Schools in Europe closing again

[Anonymous]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/coronavirus-schools-uk-variant-europe/2021/01/29/c4e73d78-5f2e-11eb-a177-7765f29a9524_story.html

As President Biden pushes to reopen U.S. schools, much of Europe is moving in the opposite direction.

From Britain to Portugal to Denmark to Austria, countries that previously prioritized keeping classrooms open at nearly any cost are saying the risks are too high. Some say it may be months before students can again see their teachers in person.

The changed calculus reflects the arrival of the more contagious coronavirus variant, first identified in Britain, that has created astonishing spikes in cases and put pressure on medical systems across the continent.

[Anonymous]

Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

[Anonymous]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts the same variant will overtake other strains in the United States in March. But there was no mention of it in the CDC papers published this past week supporting the reopening of K-12 schools in the United States.

CDC researchers looked to Europe’s experience in the fall to inform their conclusion that “there has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission.”

[Anonymous]

You know what else is closed?

Bars, restaurants, gyms...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

I'm pushing back on claims of learning loss.

What data do you have to show that virtual schooling results in learning loss? Has it ever been tried before in the US to this extent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

I'm pushing back on claims of learning loss.

What data do you have to show that virtual schooling results in learning loss? Has it ever been tried before in the US to this extent?

And followup question: what data do you have to show that learning loss with hybrid/concurrent teaching is less than with all virtual?

Have there been any studies done or are people just making assumptions?

[Anonymous]

And my home country of France is still being an idiot and is keeping schools closed, despite extensive viral spread.

Sigh. Some people never learn.

[Anonymous]

Meant open!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meant open!

Good test case, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Oddly the ones that are closing are pointing to the US as an example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oddly the ones that are closing are pointing to the US as an example.

Sadly, I think they are right. It’s going to be a brutal winter and spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oddly the ones that are closing are pointing to the US as an example.

Not the UK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

I'm pushing back on claims of learning loss.

What data do you have to show that virtual schooling results in learning loss? Has it ever been tried before in the US to this extent?

And followup question: what data do you have to show that learning loss with hybrid/concurrent teaching is less than with all virtual?

Have there been any studies done or are people just making assumptions?

This might be seen as anecdotal but here goes: I teach HS. We are over a month behind our normal curriculum because we have less class time. Therefore my students are not going to learn as much but will still have that credit on their transcript. Also until we can assess students not at home, there is no way to tell if they are learning the same content. There is rampant cheating and open notes on every assessment. But we will not finish the curriculum in my upper level HS classes this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

This. If we’d gone back in August, this would be a different discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

I'm pushing back on claims of learning loss.

What data do you have to show that virtual schooling results in learning loss? Has it ever been tried before in the US to this extent?

All the test scores, locally and nationwide, show learning loss. I suppose you could disregard them, if you don't like it.