The impact of COVID-19 on students’ educations will be studied for years. Due to the pandemic, students, on the whole, suffered an estimated 5 months of learning loss. Students from disadvantaged demographics, including minority and lower-income students, may have faced a higher overall degree of learning loss than their more privileged peers. Based on the numbers of students we see seeking help right now, however, it seems that current sophomores, or the class of 2024, may have suffered the greatest impact on learning as a result of the pandemic. This class wasn’t able to complete middle school in an ordinary fashion. Many of them didn’t go back to school after spring break of their eighth-grade years. They didn’t get to close out the year with the excitement and celebration that normally goes along with the end of middle school.
Then high school–and the beginning of those students’ official educational records–began. Those students began high school under very abnormal circumstances. Many of them went through long periods of virtual learning or had to contend with periods of quarantine. As a result, they have suffered a number of potential educational and social impacts.
Some Students Struggled Heavily With Online Learning, Including Sophomores
Some students perform better in a virtual environment than others. They may feel more generally comfortable with the requirements, or they may learn through visual input. Other students, on the other hand, have struggled immensely with online learning. Indeed, they felt disconnected from their teachers and peers and might not have had the same hands-on learning opportunities they were able to experience during in-person school.
Many Students Have Missed Out on Learning Blocks That Could Impact Them Later
Some students have missed key lessons that could have an immense impact on their later learning. Those students may not show evidence of those missing skills now. If their teachers have not gone over those vital materials since they have started to return to normal, however, those students may not have those skills later, when they actually need them. Often, those learning gaps will become more apparent when students start learning skills that rely on those blocks.
Learning gaps for today’s sophomores could include vital math skills, including early algebra skills. These skills continue to build on one another throughout the rest of a child’s academic career. Students may also lose vital processing and reading skills, especially since they may have had fewer opportunities for discussion and development in the classroom. Scaffolding those essential building blocks and ensuring that students understand those vital concepts can make a huge difference in their future academic success.
Social Impacts Have Interfered With Learning for Some Students
Socialization is a critical part of the educational process. Students who attend school in person interact regularly with their peers. They learn vital social skills and support open another in the learning process. Unfortunately, the lack of those social interactions has made it more difficult for some students to continue their usual learning. Not only are many students missing some of the lessons in socialization they might have learned by attending school normally with their classmates, but they may also have social gaps that can make it difficult for them to interact normally with their friends. As a result, those students may feel isolated socially, which can make it more difficult for them to focus on schoolwork.
How Can You Bridge Learning Gaps for Today’s Sophomores?
At The Tenney School, we take a whole-student approach to learning. We identify potential learning gaps and scaffold those vital skills that students need to achieve academic success in the future. This includes one-on-one instruction that helps solve individual learning challenges. It also ensures that students are able to ask questions in a low-pressure environment. We also help erase many of the problems of poor socialization, since our students receive individualized educational support based on their specific needs.
Is The Tenney School the right academic choice for your child, including this year’s sophomore class, after pandemic education interruptions? Contact us today to learn more about how we can serve as a vital solution for many students’ needs.