Dear reader,
During our morning news meeting at The Hechinger Report this week, some unexpected shouts of joy arose from New York City public middle school parents on our staff who had just learned their young adolescents, a group that has struggled mightily with the isolation of remote learning, would finally be going back to school later this month. At the same time, images of bundled up Philadelphia teachers holding class outside closed school buildings this week, along with tense teacher and administration negotiations in Chicago, are illuminating the fraught discussion of how and when it safe to open schools in the midst of the pandemic.
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Our columnist Andre Perry is arguing forcefully that reopening is a crucial first step to developing a new normal post-Covid, and we’ll continue exploring the big questions and implications ahead for public schools. That includes learning loss, the benefits of small group tutoring, and, as this Massachusetts teacher tells us, turning off Zoom when she senses something is wrong to see how a student is really faring. As always, we love to hear your stories as well as we look for a way forward.
Liz Willen, Editor
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