Online schooling has long been an option for children - and it is the best choice for some children. When schools began to go online-only in the spring, a few children even found that things were less stressful for them - there are children that thrive in a school-from-home environment.
Unfortunately, this is not true for the vast majority of school-aged children. But currently, parents and children aren't able to choose the school environment that works best for them. Students who need in-person peer interaction and support for their emotional health and well-being are being forced (through covid circumstances) to either school entirely from home, or attend in-person school for a limited amount of time or with altered arrangements that leave them unable to truly interact with their peers. Time spent with others through Zoom, Google Classroom, FaceTime, or other social media/virtual environments cannot substitute for in-person time with friends.
These consequences are worrying, and as we face a situation unlike any other in our life, we can't know the long-term effects that this will have on our children. What we do know about some of the consequences of our current situation is worrying. Our children are feeling lonely - online schooling is robbing them of the ability to build relationships and connect with their peers. Children are left not knowing how their friendships are going to survive with only virtual communication. This uncertainty leads to anxiety - our children don't know what to expect and aren't able to predict how situations will change. Without this familiarity, children and teens feel unsafe, and that feeling is only increased without the in-person support of their peers.
All of these changes are leading to increasing levels of stress for students - not only are these circumstances problematic emotionally and developmentally, that stress is affecting learning capabilities in an already unusual environment. It is impossible to replicate in-person interactions with digital substitutes - and regardless of technological improvements, they are just substitutes. Virtual interaction is not a long term solution. School is not just a place that children learn, it is a much-needed space where they can build relationships, connect with others, and build long-term emotional skills. A computer screen is not the same.
Here at Swift Nature Camp we have created a micro school that will allow students to do their online school studies at camp and afterward we treat the time as camp time. Which includes Fun, Socialization along with loads of activities. Let's all make lemonade out of lemons. SCHOOL CAMP
