Many Students Not Taking Part in Distance Learning
2020-06-18
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1As the school year ends in the United States, educators have been trying to get large numbers of students moving forward in their studies again.
2The concern is that students who were behind on their schoolwork before the COVID-19 crisis will drop back even further when classes re-start in the fall.
3One of those educators is Tayarisha Batchelor, principal of Rowson Elementary School in Hartford, Connecticut.
4She recently visited students at their homes.
5Jamie-Lee is a third grader at Rowson. Batchelor held her arms out as if she were giving him a big hug when she visited his home.
6She told him how much she had missed him since the pandemic closed the school.
7The boy's eyes stayed on his smartphone as they spoke.
8Batchelor asked him what he was doing. Playing video games was his answer.
9"I like playing games," Batchelor told the boy as his parents looked on.
10She then suggested he spend more time on his daily schoolwork.
11"I want to make sure you are still learning," she said.
12Almost one-third of Batchelor's students have not taken part in the school's online learning program.
13Batchelor said she discovered many reasons for that as she visited homes.
14Internet connections failed; parents were unable to supervise their children's studying; students did not know how to use technology and more.
15Across the Hartford school system, almost 80 percent of students are at least partly active in distance learning.
16But less than half of the population considered most at risk are doing so.
17The at-risk group includes students with poor attendance records, behavior problems, low marks or a mix of such issues.
18School systems across the United States have similar concerns.
19Some report that they have students who have not been heard from at all since the start of school closures in March.
20Bret Apthorpe leads Jamestown Public Schools in New York state.
21He said about 75 percent of the system's students took part in distance learning every day and most of the rest took part some of the time.
22But, around one percent, he said, have "fallen off the map."
23In other words, they have not taken part at all.
24At Clark County schools in Nevada, about 12,000 students missed online classes in mid-April.
25Officials took action to get these children back to their studies.
26Even so, about 4,500 students remained uninvolved at the end of the year.
27The head of the Clark County school system, Jesus Jara, said some students did not have computers and others had gotten jobs.
28Batchelor said the education effects of the widespread school closures will not be clear until educators see students' work in the fall.
29Nationally, research has suggested the shutdowns could cost students about a full year of learning.
30For now, Batchelor said, parents and educators are doing their best, adding, "they might be having a difficult time doing it, but parents want their students to succeed, and they want to work with us."
31I'm John Russell.
1As the school year ends in the United States, educators have been trying to get large numbers of students moving forward in their studies again. 2The concern is that students who were behind on their schoolwork before the COVID-19 crisis will drop back even further when classes re-start in the fall. 3One of those educators is Tayarisha Batchelor, principal of Rowson Elementary School in Hartford, Connecticut. She recently visited students at their homes. 4Jamie-Lee is a third grader at Rowson. Batchelor held her arms out as if she were giving him a big hug when she visited his home. She told him how much she had missed him since the pandemic closed the school. 5The boy's eyes stayed on his smartphone as they spoke. Batchelor asked him what he was doing. Playing video games was his answer. 6"I like playing games," Batchelor told the boy as his parents looked on. She then suggested he spend more time on his daily schoolwork. "I want to make sure you are still learning," she said. 7Almost one-third of Batchelor's students have not taken part in the school's online learning program. 8Batchelor said she discovered many reasons for that as she visited homes. Internet connections failed; parents were unable to supervise their children's studying; students did not know how to use technology and more. 9Across the Hartford school system, almost 80 percent of students are at least partly active in distance learning. But less than half of the population considered most at risk are doing so. The at-risk group includes students with poor attendance records, behavior problems, low marks or a mix of such issues. 10School systems across the United States have similar concerns. Some report that they have students who have not been heard from at all since the start of school closures in March. 11Bret Apthorpe leads Jamestown Public Schools in New York state. He said about 75 percent of the system's students took part in distance learning every day and most of the rest took part some of the time. But, around one percent, he said, have "fallen off the map." In other words, they have not taken part at all. 12At Clark County schools in Nevada, about 12,000 students missed online classes in mid-April. Officials took action to get these children back to their studies. Even so, about 4,500 students remained uninvolved at the end of the year. The head of the Clark County school system, Jesus Jara, said some students did not have computers and others had gotten jobs. 13Batchelor said the education effects of the widespread school closures will not be clear until educators see students' work in the fall. Nationally, research has suggested the shutdowns could cost students about a full year of learning. 14For now, Batchelor said, parents and educators are doing their best, adding, "they might be having a difficult time doing it, but parents want their students to succeed, and they want to work with us." 15I'm John Russell. 16John Russell adapted this story for Learning English from Associated Press reports. Caty Weaver was the editor. 17________________________________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19principal -- n. the person in charge of a public school 20hug -- n. the act of putting your arms around someone or something as a way of showing love or friendship 21mark -- n. a number or letter that indicates how a student has performed in a class or on a test