COVID 19 and Summer School

Written By: Isabelle Saunders

By now, it’s a known fact that distance learning is not nearly as effective as being in a classroom. For students constrained to homebound learning through the 2020-21 school year in addition to the last quarter of last year, this has been a frustrating season fraught with unorthodox challenges. The majority of students feel that they haven’t learned much at all, and have lost over a year of information. How, comes the question, will they catch up for next year? 

Rising necessity of summer school 

In response, there has been a mass exodus to summer school. Though it’s currently too early to tell how many people will sign up this year, smaller-scale examples indicate the sheer volume of students who feel they have a shaky understanding of concepts learned from home. Montgomery, Alabama, for instance, has an average count of 2,500 for summer school in past years. This year, over 12,000 of their school system’s 28,000 students signed up. With public schools opening up for in-person learning, these students can finally get face-to-face education for the first time since March 2020. It may take some getting used to after so long at home, but students are elated to be back to normal. 

New Improvements 

And like most things this year, summer school is not going to be normal. This time, however, that means in a good way- across the country, the school system has given teachers hefty raises for all the hard work they’re going to have to put in this summer. The most recent federal relief package has also funneled several billion dollars into summer school programs. With these new fortifications, educators agree that summer school 2021 will be better and more intensive than past years by a wide margin in order to meet the significant needs of the student body. 

Meeting Need 

Though policies vary from state to state, many are prioritizing the needs of students who were hit the hardest. This includes disadvantaged, disabled, and ESL children. Some school districts have opted for mandatory summer school for those who have fallen behind. With the recent relief package, many districts are able to provide meals and transportation for their students. Though educators are not so naive as to think that better quality summer education will patch every learning gap acquired over distance learning or before it, they are optimistic that it will at least give students a much better understanding and send them into next year with a foundation. 

In the past, summer school has been stigmatized as a thing of doom to students, something many would never willingly do. Now, however, many students are making the mature decision themselves to catch up as much as possible. Teachers plan to meet students where they are, and take a more personalized approach depending on each child’s unique needs. Since they themselves battled the frustrations of online learning, they empathize with their struggling students. This year’s summer school, it seems, will be a thing to behold. 

Is summer school a good option for your child?

If you’re thinking about signing your child up for summer school, you should first evaluate how they performed over distance learning. If their grades and understanding dropped a worrying amount, summer school is a great, free option to mend the rips as much as possible before next year. Consult your child on the matter as well- for those who haven’t been in a classroom for over a year, it may be in their best interest to be socialized over the summer. This poses an edifying opportunity to meet new people, reconnect with school friends, and get a feel for being back in a solid school setting.

For more information, check out the link below: 

https://apnews.com/article/us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-a0416b3d43e08f49879b0f0e93010113

Back to School Tips

Written by: Coach Nathaniel Jenkins

Summer is just ending and school is back in session. For some, there are feelings of joy that there is another opportunity to further their education, but for others there is a lack of motivation. Back to school anxiety is typical for all students, but the nerves can be heightened in students with executive functioning difficulties or ADHD. A student with ADHD in their daily life may feel like they’re struggling with school, whether it is a small homework assignment or a large project, more than their peers and that is NORMAL. Every new school year allows for a clean state for all students, but sometimes that isn’t enough. ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, may negatively impact a student’s life and outlook on a new school year. While it’s understandable to feel a sense of struggle, it doesn’t have to be that way. According to the Child Mind Institute https://childmind.org/article/back-to-school-tips-for-kids-who-are-struggling/, there are a few key points to understand when working with a student who feels like they are struggling or falling behind because of diagnosed, or even undiagnosed ADHD. 

1.       Make organization a priority

2.       Address how to handle situations if things don’t go according to plan

3.       Set up morale boosters

4.       Don’t surprise students with questions about school

5.       Allow space for trying, failure, and trying again

           Firstly, it is highly important to approach the struggle head on and create strategies for how to move forward with an approach that works for the student: instilling organizational skills in the student will promote a sense of achievement. Next, developing a support system for the student will go a long way in academics and life in general, but this is something the student must be willing to ask for and accept when offered; unfortunately, a lot of students are afraid to ask for help. Knowing how to help the student through these times with morale boosters, or ways of boosting the students’ outlook, will help the student stay on track and keep from becoming defeated. It is important to keep in mind as a parent, teacher, coach, etc. that school is meant to be challenging for students. The goal of receiving an education is so a student can form educated opinions, learn problem solving, and communication skills, but asking about the progress in all of these unexpectedly can be overwhelming for a student. Setting up a schedule for times to discuss questions and concerns with the student about school is very beneficial for both parties. By doing this, the student doesn’t feel like they are receiving criticism and it will allow for the student to start becoming independent and confident in their own abilities. Allowing the student to try one method, potentially not succeed, then try a new method will be far more valuable for handling obstacles in the way during life and academics.

 Students with ADHD have incredible opportunities for success. ADHD or not, there is more to life than school, but sometimes it may not feel that way for the student. School is very important and understanding how to coach the student to handle struggles and obstacles is priceless. Nerves before the start of the new school year are completely normal, but nerves and potential struggles don’t define the outcome, the amount of work and willingness to succeed are what define the student. As a coach, understanding the student is imperative to help them succeed in life and academics. The best tip for those who feel they struggle with school in general is to approach the new year with the mindset that they will succeed and do whatever it takes to do so.

Distance Learning Tips

Written by: Coach Coordinator Lindsey Holdaway

August has arrived!

The last of the summer months are usually filled with shopping for new wardrobes, and buying school supplies; however, August 2020 looks very different as students and parents alike prepare for more months filled with distance learning. If the last quarter of this past year was a nightmare for your family, it may be a good idea to try something new! We have put together some tips to ensure success and happiness for your child’s virtual learning experience. 

1. Understand the distance learning plan. As a parent, it is good to know the schedule that is being followed each week for your student’s classes. It is also helpful to understand the online system your school is using for distance learning. If it is a platform you are unfamiliar with and don’t have access to right away, you may want to look for google information for it (youtube videos and instructional videos from the platform’s website).

2. Provide your child with the necessary tools to be successful. Perhaps you have multiple children who will need to participate in distance learning at the same time.  Noise cancelling headphones may be just what they both need in order to work without distracting one another. 

3. Establish a designated school space for your child. This is important to provide a change in their environment throughout the day. Since your child won’t be leaving the house, it is important that they don’t participate in their distance learning from the place that should be designated for sleep. An area in your home that is by a window and provides good natural lighting is ideal as it can aid with focus. 

4. Ensure good nutrition and hydration. Maybe your child has stated that they would like to skip breakfast in order to sleep longer before logging into their classes. Having a nutritious meal before they begin their day as well as drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help them remain focused.

5. Keep tabs on your child’s mental status as well as their grades. Try to log in to the schools grading platform once a week to catch missed assignments before they begin to pile up. Also, asking your child the simple question of, “how did your day go?” can open up the lines of communication to allow them to express themselves and for you to understand any sort of attitudes they are expressing. 

Similar to the last quarter of the 2019-2020 academic year, there is no doubt that the beginning of this school year is going to be challenging. Please know that there are many businesses who want to help your child be successful both now as well as in the future, and Illuminos Academic Coaching & Tutoring is at the top of that list.