education
The Effects of Remote Learning Remote school has certainly been tough, but it hasn’t all been bad. Parents and teachers share how learning from home has impacted kids, both good and bad. By Stacey Feintuch
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Morris’s daughter, a ninth grader in East Hanover, NJ, has been doing well academically since her school went all remote in March 2020. She was able to maintain honor roll and she even earned a distance learning award at her eighth-grade graduation. Her social life, however, is a different story. “She is a social person and greatly misses the daily interactions with her friends and teachers,” Morris says. “She typically performs in the school plays and musicals. She hasn’t done so this year and really misses it.” Many parents will agree: Remote learning has been rough. Whether kids are in a hybrid or an all-remote model, schooling online has taken a toll—but it hasn’t been all bad. We spoke to several local parents about their kids’ experiences—both positive and negative.
The DownsiDes Just like Morris’s daughter, many kids are craving social connections and idle chatter with peers in class, recess, lunch, or the hallway, all of which can’t happen online. “Kids need to see other kids to form their identity, and they aren’t getting that opportunity,” says Dara Duryea, LCSW, child and family therapist in Succasunna, NJ. “The kids I see are getting grumpy and acting out more at home due to not having interactions with peers.” Rachel S. from Queens says that being home so much has made her daughter quieter. “On days when my daughter is in school, she can’t really be a kid and have fun.” Students in the city are even more isolated. “Many students say they don’t leave their apartments for several days,” says Wendy B., who teaches in an all-girl public school in East Harlem. “Their social lives are primarily on screens.” 36
April 2021 | nymetroparents.com
Unfortunately, remote learning has also led to students— especially those with special needs—falling behind. “I’ve noticed a lot of regression in some special needs students who don’t attend live synchronous teaching regularly and don’t have support at home,” says K. Gargiulo, who teaches remote special education to students in kindergarten through third grade in New York City. Michele S. in Montclair, NJ struggles at times to get her middle-school daughter, who has ADHD and anxiety, to keep her computer-camera on and take notes. She often has difficulty with her school-issued Chromebook or with navigating teachers’ glitchy internet connections. She can’t meet peers in her new school, which has made her frustrated and disinterested. “My once enthusiastic learner has completely changed,” Michele says. “While she seems to enjoy some of her classes and teachers, overall, she is unmotivated, disengaged, and often does the least work possible. She has hit a wall. Her attitude is one of ‘who cares’ and ‘this doesn’t really matter.’” Even students who normally thrive are having trouble with academics. “My daughter is only 7 and has said to me numerous times, ‘Mom, I’m not learning anything,’” says Rachel S., whose daughter has only been to school in person 15 days this school year. In fact, the second grader previously never had an issue doing homework. “Now, it’s like pulling teeth.” Hiring a tutor has helped, but, as Rachel stresses, her daughter needs consistency. “It’s hard for her to concentrate at home,” she says. “We live in an apartment and we’re on top of each other. She is easily distracted by us and her toys being right there.” Many kids can’t focus in front of a computer for long hours or independently track their work pace and Zoom schedules. And teachers are having trouble monitoring their students’ progress. A physics teacher of 14 years at a Bergen County, NJ high school, says she can’t tell who is completing their own work or who may be cheating. Still, she sings her students’ praises. “The majority of my students can manage their time and workload and have risen to the occasion,” she says. “They’re comfortable reaching out for help when they begin to fall behind.” Jaime Tan, a teacher in Rockland County, says he’s discovered that students really want to be in school. “They leave my class on Friday knowing they won’t be back for a week and their faces drop. I want to give them hugs and tell them to keep up the great work at home that they were able to do while they were in the classroom. However, I know the challenges of working from home are much greater than the desire to do well. When school does return to
