An elementary school teacher in Virginia, disgruntled by her
district's refusal to let her opt for remote teaching over in-person classes
this fall, is considering quitting to lead two learning pods of seven children
each, for which parents will pay $300 per week for each child. As the Washington Post reports, the vacillation of school districts about
back-to-school plans has many parents relieved to place their kids in pods,
small groups of children who learn together under a hired teacher, reducing the
risk of multiple contacts that classroom learning entails.
School administrators fear the consequences of too many
teachers leaving the public school system to teach pods: a shortage of teachers
and a downgraded education for students whose parents can't afford the cost of
podding. For teachers, pods mean secure, regularly scheduled work with small
groups of children instead of classes of 25 or more, no requirement for
standardized testing, and a reduced danger of COVID infection. For parents who
can afford the cost, pods mean an end to the stresses of remote learning, worry
about in-class contagion, and constantly shifting plans during the fall.
Some teachers feel pods have already gained so much
traction, they signal a significant change for the U.S. system of education.
Learn more about podding here
Another form of podding, which may be cost-effective enough
to benefit lower-income families, involves bringing groups of children together
for remote learning on Chromebooks or other low-cost laptops, with supervision
by educators or volunteers. This model is about to start operation in Kingston,
NY, where the Center for Creative Education has organized a remote learning program
for families without internet access. The non-profit has enough space for 60
students out of the 270 who applied. Similar programs are being organized in
Broward County, Florida, with the support of a group of business executives,
public health professionals, and educators.
In some cases, teachers are volunteering to work after
school with pods of students from low-income families, at a park for now, or in
a semi-public space like a church basement once the weather gets colder.
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