Sandra Chafouleas, a professor in the Neag School of Education at UConn, said that families should come up with a plan and schedule, including time away from all devices.

“Distance learning with elementary students is an entirely different experience from working with them in-person,” says Kimy Velasquez, a Neag School education student. “Everything I imagined my internship to me is different from what I expected. Despite this, there are still opportunities to learn and grow as an upcoming teacher in this new environment.”

Since the beginning of COVID-19, millions of students nationwide have been forced into online learning. Many of those experiences have been negative because of schools’ lack of preparation, because of some faculty not considering student needs, and because of financial stresses. Online learning is especially affecting students majoring in sciences, education, and the fine arts; international students and students living in different time zones; students from low-income families and students with disabilities.

Teachers and professors can play a huge role in supporting students at this time said Sandra Chafouleas, distinguished professor in the Neag School of Education at UConn. Just checking in can be very impactful.

“We all know remote learning will never replace the classroom experience. We also know that the health and safety of our students, staff, and their families must be the primary consideration when making decisions about school operations. The two are not mutually exclusive. In an effort to promote the best continuity of education in Connecticut, whether in person or remotely, we must use the resources available, plan accordingly, and act responsibly,” writes Miguel Cardona.

When Valentin closed on a new home in mid-March, he never thought schools would be shut down before the end of the week. Valentin, one of five fourth grade teachers at his school, began teaching in-person classes again this fall. He said he is “pleasantly surprised” that in-person learning has remained possible through October.

Violet Jiménez Sims, associate director of teacher education for School-University Partnership at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education, agrees that this year is certainly different. Over the summer, UConn met with partner districts to map out clinical placements. The first thing they learned: not everyone’s definition of hybrid is the same.
“Some were pivoting from in-person to virtual learning and grappling with how many individuals would be allowed in classrooms,” Sims said.

Kathleen Lynch, a professor at UConn’d Nead School of Education, noted that research on the summer slide — and how it affects different groups of students — remains mixed. “I do think some caution is warranted in making projections about COVID learning losses extrapolating from summer learning loss studies,” she said.

Connolly, a fifth-grade teacher at the Mather School in Boston and a former UConn women’s hockey player, has created a YouTube channel called “Ms. Connolly’s Math at Home,” which contains around 70 videos covering elementary school math topics from first to fifth grade.

Juanyi Li’s parents planned to fly from their hometown of Kunming, China, to Connecticut to watch her graduate. They had never been to campus and Li was eager to show them what life is like on an American college campus. “They made plans, but they had to cancel them,” Li said. “I started to plan my graduation a year ago. But it’s all canceled now.”