Remote Learning
It’s happening again - the Omicron variant is spreading faster than the Delta, and although its symptoms are not as harsh as its predecessor viruses, its resurgence has required that many school districts shift back to remote learning after the winter break. Again - parents, teachers, and advocates are speaking out and demanding that school districts not force children to shift to remote learning, because it hurts those who need one on one attention; children with disabilities often get the short end of the stick here. So what exactly is the fight all about? Why is it such a big deal, and what's come of it so far?
Major Players, and Major Problems.
When schools were first shut down, families with special needs received a healthy amount of media coverage as they spoke out on the hardships as they took on multiple roles at once. For families with disabilities, being the teacher, caregiver, mother, father, and then full-time worker proved to be incredibly overwhelming. As remote schooling from 2020 dragged into 2021, exhaustion turned into anger as the division between remote and in-person schooling grew. For parents with neurotypical children, remote learning was an inconvenience, making learning difficult for their children to adapt learning styles. However, for parents with children with disabilities there was not just the inconvenience of learning styles, but missing tools and resources that were no longer available to them due to the shutdowns.
Back in March of 2020, the discourse of what would happen to children with special needs began as they started to realize remote learning was going to be the norm. The Center for Learner Equity was one of the first to point out how the shift to remote learning was not only unprecedented for kids and their parents, but that schools were just as unprepared: “They are scrambling and doing their best to quickly pull together something that works.”
Fast forward to the 2021 school year and there are little to no changes. While the pandemic is no longer in full swing, we are still facing highly contagious variants of the virus and schools have been able to do little to no adapting. As the 2021 school year started, in-person schooling was set to return, with many schools giving parents options for remote schooling. However, there were still no options for the various therapies, tutors, and one-on-one learning special education students are used to receiving. It was clear children with disabilities were moving backwards instead forward as a result. NPR released a short segment on how some families saw this affect their kids in as little as a few months. This is when complaints and litigation began to pick up. Parents began to file cases against local school boards claiming their children were not receiving the resources they were legally promised under IDEA, which The U.S. Department of Education did make clear that it would continue to be available. As of the beginning of 2022, some schools have started to close again leading to increased frustration.
What's the big deal?
It's a huge deal! Parents and communities are frustrated by the inconsistency because consistency and routine are even more important to children with disabilities. Ensuring a good learning environment goes beyond being in a classroom- it’s also important to consider the shortage of special education teachers, therapists, and independent instructors that provide what these children need. To many parents’ frustrations, children find themselves slipping back as they find new ways to learn without the additional instructors, tools, and resources. Not to mention, the classrooms specifically designed to be conducive to learning for children with disabilities are replaced with home classrooms which can be stressful and difficult to concentrate on. In a survey by the advocacy group, Parents Together, they found “40 percent of kids in special education hadn’t received any support at all, and only 20 percent received all the services they were entitled to.” While the long term answer seems to be the fight for in-person schooling to return safely for children with disabilities, there are some things you can do for your family to ensure they are getting the most out of their remote education.
What can you do?
Practically, there are a couple of things you can do to help your child during their remote learning periods, but one of the biggest issues parents are facing right now is the constant changes. From remote to in-person schooling, these constant changes make it even more difficult for students to settle into a routine that works for them either in person or online. Whether your child is returning to school or going back to remote learning there are some things you can do to ease their anxiety amidst the shifting.
Social stories: These are a common strategy for parents with children with ASD or other neurodiversities to introduce changes, and encourage good social behaviors. Creating social stories to share with your children that show them it's ok to be in different places is a small way to get them more accustomed to switching between remote and in-person classes.
It’s also very important to give them something they feel they have control over. Let them pick their clothes out the night before whether they'll be going to school or not and allow them to stick to their preferred routines. Keeping whatever you can consistent can greatly help kids maintain some sense of control and normalcy.
Lastly, know when to step back. This blogger has pointed out she’s learned there is a time to “step back and let your child figure it out on her own.” It can be just as empowering and important to allow your child some room and freedom to continue to develop as they make their own decisions.
What's come of all this?
Unfortunately, children with disabilities have statistically fallen behind as they struggle to keep up with ever changing school norms. Parents and advocates have however made significant strides in making their struggles known through media coverage. It is increasingly important to make this community heard, and we sincerely hope education can safely resume for everyone. Until then, we will continue to stay updated, bring you helpful resources and spread joy as we start the year hopeful for what's to come!