NY Times – School Closings (Dec. 10, 2021)

Bill Howe

A recent article in the NY Times on school closures, caught my attention. It was a well written piece by Giulia Heywood. While the article speaks to conditions in the U.S. they apply to my home Canada and other countries as well. As a retired high school Communication Technology teacher and soccer coach / instructor I found a number of parallels between Education and Sport.

The article covered a wide range of issues relating to impacts from Coronavirus. The stress on all parties involved, children, parents, teachers and administrators, is palpable. The article prompted me to respond to the journalist, thanking her for raising awareness of this critical challenge facing society. I could feel the frustration, anger and disillusionment from all sides. No one is to blame here, so let’s stopping looking for culpability. Changes are required, no doubt about it! I strongly believe that the directions taken so far will not work and we are sitting on the precipice, overlooking the abyss.

Those consequences will be severe and lasting long after the virus crises is over. There are options, but they lie outside of mainstream Education. Approaches taken so far are failing, for reasons too lengthy to go into here. It is the subject that fills a book I am writing. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are growing and it appears as if there is no way out, but maybe……

1. There is a way to give children more ownership and the capabilities to work more independently.

2. There are ways to alleviate stress on parents.

3. There are ways to reduce stress and burnout with teachers.

4. There are ways to make learning more meaningful, with greater context, relevance & application?

5. There are ways to adapt learning to local environments and the challenges that come with them?

This and more could be accomplished while at the same time building a healthier, more positive environment. Greater retention could be obtained even with remote learning. It is not the remote part that is the problem, btw, it is the square peg Education trying to fit into the round hole, that has been created. Their very structure has been ripped away and Education is left floundering. It is not designed for change, in fact it is the exact opposite, being the epitome of stability and consistency. No matter how much effort is made to change, they do not have the tools or perspectives needed. Education must get out of the box it has created. That would require an understanding that options can exist elsewhere and a willingness to put the entire Educational system under the microscope. While Education may wish to adjust, it is not willing to change. There is a difference.

I arrived at a few possible options, unfortunately all of them would require people at the top relinquishing some control and being open to other concepts. I am somewhat dubious that would happen. I am not a “Debbie Downer” (SNL), just a pragmatist. In dialogue with people in Tanzania and a few other countries, I have seen a greater willingness to try options. They are not dogmatic and they are looking for models that costs less, show adaptability on a regional basis and implemented with minimal staff that do not have sufficient access to appropriate training and resources.

I wish some countries could be just a tiny bit more open to outside the box ideas, anybody’s! Education is cumbersome, over administrated, cost inefficient and stressing teachers to the point of quitting. I truly hope changes will happen. The article was well written and comprehensive. Perhaps someone will take enough notice to ask the question, “are there other options?” I have a few, but there are many others. The only things needed to change are mindsets. How do you move mountains?

Bill Howe