Pep Talk: Covid, Education and a Day on the Couch

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything. Isn’t that the adage? I had two video calls this week and I mindfully kept quiet for one meeting. The first was a discussion on the impact of covid on education,. For instance the reports on the inability for 3rd graders to read.

Although schools focused on learning recovery during the 2021-22 school year, new research suggests students didn’t fully regain ground lost during the pandemic in reading and math achievement. The largest differences in learning outcomes came in the formative years, the early elementary and middle school years when students are building and solidifying foundational reading and math skills. 

Only 67% of 3rd graders performed at grade level in reading this spring

That’s an important inflection point. Until the end of third grade, students generally receive guidance from teachers to perfect their literacy. After that, students are expected to read more challenging texts in all of their subjects and to improve reading skills on their own. Researchers have found students who don’t read fluently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out or not finish high school on time. And if a student fails to graduate, the risks increase. For instance, adults without a diploma are more likely to end up in prison

‘Too much to learn’: Schools race to catch up kids’ reading

That discussion included the impact of  covid on mental health and higher education. Over 9 in 10 College Students Report Mental Health Impacts From COVID-19  Colleges and universities are trying to adapt to accommodate students with emotional support animals. It was a juxtaposition of ideas around a global lockdown. One event, two totally different views. Nah, I did’t say anything to the second group reminiscing favorably. Taking the temperature of the participants and receptivity, it would have made a couple of people feel bad and it would have opened the door to the infamous,“that’s not what I meant.”

Alas, I’m doing couch time with Dr Pepper today. This week consider how you look at the events with the impact on self versus the impact on community. How does that shift perspective.