IF MUSIC HAS CHARMS
TO SOOTHE THE SAVAGE BEAST* ...
CAN IT STOP THE COVID SLIDE?
BY JOYCE WHITBY “COVID SLIDE — YEAH, IT’S A THING!” In the spring of 2020 the world, as we knew it, changed drastically. The global pandemic, caused by the “Covid-19” virus, forced millions of people to quarantine at home, and abruptly closed businesses and schools. Students in the United States, privileged to receive daily education, were suddenly thrust into independent learning models. Thousands of educators worked tirelessly to disseminate instructional materials, and conduct virtual lessons using technology and the Internet. Parents became instant tutors, while juggling newly imposed work from home schedules. Inequities abounded for students without the economic means to access technology-based learning resources. As we look at the challenges for reopening schools this fall, projections about “COVID Slide” are grim. According to EdWeek 40
magazine, “Depending on the grade, students were projected to lose anywhere from half to all of their academic growth from the last year, compared to normal student growth.” Sadly, some models project little loss or even mild gains for students from more affluent families. The widespread impact of the pandemic has clearly wreaked havoc on the economy, the public health system, and our education system. One thing is for sure, more than ever, educators need instructional materials with high impact.
WHERE DOES ONE EVEN START? Educators need to focus on high quality content which engages students who have fast become critical connoisseurs of cloud-based instruction. Experts agree that reading instruction lends itself to independent learning models, which point to libraries of books at all levels. Whereas, mathematics is more difficult to teach remotely, as core curriculum standards are sequential,
The American Consortium for Equity in Education
