The governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont, has declared that the soonest public schools can open is now May 20th. At that time a decision will be made about the rest of the year.
Schools have been closed for about a month. Parents have had to homeschool. The good news is there are numerous resources at their disposal to help them and many school systems have made arrangements for teachers to stream lessons.
The bad news is that even with all the support available, it's still a burden for parents. The curriculum and methodology today has changed dramatically since the time parents were in school. This is especially true where teaching math is concerned. And picture yourself a parent of a high school student taking a math class like trigonometry or calculus or one of the sciences, i.e. earth science, biology, chemistry or physics. It would be virtually impossible for most parents to effectively teach those subjects.
As I mentioned in a previous post it's during times like these when you have a new appreciation for the Internet.
Being a retired teacher I am familiar with the challenges parents face. Many parents don't even know how to begin.
One thing is very true and I've heard experts say it over and over. Routine is important. Establish a routine. Kids will get used to it and things will go more smoothly. Be organized and consistent. Those are important suggestions.
Unfortunately I can't even offer assistance to my grand children because we are quarantined. But everyone in my family at least seems to be doing very well.
And here's a final observation. This is an ideal time for the federal government to be a tremendous asset during these difficult times. Have you heard anything from Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of Education? Me neither. Pathetic disgrace.
Remember all this in November.
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