To e-Learn or Not to e-Learn … the question every school aged parent is battling with as “back to school” nears. Whether your school district is providing options for in person learning, remote learning or a hybrid approach, we are all faced with some very tough decisions – and none of them seem to be the best choice!
There was an article recently published in Motherhood written by Nikki Pennington called “As the School Year Nears, Nothing I Choose Feels Right”. In reading this article I could relate to each and every bit of it … it was the perfect summary of what parents across the U.S. are feeling as the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year approaches. What decision is best for…
- our children?
- our family/extended family/teachers/our children’s health and safety?
- for ensuring a productive learning environment?
- for ensuring proper socialization?
- for preventing depression and anxiety in our children?
- and the list goes on …
The even harder part is … the decision you make for one child in your household may not be the same or best decision for another child in your household. In order to make ends meet, many families must have both parents working so parents are faced with making the decision to send their kids back to school even if they don’t feel it is the best choice.
I think we could all agree the structure of the school day, the interaction and socialization with other kids and in-person learning is “best” under normal circumstances … but the uncertainty of whether our children will be safe returning to school with the precautions each school is putting into place is creating a lot of extra strain and stress on parents.
Something parents may want to clarify with their school is … if you send your children back for in-person learning but eventually decide it was not the right choice – is it possible to switch from in-person learning to e-learning at any time? Having that peace of mind if the pandemic continues to worsen may give you some reassurance in your decision making process.
Another aspect that parents may want to take into consideration is how long you have to commit to e-Learning if you select that option for your children. Many schools are requiring commitment for at least the 1st semester (½ the school year) vs. just the first quarter. This may or may not impact your decision making.
Whether you decide to send your children back to in-person school, choose e-Learning, or select a hybrid approach – you have to do what feels like the right choice for you and your family. We will all be relieved when we can return to our “old normal” and Covid is a “thing of the past”. Until then, we wish you good health and continued safety as we all continue to navigate this pandemic together!