Editor’s note: This is the second article in a two-part series examining some of the challenges teachers, parents and students are facing amid the coronavirus pandemic and the statewide closure of schools.
Today’s story is about students and parents.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues, students and parents are adapting to distance-learning now that Hawaii’s public schools are closed for the foreseeable future and education is transitioning outside the classroom.
In place of traditional in-person instruction, teachers are using an “instructional enrichment approach” to engage students in a modified way of learning until schools reopen, state Department of Education spokeswoman Lindsay Chambers said.
That enrichment work includes independent projects, study packets, distance-learning and e-conferencing, with an increased use of technology as much as is possible.
Taylor “U‘i” Barongan, 16, a 12th-grade early graduate of Connections Public Charter School in Hilo, said the transition to online learning hasn’t been too difficult, but she has noticed some teachers have had trouble adjusting to the online platforms.
“The only difficulty I’ve noticed among students — myself included, on occasion — is the motivation to attend class,” she said. “Completing assignments and attending lectures can be easy when you are already at the destination where your work is turned in upon completion. Being at home means that there are no friends or teachers to scold you about doing your work.”
The outbreak, though, has put a damper on her senior year.
“Many of the events that everyone has been looking forward to, such as prom, our school fair, and graduation, seem to be having a very grim future,” Barongan said. “The graduating seniors this year worked so hard — especially those who are graduating a year early — and it’s tough knowing that you may not get to celebrate in the way you feel you deserve to.
“Many folks as of late have been mentioning how the class of 2020 has been ‘robbed.’ Though it may be true in some contexts, perhaps it will give us an opportunity to become more creative with our prom and graduation plans.”
Parents have had differing experiences during this transition. The Tribune-Herald has offered these parents anonymity to speak freely.
“There is a lot of assumption from the schools that parents and children are readily available,” said one parent in Pahoa, whose two children attend Keonepoko Elementary School. “Not everyone is in lockdown (or) off work. Basically, I am having to do homework, teach them and work full-time. It’s tough. Not that it’s a lot of homework, but it still is a lot for a single parent.”
The parent said she is “highly disappointed” in Hawaii’s education system.
“Now that I am doing homework with the kids, I’m realizing how much they really don’t know or understand and should know.”
For another parent, whose two children attend Kaumana Elementary in Hilo, the experience has been positive.
Both of her children’s teachers have done well getting information online and corresponding with and engaging the students.
“I think they’re doing really good. It’s just a lot of adjustments for us as parents to have to do. But I’d rather have my kid be safe and not in school for the time being right now,” the parent said. “I’m able to take up the responsibility of trying (to teach). … I’m not going to be as great as a teacher, of course, but I’m able to try to help.”
Another parent of a high school charter school student said online learning has been fine, but she is concerned that graduation will be postponed.
“I think the school has done a good job keeping us informed and transitioning online,” she said. “But they need to find a good solution for the seniors that are graduating, as they worked hard for it and deserve a graduation.”
A fourth parent interviewed by the Tribune-Herald has students in two elementary schools — one at E.B. de Silva Elementary School and one at Haili Christian School — and another at Hilo Intermediate School.
She said she was “very impressed” with Hilo Intermediate’s online schooling efforts. A majority of teachers she has dealt with have been actively engaging the students.
Initially, she was less impressed by her child’s teacher at E.B. de Silva, but said the situation has improved.
A majority of that work provided by that teacher has been online, “so with that, it’s the attention span,” the parent conceded.
“And then our private school student (at Haili) is, I guess, getting the best that the small private school can afford to give,” she said.
There’s no online instruction, but rather lessons that have to be picked up from the school and turned in.
For her two younger children, “I’ve become the teacher as well as the parent,” she said. “… Like if they have questions, who do they come to? They got to come to me, right?”
This parent also continues to work full-time, starting the kids on their tasks before leaving in the morning and having to trust they’ll actually do the work.
“I lose out as a parent because I have to start them off in the morning. I have to come to work and work a whole day, and when I go home, I can’t do anything for myself or for my kids,” she said. “We can’t do any fun stuff, because I’m double-checking the work that they’re supposedly doing during the day.
“… Or I have to explain to them something in what was supposed to be our family time. … And that takes away from time that we could be spending outside playing or doing stuff as a family. Dinner gets pushed to way later because I have to take care of all of this stuff. That’s how it’s been for the past couple of weeks.”
Enrichment work done during the fourth quarter will not be graded, according to the DOE.
The parent said enrichment work is fine for now, but actual school work should be made up at a later date.
“All this time outside of school, they should go into summer once they resume, because they need that instructional time,” she said. “… My seventh-grader I’m worried about, because he can do all the work on his own, that’s all fine and dandy, but what I’m worried about with him is how does this affect him going forward?”
DOE spokeswoman Chambers said there currently are no plans to extend the school year, but the DOE “is utilizing distance-learning approaches to ensure that enrichment and development of our students continues while our facilities are closed to students.”
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.