People in America are tough. And American educators are among the toughest. Faced with multiple challenges throughout the last decades, the educational profession has managed to combat attacks on its members and upon its policy makers—perhaps, some would say, well-deserved. Nonetheless, there is a remnant of committed, conscientious, and caring “teachers” who believe that America’s kids deserve the best preparation possible.
Looking back over the last two years of “lockdowns,” an alarm is sounding. Teachers, guidance counselors, and researchers are discovering a frightening development. Some think it’s too early to really be concerned. However, disturbing signs are appearing throughout the country. The Education Endowment Foundation recently surveyed a small number of schools from throughout the country. Fifty-five out of fifty-seven schools--yes, 55 out of 57 schools from second grade to high school--stated they were “very” or “quite” concerned about communication and language development of our American school children. They specifically worried about “personal, social, and emotional literacy skills.”
It may be too early to tell how two years of lockdowns of schools impacted America’s children, but alarms are being sounded. In various sectors, educators are saying that our children seem to be two years behind developmentally. That measure includes academic learning and social development.
Even in early childhood development, experts are noting differences. Normally, babies start talking when they are one-year olds. But many babies of the pandemic generation are not talking, and they are beginning to develop speech until they are three. The concern is that children’s vocabulary at the age of two predicts their success as they start school, which, in turn, predicts success later in life.
The problem in many households where only parents served as role models for their children created a developmental trap. Since moms and dads tend to be so in tune with their own children’s needs, they tended to simply provide those needs without the use of language. So, kids didn’t bother learning it.
With older children, the increased reliance on the internet replaced parents and friends. Those same kids when they return to school sit next to each other watching videos on their tablets rather than interacting with each other. Without interaction with classmates, children learned to channel their lives through the internet. School, social interaction, and entertainment are now provided by Zoom.
Yet, according to some educators, it’s not only social interaction that has suffered. Middle school and high school teachers are now reporting that children are consistently two years behind schedule. Sixth-grade teachers who attempt to teach children to divide fractions complain that they need to return to simple third-grade skills like addition and subtraction.
For two years we told children to stay away from each other. Now, telling them that it’s okay to interact is not that easy. It seems that children of the pandemic don’t trust the new message. Our kids soon will be taking their standardized tests that will determine their future careers. Those results will be fascinating to watch.
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