We all realize the loss that two years on Zoom had on young children and their academic progress. Scores were way down for most children in both reading and math. So many children found focusing on school remotely to be near impossible. Areas of the country where in person learning continued, fared better. Obviously in person learning is best for most students.
There is another reason academic scores have dropped dramatically during this time. That is the mental health of children. Depression, isolation, lack of socialization, are all conditions that can lead to poor academic performance.
Schools have a huge task before them. Yes, they must work hard to help children catch up. Home schooled children and some kids in private schools continued with good academic progress during the pandemic, but the vast majority of kids have fallen behind. Public schools have a daunting task. In addition, teachers must deal with the mental help many kids now need. Isolation has led to depression, lack of motivation, in short, many kids are lethargic. The teacher now has to be both teacher and psychologist. The physical learning cannot take place if the child is depressed.
What can we do? First, we need more psychologists in the schools. Kids need help, and most cannot afford private therapy. We need to fix the child psychologically before we can increase math and reading skills. Good luck to the teachers and health professionals out there. Such a difficult job!
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