News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Elementary students could fall behind if they do not learn every day during this COVID-19 shutdown.
Tennessee Tech College of Education Assistant Dean Julie Baker said students who participate in daily educational practices will be able to maintain their grade level.
“It’s easier to forget things like math is one of (those subjects) that if you’re not using it and you’re not applying it on a daily basis then you’re not going to be as sharp if you’re away from it for a week or two,” Baker said. “Thinking about the time we have now that is several months and plus we’re going to be going into the summer-that’s a long time.”
An advantage elementary students have over high school students is they can learn and retain information quicker. However, Baker said elementary students can also lose that information just as quickly.
“Our high school students are staying engaged in different ways,” Baker said. “They are still communicating with a lot of people, they’re doing things like reading the news and social media and they can keep up with different events and work on reading skills and things like that in more advanced ways.”
Local school districts are using a combination of online work and educational packets to help students during the shutdown. In some cases, they have provided wi-fi hotspots, tablets, and laptops for children to use.
Baker said the state’s work to provide Tennessee teachers working with students via WCTE can also help students stay on track.
Teachers have stepped up to try to help younger students, many of whom are also dealing with missing the teacher and their friends.
“Everybody is in the same boat, we’re all in this together,” Baker said. “We have some really awesome teachers, especially across the Upper Cumberland, and those teachers are working really hard right now to communicate lessons and activities so students can keep working on those skills.”
Baker said teachers across the Upper Cumberland have already been thinking about academic summer plans.
