Episode: 378

Episode Title: Getting Real About the COVID Learning Slide

Early in the pandemic, students fell behind in their learning. But returning to the classroom will fix all that, right? Not so fast. Let’s talk about it, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 378 show:

This is The Perna Syndicate and I’m glad you’re here! It felt like a huge step toward normalcy when schools returned to mostly in-person instruction. Now we can get back to the business of learning, we thought—and make up the deficit that students suffered in the early months of the pandemic. 

Once they have students back in the classroom, teachers will be able to catch them right up to where they’re supposed to be. Right? Wrong. 

The COVID learning slide is a real and serious problem. But somehow, there has been an expectation that returning to in-person learning would magically solve all of it and bring students right back to their appropriate mastery levels. 

Do you see the incredible, even impossible pressure this puts on teachers? They’re already overburdened with policies and demands that are changing every week. 

Instead, as a nation we need to be realistic about where students are really at—and meet them there. We have to stop simply teaching to the test and instead connect with students on a human level. Then, and only then, will they care about moving forward in their education. 

That’s how we’ll overcome the learning loss of the pandemic: by supporting the teachers in the trenches and prioritizing what really matters in the educational experience.

On the next episode of The Perna Syndicate, we’re going to cover the human connection that is needed not just by students, but by teachers as well. Take care and we’ll see you then!