Why GOING to a REAL SCHOOL is GOOD for children!

Now that most students are completing work online and teachers have WORKED EXTREMELY HARD to bring the content to their students in an online digital format, some people are wondering will this be the new world of schooling for our country’s students. I want to vote NO to this idea, I believe school is good for children.

I believe students need to attend a “brick and mortar” school for a variety of reasons that I will list here:

Why school is good for children

• They need to interact with peers.
• There is a structure to a school day/week that is very important for students.
• Many parents need to have their children at school so they can work.
• Many teachers have children of their own that can interfere with teaching due to their needs.
• For some students SCHOOL is their security since they live in a tumultuous home.
• For some students SCHOOL is their place of safety since they live with abusive parent(s).

More reasons why school is good for children

• People learn the beginning stages of socialization (beyond their family) at SCHOOL.
• Children learn to follow the rules at school.
• They gain a sense of accomplishment when they learn something new or achieve a goal.
• There is something special and magical about “their classroom.”
• For a majority of children, school is a positive experience.
• The schools feed students two nutritious meals for five days each week during the school year (and often in the summer).
• Small children are limited in their online capabilities.

Currently, though, students are learning at home with online instruction. I have written two articles that address this reality. One is for parents on tips to help their child(ren). And the other is for teachers who are missing their students. You can read them both here:

Covid-19; 10 Tips for Temporary Home Schooling

Teachers, Are You Missing Your Students?

We Need “brick & mortar” SCHOOLS!

Why do we need “brick & mortar” schools? Because humans are social beings. We need to be around other people. The pandemic of 2020 has brought this realization to the forefront of people’s thinking.

Look at these adorable children at their school. See how happy they are! Students need to be around other children. This is not to diminish the homeschooling group of parents. They have their own reasons to home school and most have found a way to allow their children to socialize with other homeschooled children.

But for the majority of families, this is not a viable option for family parents to be able to work outside the home and provide for their family.

I found this Quote on FaceBook; “Have you ever taken an online class? How about 6 at once? When you were a teenager? With spotty wifi? And Schoology crashing? And needing to share a device with siblings? While trapped at home? Filled with fear and anxiety? Yeah, me neither. Let’s cut these kids some slack.”

Let’s not forget all the activities that round out School life!

Wow, I can’t begin to name all the activities that are being missed while learning at home. Let’s begin with the most noteworthy:

I found this picture on social media and couldn’t find which student drew the picture, but her pain is evident. (sad face)!

• High School Prom
• Graduation (at all levels); especially High School and College
• Field Days with friends
• Field Trips with friends
• Talent Show
• Spelling Bee
• Pep Rallies
• Homecoming

Teachers are awesome and they care!

Teachers REALLY REALLY CARE about their students. We get very invested in each group of students that become “ours” for the year. We learn about who they are, about their personalities, about their learning style, about their family, friends, and pets. The list here can go on and on. TEACHERS CARE! And most are miserable from missing their students!

Here is another item I found on social media: An Ode to Dr. Seuss:

• I will teach you in a room.
• I will teach you now on Zoom.
• I will teach you in your house.
• I will teach you with a mouse.
• I will teach you here and there.
• I will teach you because I care.
• So just do you very best.
• And do not worry about the rest.

This just about sums it up, teachers will do what they are expected to help their students. I even saw a photo of a 4th-grade teacher showing a girl student how to do her math outside her sliding glass door with a whiteboard. I guess her mom reached out to her teacher about how upset and frustrated her daughter was so the teacher went to her home.

Here’s another quote I found on social media;

“Virtual teaching will never replace the love, the laughs, the learning, the smiles on students’ faces, the “aha” moments that happen in an actual classroom. The quarantine isn’t a break for teachers and students….its’ heartbreak.”

Parents are feeling the pressure too

Believe me, parents are upset about this situation as well. By now some have created a rhythm in their home, in regards to how they schedule time on devices and when students need to ZOOM with their teachers.

Quote on Facebook: “If you had asked me what the hardest part of battling a global pandemic would be I would have never guessed, “teaching elementary school math.”

Another quote:

“Dear Educators, Together my wife and I have four college degrees and over 40 years experience working with children. We have three elementary-school kids, two jobs, two computers, an old iPad, and slow internet. We have access and capability. WE. ARE. STILL. OVERWHELMED.”

As you can see, this pandemic is causing stress in many areas of our society, and a large one is for the students, parents, and teachers globally. Most people can’t wait for things to get “back to normal.” And for many people, a big part of that “NORMAL” is getting children and teachers back to their “brick and mortar” schools.