Getting Through: The Challenge & Opportunity of Remote Learning

We are starting a journey into a new terrain of parenting in response to school closures and home-bound learning opportunities for students. As we know that children call many different types of places home, with varying degrees of access to resources and experiences, we want to be mindful of not projecting a “right way” or “best way,” and be more intentional of providing some resources and considerations that we hope to be useful. We want to acknowledge and curate great resources that are coming together in our communities. Many started from educational services and companies but also more grassroots support from teachers, often out of concern for their students.  

Our youth will remember this time through experiences and connections. They will likely not remember the online lessons. We traverse this unknown with you and will share what we learn along the way. We also want to recognize that many families may not have online resources available or the time to provide ‘structured’ learning for their children. Where we can point out options that are not digitally dependent, we will do so. Some of the more well-known exceptions to the learning occurring outside of a classroom (and outside of work-based learning) are already in a home, around a home, in neighborhoods, in nature, and to that extent, we will also highlight what can be referred to as experiential learning or place-based learning. These highlights could be a learning framework, resource or set of questions or conversations.  

Getting Smart launched the Getting Through series to support educators, leaders and families on the path forward during such an uncertain time. This series will provide resources and inspiration as we face long term school closures, new learning environments, and address equity and access from a new lens. Whether you are just getting started with distance or online learning, or you’ve had plans in place and have the opportunity to share your work and guidance with others, there is a place for your voice and an opportunity to learn.

Rachel Wigglesworth on Learning at Home: More than 36 million of about 50 million American students are learning remotely. We spoke with Rachel Wigglesworth, founder of Growing Great Families to get some advice on this developing situation.

Getting Through: COVID 19 Response: Our quickly escalating situation has left educators and parents searching for the right content, instructional interaction, and authentic assessment for their students and children.

The Learning Must Go On: How even the coronavirus couldn’t stop agile Asian schools from functioning. With robust learning systems in place, it’s ‘business as usual.’

The New Mutuality: More than ever, the climate crisis and the rise of AI mean we’re all in this together. It’s time for community conversations about the implications of this new age of mutuality.

Book Review: The Power of Place: A review of “The Power of Place,” a book describing how schools in diverse contexts have incoprorated the city as the classroom to better engage students.

Here are some great resources from respected sources

• COVID-19 Online Learning Resources and FAQ (Digital Promise)
• Coronavirus: Keeping Our Children and Ourselves Safe, with Dr. Pamela Cantor (Turnaround for Children)
• Resources for Remote Learning (Emerson Collective)