 Dear reader,
A first-grade teacher who last week packed all her belongings from her suburban Boston classroom is now, like teachers everywhere, suddenly at home. Like many of the teachers I’ve been speaking with about collateral damage of the coronavirus, she worries about her students who are just learning to read and who depend on school for stability, routines and relationships with caring adults. Instead, they get a virtual morning greeting over the internet (for those who have access), and the school provides free breakfast and lunch pickup, as many are doing all over the U.S.
The shuttering of schools and shift to homeschooling due to coronavirus concerns everywhere exposes the fragile lives of vulnerable children, along with the many roles schools and teachers play in their lives. It’s also revealing how uneven and often inadequate online instruction can be, while the closing of college campuses is sending low-income students scrambling and creating great uncertainty about how higher education will cope.
We will continue to bring you stories about how the virus is changing education, with our longstanding focus on inequality and innovation. We also want to hear yours. Stay safe and stay in touch.
Liz Willen, Editor
|
|
Main Idea
