him to help others when he ’ s usually the one requiring all the help . He ’ s having his best year with remote learning […] now he ’ s just another kid .”
In another example , a parent mentioned their relief knowing that their child will not be around school-based racism : “ Racism is there , bullying is there in schools for brown kids . So staying away from school and study [ ing ] from home helped kids to be safe and away from bullying and racism .”
As a result , not all families are eager to return to in-person education and many are opting to continue with remote learning regardless of public health recommendations .
Some missed social interaction Of course , this is not to say that the transition to virtual learning was a seamless fit for everyone . Many parents , students and teachers recounted the negative issues associated with online learning .
Most notably , participants highlighted the lack of social interaction , the limited physical exercise , the increased amounts of screen time and tech issues as all contributing to an overall negative experience .
The variation in experiences is perhaps the very lesson that should come from this unique year : learners require many strategies and opportunities to learn effectively , and we should be sceptical of a one-size-fits-all model or even a one-size-fitsmost model .
Include children in conversations Additionally , it is important to include children in conversations about what is best for them .
At the onset of the pandemic , leaders , like the prime ministers of Canada , Denmark and Norway ,
made direct appeals to the children of their countries recognizing the importance of their participation .
But as we can see in reviewing debates about deciding on a return to in-person learning , children ’ s voices were largely left out .
Rather than using this moment to make a definitive call on remote education for elementary students , we should consider how we can be creative and re-imagine classroom formats to better meet all students where they are .
We are not advocating abandoning efforts at being inclusive and addressing power dynamics in the classroom . Rather , we must address the reality that testimony of positive experience in this alternative format demonstrates the need for multiple approaches .
Conversations about what post-COVID schooling looks like must consider the reality that traditional learning formats often
fail marginalized students . We must create opportunities to bolster learning formats and processes that benefit students who face barriers to education via traditional schooling and delivery .
Authors :
Rebecca Collins-Nelsen , Postdoctoral Scholar , McMaster Children and Youth University , Department of Pediatrics , McMaster University
Sandeep Raha , Associate professor , Department of Pediatrics , McMaster University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license . Read the
original article .
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