Research Essay: Maggie Clark

The Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee

Many children grow up with big dreams about the future, but without resources and support from the community surrounding them, they can become discouraged and feel as though they are unable to achieve their goals. Without a supportive community and opportunity to discover their interests, children will not enter the world with the confidence to advocate for change. The Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee provides underserved children with opportunities to explore their interests in multiple areas including art, music, academics, and athletics. It is vital that young children explore different areas of interest to find what they are passionate about, but in the midst of a pandemic, it is not only challenging to simply help children keep up in school, but they are also unable to explore their areas of interest due to lack of resources and social interactions. There is a growing learning gap in privileged and underprivileged children, and if the issue is not addressed soon, it could impact the future of these children more than it already has. By volunteering at The Boys and Girls Club, I strive to understand how society can best approach and improve the learning losses due to the pandemic, especially in underprivileged communities, now that we are able to be back in the classroom together.

Children, specifically those of kindergarten and first grade age, who have been unable to be in the classroom due to the pandemic have lost basic skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Some schools were fortunate enough to teach online, but some children, such as many children at The Boys and Girls Club, were unable to have access to a computer or the internet to participate in online learning, leaving parents attempting to work, support their family, and deal with the emotional impact of the pandemic to teach their kids. An analysis was performed district-by-district to assess the losses due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and it was found that students were losing approximately half a year ' s worth of learning in math and around a quarter year ’ s worth of learning in reading (Massive Learning Setbacks Show Covid's Sweeping Toll on Kids) These losses were especially prominent in low-income households as these families were less likely to have access to online learning for their children. A survey conducted by The U.S. Census Bureau found that 93% of households did report some type of remote learning in place for their children, but this report does not include the undercoverage bias that can occur in a survey and does not account for how students simply do not learn as much when not physically in the classroom. The survey also found that on average, low-income families reported less remote learning than high-income families (McElrath). Most underprivileged students do not have necessary materials required for remote learning such as a computer, internet access, or parental assistance due to parents having to work, ultimately causing most of these students to struggle more with remote learning than children in more affluent areas (Deparle). Specifically for underprivileged children, the gap in low-poverty situations grew significantly, around 20% in math and 15% in reading, and the results are even more frustrating knowing how much time and effort has been put into remote learning strategies. Children in high-poverty areas do not have the same remote learning tools that private and low-poverty schools do (Kuhfeld). Test scores demonstrate that on average, all students learn less the longer they participate in remote learning, making the learning gap even more prominent the longer the students are not in the classroom. Without basic math and reading skills, not to mention the emotional impact that the pandemic has caused, students may later on drop out of school due to falling too far behind or due to mental health reasons leading these children to not pursue a job in a field they truly love (Press). The Boys and Girls Club strives to close the learning gap between underprivileged and privileged children, but that task is more daunting than ever before; however, the goals of “academic success, good character, and healthy lifestyles” are what allow Club kids to rise to the top. While I was volunteering over the summer, the primary goal was to assist children in catching up and keeping up while not in the classroom over summer break. Summer is an optimal time for places such as The Boys and Girls Club to focus on providing children with resources to prepare them for the school year ahead. The Boys and Girls Club uses both online resources and the support of each other to close the gap, and by using these methods “74% of 12 to 17 year olds participating in the Club earn mostly A’s and B’s in school” (“Great Futures Start Here”). If students do not grow up with the confidence to succeed academically or socially, they are more likely to struggle in later life. These disadvantages are why places such as The Boys and Girls Club have been crucial to students especially in the past few years.

Many children have fallen significantly behind in core subjects, but many students have also suffered from a lack of social interaction with other students and teachers, which can affect their performance in school and affect their core communication skills. Children begin developing basic social and conversational skills at a young age, and these basic skills provide them with a basis for productive communication. By spending time with other children their age, young children learn about their feelings and how to share those feelings with those around them. They also learn social skills through watching older children and adults around them, making a school an ideal place to develop these social skills. Some children are able to develop these skills at home if they are surrounded by siblings and parents, but children without siblings and with parents working during the typical school day, these social interactions have been limited. Many children also develop language and social skills if they feel encouraged to do so; they believe these skills will be useful to them and being able to interact with other children on a daily basis gives them encouragement to develop these skills. While being in a classroom among their peers, the students also learn basic skills in respect and patience (“Conversation and Social Skills.”). At school, children are put into a classroom of a group of their peers and only one or two adults, typically. They must learn how to wait in line for lunch or share their colored pencils with their friends, but spending all their time at home can lead to a lack of knowing how to interact with others in a large group setting, ultimately leading to behavioral problems. Many parents have noticed increased temper tantrums and increased attachment or detachment from parents and other caretakers. Children benefit from predictability–children having a set routine results in less abnormal behavior. The pandemic was quite the opposite of predictable. All of a sudden, children had to live in a completely opposite situation of what they had known previously, and the unpredictability of sickness, loneliness, and their learning environment did not help their stress level. Many ways to improve negative behavior in children were taken away from parents and guardians (The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia).

