Learning curve: How schools worldwide are tackling coronavirus challenge

Schools across the United States are patching together solutions in the aftermath of the mass migration to online learning brought on by COVID-19. Wi-Fi hotspots, webinars with parents, and office hours are the new normal. But teachers and administrators insist it is important to set realistic goals and not put place much pressure on themselves or students.

LEAP Africa is a Nigerian-based NGO that has helped thousands of students (in 26 Nigerian states and 8 African countries) develop leadership skills through a series of programs in partnership with various universities. Many program graduates have gone on to solve problems in their local communities by implementing their newfound skills, but some students struggle with limited internet access.

iUniversity Prep, part of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District, has consistently outperformed the state in student outcomes in Texas. The school has existed for over a decade and has found success by creating a collaborative, adaptable, and flexible learning environment for its students while also providing high levels of support to its teachers.

Although the pandemic brought many difficulties to school across the globe, some institutions saw it as the time to innovate and rethink learning delivery. Cambridge High School Extension Program, "an alternative school for academically struggling students," decided to start school later in the day, schedule one-on-on sessions for students with their teachers, and distributed computers and Wi-Fi hotspots. The result has been nearly a 50% decrease in the number of chronically absent students, and an increase from 20 to 60% of students achieving honor roll.

Step Up is a pilot tutoring program that was launched to help students in the Los Angeles Unified School District navigate virtual learning during the pandemic. The program is only open to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, and pairs them up with tutors if their teachers opt into the program. So far, nine schools are part of the program, representing 402 students.

Educators at the Lighthouse for Children Child Development Center piloted a 45-minute, weekly, math zoom session for toddlers. Parents attend the zoom lesson, and they are taught by educators. The program can offer some lessons in how to teach toddlers math virtually.

Across the state of New Hampshire, school districts found themselves adjusting to the meet the particular needs of special needs students. Outside tents, remote games, and equipping paraprofessionals with Chromebooks, where just some of the things different school districts implemented.

Teachers in some California dual-language classrooms are coming up with creative ways to help students practice and learn languages during remote-only learning. Across Fresno Unified School District, teachers develop and share lessons, record videos, and have students use educational programs like Flipgrid or Seesaw so students can record themselves speaking Spanish. During some Zoom breakout groups, teachers select a fluent language speaker in the group to model pronunciation for others.

In Denver, learning pods are helping students access virtual classes during a pandemic. At the Adams 12 school district, 4000 students, district-wide, participate in the pod. Similarly, HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-Op launched a learning center. Students can sit in a classroom, access Wi-Fi, and count on the support of an adult. They also distributed 600 computers, 400 webcams from PCs, and 1,077 laptops to enrolled middle and high school students.

Apps that track students’ online activity, door-to-door visits, and receiving input from families on how to reopen schools, are all ways school districts across the country are responding to absenteeism during the pandemic. In one San Antonio district, they were able to locate around 2,900 of the 3,000 students who weren’t showing up to classes.