by Jenn Drake, Early Elementary Classroom Teacher

School Attendance In The COVID Era: What Counts As ‘Present’?

This is such an interesting question! Most of my students are attending school in person, but I also have remote learners. Every morning when I take attendance, I’m wondering the same thing – what is present? How do I know? I’m very grateful for the team my school has put together to oversee the students who are learning remotely. This team functions as the main point-of-contact for my remote students because I am not able to respond to requests immediately during the school day. This support allows me to spend time with the students in front of me, but ensures that my remote learners have access to materials, content, and teacher support. It’s a great system! I would say we are on track for a positive problem-solving approach as a school!

Playlist: Innovative Ideas from Homeschoolers for Learning During a Pandemic

I love this conversation! The question of whether a child is “falling behind” is asked by parents all over the country – whether their kids are doing remote learning, homeschooling, or attending school in person. All parents struggle to assess whether or not their kids are “okay.” I always tell parents that their children will be okay, but that’s easier to say as a teacher than it is to believe as a parent. I have the perspective of seeing 17 years worth of children grow up.  They are all okay! But this year, we’re in a very special position because children around the world missed out on months of schooling. That’s bound to have an impact. What I see right now is that kids are exactly where they should be. And if I shift the question, and stop asking if they are behind, and start asking where I can take them, then everything really does feel okay.