It is true that closing schools was vital to the safety of society, but now it is important to focus on how to best prepare students for the next step. Specifically during summer breaks, The Boys and Girls Club has given children the opportunity to increase their interactions with other children of both their own age and older through educational, physical, and artistic activities. The opportunity to be back in the classroom and at organizations such as The Boys and Girls Club has given children a sense of community that is more important than ever before. Not only does The Boys and Girls welcome outside volunteers, but teenagers within the Club are invited to help out with younger students and take on leadership positions within The Boys and Girls Club. The children in the Club feel a sense of community when they have older students to look up to, and they will follow the example of those older students. With all the behavioral abnormalities that have resulted from quarantine, young children need a good example to look up to, which is exactly what The Boys and Girls Club provides (“Great Futures Start Here.”). It is crucial that programs such as The Boys and Girls Club have the ability to provide programs for underprivileged children so that they are prepared for not only the next grade level but also for college and life after. The NCES found that the educational losses students are currently experiencing could negatively impact the wages they receive in their future jobs due to a lack of core knowledge. A decline in kindergarten enrollment in public schools was also found

(approximately ten percent) as many parents have shifted to alternative methods of learning such as private school, homeschool, or, most notably, starting kindergarten late (Paulson). When children start kindergarten late, they have a higher maturity level which can lead to fewer behavioral problems with the child, especially as they grow older, and these children, who are more mature, perform better on standardized tests What is not known, however, is if delaying children will benefit them after the learning losses from the coronavirus. The world has not yet had to respond to a pandemic in this manner, so it is unclear whether or not delaying the start of kindergarten will help or hurt the children in the long-run. It has also been found that the activities the children participate in while in the classroom also affect their maturity level. If children work on more academic focused activities in kindergarten rather than activities that focus on socializing and developing basic skills, the children are less likely to perform well. Children need a way to develop basic mental skills before they dive deep into academics, so it is unclear how the shift in public school enrollment will affect these children in the future (Strauss) The uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic is another reason why places such as The Boys and Girls Club are vital for children; they provide social, extracurricular, and academic opportunities for children who are not receiving them at school. Children need a way to hone both academic and social skills, and they need to develop these skills in a safe, welcoming environment. It is crucial that these children have a place to go to grow within themselves.

The Boys and Girls Club provides more than just a place for students to go when not at school. Programs such as Club NEXT give Club members the opportunity to develop their skills even further. Through Club NEXT, Club members have access to tutors, coding camps, and virtual resources, but these resources also encourage students to create change in the world Particularly, the coding camp, Code Academy, not only teaches students basic skills in coding and app design, but also encourages them to think about how their app could promote change, ultimately providing these students with the tools and confidence they need to create change as they grow up (Club Next). The Boys and Girls Club’s goal is to provide a safe space for children to discover their interests and develop confidence in who they are By providing access to music equipment, sports equipment, computers, and tutoring services, these children are given the opportunity to not only find their talents but also create lifelong friendships. Many children within the Boys and Girls Club grow up in underprivileged communities, some of which are surrounded by violence, but the Boys and Girls Club strives to keep these children feeling safe and combat the learning gaps that are occurring, making the Club an optimal place for these children to go (“Great Futures Start Here.”). It is crucial that these children feel confident in themselves and their abilities so that they can also combat the increasing learning gap and developmental losses in privileged and underprivileged communities.

Works Cited

bgcmt.org/clubnext, Club Next. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

https://bgcmt.org/clubnext#:~:text=Virtual%20Club&text=Open%20to%20grades%20K%2D12,content%2 C%20and%20explore%20coding%20activities.

“Conversation and Social Skills.” Department of Education and Training Victoria. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/professionals/learning/ecliteracy/interactingwithothers/Page s/conversationandsocialskills.aspx#:~:text=Children%20learn%20with%20their%20peers,make%20new%2 0meaning%20of%20experiences.

Deparle, Jason. “Disadvantaged Students More Likely to Be Learning Remotely, Study Finds.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Dec. 2020. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

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McElrath, Kevin. “Nearly 93% of Households with School-Age Children Report Some Form of Distance Learning during COVID-19.” Census.gov, 21 Dec. 2021. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/08/schooling-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.html.

Paulson, Mariko. “Covid-19 Learning Loss: Long-Run Macroeconomic Effects Update.” Penn Wharton Budget Model, Penn Wharton Budget Model, 27 Oct. 2021. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

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Press, Associated. “Online Learning during COVID Put Us Kids behind. Some Adults Have Regrets.” WUSF Public Media, WUSF, 22 Oct. 2022. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

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Strauss, Valerie. “Delaying Kindergarten until Age 7 Offers Key Benefits to Kids - Study.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 30 Nov. 2021. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/10/07/delaying-kindergarten-until-age-7offers-key-benefits-to-kids-study/.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. “Managing Disruptive Behavior at Home.” Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 22 June 2020. Web. 22 Dec. 2023.

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