Learning, but from a distance

Somehow, it is May.

I want to take the space today to talk about long-distance teaching. As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, all schools in my home state of Arkansas (go hogs!) have been closed for the rest of the schoolyear. However, school isn’t cancelled. The building is closed and is offering no services to anyone, but school is still in session through online learning opportunities. There are some pros and cons to this scenario.

Pros: Students can still receive credit for classes. Teachers get to experiment with non-traditional instructional strategies. Schedules aren’t as rigid and punitive. Students still get to learn. It follows the guidelines for social distancing. Teachers don’t have to take a cut in pay for their contract days being disrupted.
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Cons: This approach necessitates a huge amount of screen time, which kids already receive in excess. Communication with students and their families can become sporadic panic-inducing ordeals. Many students and teachers are unable to commit to a “normal” amount of school engagement because being at home carries more responsibilities than being at school would. Engagement is pretty much voluntary, with no way to enforce it; as such, it is generally quite low.

I still think it’s worth it, but the situation in Arkansas is kind of a bummer. Hey, if you’re looking for something to read this summer, Skate the Thief comes out as an ebook and in paperback on June 2nd. That’s a month from now!

Write your story!
-J. E. Ayers