@_charlesbarrett Dr. Michael Robinson: How can schools practice social distancing when students return?
Dr. Charles Barrett: Although possible, this will require a significant shift in the manner in which schools have operated in the past. Fundamentally, social distancing requires very limited physical contact and that individuals are at least 6 feet apart to the greatest extent possible. For schools to comply with these guidelines, desks, for example, will need to be placed farther apart. This will likely require additional teachers if an entire class of students will need to be divided into two or three classrooms. Parenthetically, because this may not be possible due to physical space limitations, staggered start times in which students attend school in shifts are also quite possible. Additionally, schools will need to think carefully about how students move from class to class or place to place throughout the school building. Settings such as physical education and lunch in which children have typically been in very close contact will require significant modifications. For younger students, recess will need to be restructured to prevent physical contact. Collaborative learning opportunities, including working in small groups or with partners, which are essential to the educational experience, will require creative solutions. While not an exhaustive list, these are some of the implications for schools in an age of social distancing.
Dr. Michael Robinson: Is schooling with social distancing even possible?
Dr. Charles Barrett: Although schooling with social distancing is possible, it is going to be very different than the historical educational experience. For example, beyond academic courses, how will students engage in competitive sports? How will students engage in band, orchestra, and choral classes? All of these opportunities are pivotal to children’s development and should be preserved to the greatest extent possible. As schools prepare for the likely possibility of social distancing, this is a tremendous opportunity to reimagine the landscape of public education. Rather than trying to recapture or recreate what was before schools closed for the 2019-2020 school year, we need to think creatively and into the future about what students need in order to be the most prepared and successful in an ever-changing global society that is increasingly interconnected.
Dr. Michael Robinson: Some states are considering staggering start times, while others are deciding if some students come to school one week and another set of students come the following week, also there are states considering remote learning until further notice. How do you think any of these options would work and impact learning?
Dr. Charles Barrett: Each of these options has significant implications for students’ learning. Specifically, remote learning is one of the most widely discussed and debated topics in contemporary education. Although many schools and school systems have provided students with devices and the capability to access WIFI to engage in synchronous and asynchronous learning activities, in many ways this is a far cry from evidence-based instruction. As an educator, I am not being critical of schools for doing the best they can with little or no advanced preparation; I am, however challenging government officials, policy makers, educators, and school leaders to improve upon what is currently being offered to students if this will be a long-term reality for children. Perhaps most notably, the equity implications are staggering. As some students continue to advance in their learning, others, due to a host of systemic factors, are not afforded the same opportunities and access. Supporting students with educational disabilities is another area that will require a substantial amount of restructuring if schools will be adopting distance learning options for the foreseeable future.
Dr. Michael Robinson: When thinking of the possibility of teachers and students wearing masks and other PPE during school what comes to your mind as an educator?
Dr. Charles Barrett: As an educator, and one who works with students in elementary schools as well as those with a variety of educational disabilities, wearing masks and other PPE during school can lead to fear. Because of this, school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, and other educators should plan to support the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of students. Lessons and activities that are developmentally appropriate should be created in order to explain why masks and PPE are being worn in schools.
Dr. Michael Robinson: When schools are opened, what are signs you believe will have to be visible for parents to feel it is safe to send their child to school?
Dr. Charles Barrett: First, schools will have to ensure that all staff have been tested for COVID-19 and it is indeed safe for them to be around children. Next, schools will have to ensure that they have an effective plan, which could include hiring additional staff, for adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Bio
Dr. Charles Barrett
Service and justice oriented school psychologist; adjunct lecturer; critical thinker; particularly interested in equitable policies and practices that lead to positive outcomes for marginalized populations and effective cross-cultural assessment of diverse students; local, state, and national leadership in school psychology.
Dr. Charles Barrett: Although possible, this will require a significant shift in the manner in which schools have operated in the past. Fundamentally, social distancing requires very limited physical contact and that individuals are at least 6 feet apart to the greatest extent possible. For schools to comply with these guidelines, desks, for example, will need to be placed farther apart. This will likely require additional teachers if an entire class of students will need to be divided into two or three classrooms. Parenthetically, because this may not be possible due to physical space limitations, staggered start times in which students attend school in shifts are also quite possible. Additionally, schools will need to think carefully about how students move from class to class or place to place throughout the school building. Settings such as physical education and lunch in which children have typically been in very close contact will require significant modifications. For younger students, recess will need to be restructured to prevent physical contact. Collaborative learning opportunities, including working in small groups or with partners, which are essential to the educational experience, will require creative solutions. While not an exhaustive list, these are some of the implications for schools in an age of social distancing.
Dr. Michael Robinson: Is schooling with social distancing even possible?
Dr. Charles Barrett: Although schooling with social distancing is possible, it is going to be very different than the historical educational experience. For example, beyond academic courses, how will students engage in competitive sports? How will students engage in band, orchestra, and choral classes? All of these opportunities are pivotal to children’s development and should be preserved to the greatest extent possible. As schools prepare for the likely possibility of social distancing, this is a tremendous opportunity to reimagine the landscape of public education. Rather than trying to recapture or recreate what was before schools closed for the 2019-2020 school year, we need to think creatively and into the future about what students need in order to be the most prepared and successful in an ever-changing global society that is increasingly interconnected.
Dr. Michael Robinson: Some states are considering staggering start times, while others are deciding if some students come to school one week and another set of students come the following week, also there are states considering remote learning until further notice. How do you think any of these options would work and impact learning?
Dr. Charles Barrett: Each of these options has significant implications for students’ learning. Specifically, remote learning is one of the most widely discussed and debated topics in contemporary education. Although many schools and school systems have provided students with devices and the capability to access WIFI to engage in synchronous and asynchronous learning activities, in many ways this is a far cry from evidence-based instruction. As an educator, I am not being critical of schools for doing the best they can with little or no advanced preparation; I am, however challenging government officials, policy makers, educators, and school leaders to improve upon what is currently being offered to students if this will be a long-term reality for children. Perhaps most notably, the equity implications are staggering. As some students continue to advance in their learning, others, due to a host of systemic factors, are not afforded the same opportunities and access. Supporting students with educational disabilities is another area that will require a substantial amount of restructuring if schools will be adopting distance learning options for the foreseeable future.
Dr. Michael Robinson: When thinking of the possibility of teachers and students wearing masks and other PPE during school what comes to your mind as an educator?
Dr. Charles Barrett: As an educator, and one who works with students in elementary schools as well as those with a variety of educational disabilities, wearing masks and other PPE during school can lead to fear. Because of this, school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, and other educators should plan to support the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of students. Lessons and activities that are developmentally appropriate should be created in order to explain why masks and PPE are being worn in schools.
Dr. Michael Robinson: When schools are opened, what are signs you believe will have to be visible for parents to feel it is safe to send their child to school?
Dr. Charles Barrett: First, schools will have to ensure that all staff have been tested for COVID-19 and it is indeed safe for them to be around children. Next, schools will have to ensure that they have an effective plan, which could include hiring additional staff, for adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Bio
Dr. Charles Barrett
Service and justice oriented school psychologist; adjunct lecturer; critical thinker; particularly interested in equitable policies and practices that lead to positive outcomes for marginalized populations and effective cross-cultural assessment of diverse students; local, state, and national leadership in school psychology.