquire new skills independently. Watching videos, reading, or practicing skills on their own and in their own places has shown students that they can drive their learning. With more autonomy to choose the rate, place, and pace of academic growth, students have gained student skills that can help them in multiple settings. 

Students have learned to value education. 

Last year, we did not have a snow day. Students felt "jipped" that they didn't get an unscheduled day off. When March hit, everyone changed their tune about unanticipated days away from school. Teachers miss students in the classroom, and students realize that they miss school. Having experienced collective loss makes us appreciate what we had and what we will have again, once vaccinations and time to heal have been fully realized. Our mindset has shifted as we have learned how quickly things can be taken away. While I hope that we will never face a situation like this pandemic again, I sincerely appreciate how it has challenged us all to reflect and reassess our values. 

While I am saddened that my children are not in school right now and probably won't be for the rest of the school year because of underlying family health conditions, I realize how much they have gained - how much we have all achieved. I love my children, but I know that after ten months at home, I like them, too. We have learned to value our relationships, appreciate our experiences outside of the home, and realize the importance of learning anywhere. We have not lost or fallen behind as long as we take time to stop, reflect, and use the skills that we have gained moving forward. This pandemic has pushed us forward and provided opportunities that we would never have experienced otherwise.