Reflections on E-Learning During Covid-19

WHEN THE SCHOOLS CLOSED: Reflections on E-Learning During COVID-19

— by Christina Kuszewski Rouches Are you there? Really? Are you? Can we take a deep breath and step back to rethink what we are all doing? In moments of panic, why did we all revert to the same tired industrial model of learning? This is without precedent. How might we rethink this? How might we do this better? How could we make this more authentic? How might we preserve our own well-being and that of our families, while also contributing to the social emotional health of our students and their families?

Take a step back. Breathe… Rethink this educational model that seems so familiar to those of us who were raised during the Cold War. Competition. Productivity. Efficiency. Outcomes. We were cogs in a factory model of education that offered very little interpersonal connection and authentic learning. Education was reduced to test scores and grades; learning was a lucky byproduct for those who were privileged enough to be able to question authority. Despite educators’ best efforts during this unprecedented crisis, the model that is being embraced once again is one that lacks meaningful connection. We simply cannot replace the beauty and magic of the classroom. Let’s stop trying. Let’s imagine something new. Something extraordinary. Something transformative.

Think deeply about what is happening here. How might we rethink this entire thing? How might we reimagine the essence of what we are doing? Why is there so much pressure to adhere to a system of learning that has been imposed upon us? How might we use this time to repair fractured relationships? How might we use this time to tap into something unique and creative in our children? How might we use this time to fill in gaps in our own knowledge of family history, struggles, triumphs? How might we use this time to document our own understanding of what is happening in this world? How might we better understand our responsibilities to one another?

Honestly, I’d like to throw all of the computers in my home out of the window. We simply do not need them to connect in an authentic way. How can we re envision this? How can we take the pressure off of ourselves and one another and just… be? What might we learn about ourselves and one another in the process?

What would it look like if we asked our children to breathe... pause... think? What would they do? What might they be inspired to create? Some might choose to compose songs that reflect the times. All that is needed is paper and pen. Parents could take photos or record videos of the compositions and email them to the teacher. No high-speed internet required. The great equalizer. Students could play the composition for their teachers over the telephone. They would have the undivided attention of a mentor, a champion, an advocate. Might it be possible to invite students to choreograph their own interpretations of social distancing? Might we ask emerging poets, spoken word artists, storytellers, and visual artists to create art that reflects the times? What about activists, athletes, scientists, engineers, and actors? How might they contribute to the documentation of what is happening within themselves, their homes, communities, countries, and the world?

Might it be possible to ask all children to step outside - onto their front stoop or into their backyard with eyes closed and just ... breathe... listen... be? What do they hear? What do they feel? Might they just be inspired? What could happen if we trusted their inner genius?

How might we use this time to interview our families and friends and create material that captures this very real and shared moment in the history of the planet? How might we connect what is happening to us with what our ancestors went through? Fear, anxiety, and future uncertainty are not unique to us at this moment. How would this information inform the works that we create? How might we identify user needs and develop prototypes for addressing the very real challenges that exist in our health care systems? How might we make social distancing something that is effective? How might we use our language skills to develop global messages that bring people of all language and cultural backgrounds together? How might we invent a sport that maintains social distancing and still allows for authentic connection with others? Could we use this time to explore a new language, learn about other cultures, and incorporate these revelations and understandings into our future creations? Could we? Must we?

Might it be possible for our expectations of teachers to include placing a phone call to their students and their families? Offering feedback and encouragement - the old-fashioned way? Witnessing my own daughters’ teachers attempting to run a Zoom class with 25 students has been beyond painful. There has been little learning. There has been little meaningful connection. The magic has gone. The irony of a traditional model of learning that incorporates the most up to date educational technology is not lost on me - even in the most progressive schools. We can do better.

Step away from the computer. Close your eyes. Imagine. What if we used this time to write, create, heal… Might it be? Could it be? What would be lost? How much more would be gained? How might we make this truly memorable for our children and for ourselves? How might we make this a time that they will remember - a time of deep connection and awakening? How might we make this experience one that is truly interdisciplinary and that leaves us with a stockpile of memories and documented learning that transcends our wildest dreams?

I have seen magic in the classroom and I have witnessed the genius of children who are inspired. I am fortunate to have enjoyed a career as an educator that has allowed me to bear witness to the joy of learning - without the pressure of high stakes standardized test preparation and grades. My adolescent students happily sang, danced, recited poetry, traveled, investigated social justice issues, and became passionate leaders. They were given the time and space to create. To explore. To be. They were given parameters and were responsible for articulating their understanding and were held accountable for the process of learning. Their parents were partners, rather than drill sergeants responsible for forcing their children to sit in front of a computer screen for 6 hours a day.

We can do better. Imagine. Might it be? Could it be?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Christina Kuszewski Rouches is a progressive independent school educator with a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and to teaching to the strengths of every student. She currently serves as the World Language Department Chair at Wolcott School, an independent high school in Chicago for exemplary students with learning differences. Christina has taught in Ecuador at a progressive bilingual school, worked for a women’s rights organization in Argentina, researched human rights education and policy in Chile, and worked for international and national educational organizations. Christina has a B.A. from Boston College in Spanish and Psychology, and an M.A. from Columbia University in International Educational Development. She lives in Chicago with her husband and twin daughters. When not teaching, Christina loves to travel. chrouches@gmail.com