How Technology is Changing Education (in the 2020-2021 School Year)

 For the first time that I can remember, I have time that is undivided with one student almost every day. Since he is the only 4th-grader in our small class, the time he spends in small groups is by himself. He is one out of 6. I review math concepts with him: 3-digit addition and subtraction, multiplication and division world problems, area model. When we have done a certain number of problems together, he wants to talk to me about video games, Pokémon, and what his Granny is sending him in the mail next week. 

If we were in person, I would probably have to redirect him quickly, to say, "Okay, let's get back to work." But since we have been remote since August, and he has done his work, I allow him to talk about the things he loves. I engage in conversation with him and contribute what I can. I hope he feels like I'm listening to him, like I care. Because I am; I do. 

Because of the pandemic, technology has changed education irrevocably. Next year, school will most likely be in person again - but I don't know if it will be this easy to build rapport in person. This amount of individual attention is only happening because we aren't in the usual classroom environment. This change has been wholly unexpected.     

There is another student in our class, and being remote every day has the opposite effect on him. He gets frustrated easily; he doesn't want to join breakout rooms. He will not always respond to our questions, and leaves the room with impunity. Sometimes, his internet connection is extremely slow and this frustrates him even more. 

The teacher I work with and myself have said many times, "[Student's name] would do so much better in person." When we started bringing back small groups of students one day a week, for half a day, this proved to be true. He was almost like a different child. He didn't seem as distracted, and got more work done than he had in weeks. 

This is the flip side of how technology is affecting our kids during these "unprecedented times." Some respond better to the change, and others cannot learn as effectively without in-person instruction. Technology has done so much to improve the way we learn - everything, all the information we could want, is right at our fingertips, in our pockets and purses. But how much is too much? This question is especially apt when it concerns education.