Editorial: ‘I believe the children are our future …’ – Whitney Houston

Since schools reopened following the pandemic, more than a quarter of students missed at least 10% of the 2021-22 school year, making them chronically absent. That is an estimated 6.5 million more students than before the pandemic, according to a Stanford University study, conducted in partnership with The Associated Press.

But, that is not the only price our students have paid, as a result of the pandemic. The time away created massive academic setbacks, and transformed our classrooms from that of pen and paper to computerized, at-home assignments — to this day. Our children no longer can enjoy the pleasures of a snow day, because their work can be accessed from bed.

Our children no longer can enjoy the pleasures of a snow day, because their work can be accessed from bed.

And, to boot, a mere 13% of K-12 students give their school an A on making them excited about learning, according to a recent Gallup and Walton Family Foundation-State of American Youth survey.

So, with the U.S. ranked only 38th in math scores and 24th in science, according to a 2015 study, what can we do to keep our children engaged, and focused on their school work?

TBR News Media offers a these suggestions, from our online research:

1. Maintain open communication with your child’s teachers and school administration. Your continued positive involvement shows your child that you value their education.

2. Involve your kids with nature. The more relaxed your children are, the greater the likelihood they will develop sharp critical-thinking skills, and maintain focus.

3. Offer incentives. It is no secret that any reward — no matter how small — is psychologically proven to bolster work performance.

4. Support teachers. With the added stresses of adapting to challenging learning environments, it is important to offer cooperation and compassion.

5. Provide hands-on learning opportunities, when possible. Tactile learning is shown to be much more engaging, stimulating and far more likely to be retained and implemented in daily life. In other words, it can feel more useful to a child, than worksheets, which can be repetitive and uninteresting.

Remember, Whitney Houston was onto something!