The coronavirus pandemic has forced society to shut down, on a scale unimaginable for the modern world. Many industries will have to change their operations or products to adapt to a post-covid climate, with education one of the key areas open for change. Schools worldwide have shut due to the lockdown, with over 90% of the world’s student population having had their schools either partially or fully closed, across 186 countries*. Often, this leaves better-off children learning from home and many lower-income families falling further behind, generally because of a lack of technology or a poor home environment. As many countries begin to ease lockdowns, governments are being pressed as to when schools will reopen. Countries such as Denmark, Japan and China have already started reopening primary schools, with strict social distancing measures put in place. For years, the education system has been criticised for its narrow approach and lack of creativity. This article will ask, has the time come to review how we school our children and to achieve a more intelligent way of learning?
In the majority of countries worldwide, at the time of writing, schools, colleges and universities are shut, with many students due to be at home for many more months. Teachers have adapted by using platforms like ‘Zoom’ and ‘Google Meet’ to host online live lessons, whilst others send out tasks and presentations on ‘Microsoft Teams’ and ‘Google Classroom’. This new way of working has advantages and drawbacks: students are encouraged to work more independently and design their own schedules, but have many distractions and a lack of social interactions. Furthermore, many lower-income students who do not have access to personal devices struggle to access lessons, which puts them further behind their more well-off peers. Students in Years 10 and 12 are under enormous pressure, as they must teach themselves material for GCSE and A-level exams next year, with limited support from teachers. As a result, a large number of teachers and students are aching to ‘get back to school’. But how will this work, with social distancing measures, and is going back to how it was really the best option?
A recent broadcast from Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the UK, outlined key details of the government’s plan for getting children back in the classroom. Mr Johnson said that some primary school pupils would be able to return to schools in England, ‘at the earliest by the 1stJune’ and that ‘pupils in years 10 and 12 could get some time with teachers before the summer holidays. Other year groups are unlikely to go back to school until September. Examples of how to reopen primary schools have already been seen in Denmark, where pupils have staggered breaktimes, a certain group of friends to play with and desks separated. This is a viable solution for small nurseries and primary schools, but how would reopening a secondary school or college with hundreds or even thousands of students work? With narrow corridors, high class sizes and less monitored breaktimes, the above measures would be nearly impossible to implement.
It may be time though, to rethink the education system as a whole. For years, the Victorian-esque style of teaching schools employ in the UK has continuously failed children with uninspiring curriculums, monotonous lectures and a lack of creativity as a whole. The recent lockdown has shown teachers and parents the real value of schools- to look after the welfare of pupils. After schools go back, teachers should see their main priority as keeping children safe and happy rather than the ill-judged notion that exams and academic performance are the prime concerns. This could mean mental health support services and safeguarding teams are bolstered, and for teachers to not punish but to help students if falling behind with work. True, students’ learning has sometimes been damaged by the lockdown, but arguably worse is the lack of social interaction and mental health problems being experienced because of the lack of physical school.
This leads us to ask what the purpose of being present at school really is. For some students, this is a necessity due to childcare restrictions and especially for younger children. However, for others with access to technology a new educational strategy should be thought out. Living in the 21st century means students can access new information and learning that wasn’t possible before- this online teaching is often more efficient than being lectured in a classroom. Students should be able to choose to do their work at home, and go into school a few days a week for teaching in new, interesting and valuable skills, such as photography, debating and extra- curricular activities such as drama groups, art classes and sports teams. These are things that cannot be done online or at home, and should therefore take place at school. Schools should take advantage of the wealth of online learning resources available and start to prioritise face-to-face time at school for activities and feedback for students’ work. Teachers should get to know students more and take an interest in their interests and ambitions. This holistic approach should be the fulcrum of a regenerated teacher-training programme, encouraging staff to understand their students and nurture their talents and take into account new technology and different ways of learning, like the students working from home. In addition, to prevent the exam-obsessed nature of schools, there should be a national ‘Schools Happiness Index’ interests.
This approach would be optional, and students wanting to go to school would be able to but the teaching should be adapted to, which, like an OFSTED or ISI report, would review the happiness and well-being of students at schools. This would be used in conjunction with other measures such as GCSE grades to determine the quality of the schools. This would mean senior leaders in the school would take a greater interest in the happiness and welfare of students, instead of simply being concerned about their grades.
To conclude, this article has outlined potential reforms to the education system in the UK, to be implemented post covid-19. This is following decades of old-fashioned and outdated schooling methods which must be adapted for a modern climate. Also, it is likely some parents will want to continue with homeschooling or part-time school after the lockdown, so schools must improve what they are offering to both students and their parents. Obviously there are funding issues for the changes above, but it should be considered by both governments and education institutions alike. In a post-coronavirus world, could we see a more flexible, inclusive and enjoyable education system grace our society?
*From UNICEF
Very interesting, enjoyable and thought provoking words H. Have you sent it to Gav Williamson for his thoughts?