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Editor's note: This story first appeared in our 2020 Private School Handbook.
“The future arrived in the form of COVID-19,” says Peter Dry, associate head of school for innovation and strategy at Principia School. When the novel coronavirus hit the region, in mid-March, Dry and other educators across St. Louis quickly pivoted to remote learning. Along the way, they learned important lessons about the nuances of video classes, screen time, workload balance, and the emotional toll of being apart, all of which are lessons they’ll take with them into an uncertain upcoming school year.
1. Crisis provides clarity.
“When you’re in a crisis, the first thing you do is see clearly what your first priority is,” says Elizabeth Zurlinden, head of school at Rossman School. “For us, that was people—our families, students, and employees.” Connecting students and teachers was a top priority, so the school offered virtual recess, lunch, office hours, and pop-up classes on special topics. Teachers and administrators called to check in on students who had difficulties with remote learning. “We also have a learning consultant who can help with social, emotional, and academic needs,” says Zurlinden.
At Principia, educators were also mindful of the need to provide support. “We understood that everyone was dealing with a loss: a loss of freedom, a job, of health, or a loved one,” says Dry. “All of our teachers ensured that they had office hours to touch base with students. There were also regular weekly check-ins, called crew times, which is kind of like a mentor group or advisory group, where teachers could meet students face to face to maintain that sense of care and contact.”
At the same time, educators dealt with their own obstacles, with some teachers raising children of their own at home while hosting lessons. “They each had to find their own balance,” says Zurlinden, “and we tried our very best to support them.”
2. Organization is key.
“When teachers intentionally guide students through daily expectations through the digital platform, it allows the student to work in an organized space without the worry of misplacing information,” says Heather Hemler, a third-grade teacher at St. Paul’s Lutheran School, who used Google Classroom and Zoom. “Making a checklist of tasks or assignments for each day can be helpful for both the students and parents.”
“It is very important that students understand the e-learning platform and can navigate it without constant parental supervision,” adds Denise Rice, a middle-school teacher at St. Paul’s.
3. Consistency is critical.
“Being consistent with policies when going from classroom to e-learning is very important,” says Rice. “My seventh- and eighth-graders repeatedly told me that they knew what to expect, especially from me, and it made e-learning so much easier. They knew we expected homework on time, quality work, and that if they were struggling, every teacher cared and they could come to us.”
4. Screen time can be a good thing—to an extent.
Educators continue asking themselves: How much synchronous class time is necessary? “Our younger grade levels had synchronous teaching times,” says Dry. “As we moved into our upper school, it was far more asynchronous.”
At the same time, educators were mindful of screen time, particularly for younger students. “We had to be very intentional about choosing how we would use the screens for learning and connection,” says Zurlinden. “We needed to be creative about giving them projects that they could do offscreen or outside to take a break from the screen.”
At Principia, educators continued to assess screen time on a weekly basis. “As time went on,” says Dry, “we cut back dramatically on the amount of screen time for the students.”
5. Plan for the future, but remain nimble.
At St. Paul’s, Hemler says, “We will be hosting training sessions on Google Classroom and other online tools used for distance learning for parents in the fall. Students will receive direct instruction on these tools during school hours to prepare them for future remote learning.”
As of June, Principia staff were assessing the options daily on the basis of county guidelines. “It is very fluid,” says Dry. “At the start of the pandemic, we were in a state of urgency and began to transition to a stage of adaptation. Now we are seeing signs of moving into a state of momentum where we are planning for the future, whatever that may be.”
Likewise, educators at Rossman School were gathering feedback and convening task forces to plan for a safe return to school. “We are working to create an environment to welcome children to a joyous place to celebrate their childhood and not a place that is based on fear,” says Zurlinden. “There’s nobody who wants students back in schools more than their teachers.”
