Looking Ahead: The 2021-22 School Year

With April coming to a close, and the 2020-21 school year coming to an end, students, educators, and parents can gladly finish one of the most challenging and critical schools years in education history. However, before everyone checks out for the much awaited Summer Break, there are certain procedures that schools must execute to ensure a smooth reopening for the 2021-22 school year.

Before the current school year comes to an end, schools must reach out and engage with families to determine what they intent to do for next year.  Do they want full time on site learning? Are there those who would rather continue with distance learning? Do they prefer some type of hybrid learning? Schools must collect and analyze this data in order to plan and prepare for next school year over the Summer.

During Summer, teachers and administrators should make use of as much professional development as needed for instructional design and student scheduling in addition to addressing the needs of students and their families regarding achievement gap, emotional support, social development, confidence building, etc.  Utilize all collected information, and experience learned this past year, to come up with a plan that accommodates students' needs.

Once it is time to return back to school, starting off right will be imperative.  Students must be welcomed, feel safe, and be ready to learn, with updated safety protocols in place as recommended by health agencies and required by educational governing bodies.  Preparedness and flexibility must be a teaching priority in the event that outbreaks occur and temporary lockdowns are needed.

With careful planning and constant communication the 2021-22 school year can be a year in which learning pivots back towards the development and preparedness of students as future leaders in the community, productive employees of the workforce, and caring members in their families.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

March 2021

March has marched into the calendar bringing Spring along with a renewed sense of hope as more and more people choose to get vaccinated for COVID-19 that will significantly reduce the number of patients who will end up in the ER or an ICU allowing counties to fall into the lower tiers of red, orange, and eventually yellow.

These are much needed good news as a year ago counties began to enforce stay at home orders, schools and businesses were forced to shutdown, and eventually California made the decision to impose statewide measures.

Now, we are slowly trying to get back to the daily activities we have missed so much over the past year, from siting down at our favorite diner, to seeing old classmates and coworkers whose faces became squares in a grid of online meeting apps.

The challenge is far from over and we must remain cautious and informed as the situation may change given the nature of viruses and their ability to adapt, mutate, and survive, but we are up to the challenge and we will continue to gain knowledge and research new methods that will help us in the end defeat this foe.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved

2021 School Reopening Teaching Guide

As February of 2021 comes to an end, it is beginning to look more and more likely that students will be returning to school just in time to close the 2020-21 School Year.

So what should teachers do?

-Compress a year's worth of knowledge into a few weeks?

-Highlight the main themes that should have been covered throughout the course?

-Daily pop quizzes to assess student learning?

-Open the classroom so students can hang out and talk?

No doubt that each case will have to be handled uniquely as it best fits the needs of the students in each particular classroom, according to grade level and subject being taught, but overall it will require a combined approach that will give students a sense of normality while preparing them for the uncertainties of their educational future.

MRCR Education has created a Teaching Guide to help teachers navigate the upcoming school reopening.  We hope you find it useful and helps you guide your students as they transition back into the classroom setting.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Education and COVID in 2021

 As California approaches the 1 year mark of Covid-19 and the following statewide shutdown of the school system it is worth taking a look at what can be done this year in service of all students.

-California's dedicated teachers, administrators, and support staff have exceeded expectations in adapting to distance learning.

-Students and their families have done their best to accommodate to this new method of academic instruction.

-The scientific and medical communities have been at the forefront of research and development creating tests that identify the presence of the virus as well as vaccinations that helps strengthen immunity.

This disease caught the world off guard and spread faster than anyone could have been able to adapt to it.

Over the past year people have done their best to adapt to unforeseeable situations, the instability of society's foundation, and the constant change of orders issued by elected leaders.

Patience has been pushed to the limit.

Discipline has been brushed aside.

Order has been careful balanced chaos.

These is no doubt that there are many challenges ahead, but it is time to begin the transition back to normalcy, and what better way to do so than by opening schools to students and restarting the education process that once was.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

January 2021

 

A NEW YEAR

A new year has begun and with it a sense of renewal, renovation, a feeling of closure on what was one of the most challenging and difficult years affecting everyone across the world.

No doubt the effects of 2020 will dissipate into 2021.  I hope it is possible for the world, as a whole, to be better prepared to meet the adversities of the year that was.

CHANGE OR CONTINUATION?

It is imperative that changes be made and implemented as the new year begins rather that continue on with policies that were implemented as emergency measures and temporary fixes.

Education must take the lead as it is such a fundamental part of how communities function and operate.

Education is the original social network.

With an array of established networks education helps societies navigate through uncertain times and ensure that students and their families: have access to communication, receive instruction, develop knowledge, refine skills, and build confidence.

TRANSITION INTO ANEW

How should schools go about with the implementation of such new changes?  Should schools impose drastic changes immediately?  Should schools gradually implement new measures? Perhaps a combination of both?

What ever approach the school decides to implement, the first step should always be planning.

Create a school reopening transition plan that incorporates the latest safety measures and adapts to many possible changes.  Communicate clearly the intent of the plan and how it will be implemented, assign roles and responsibilities, provide support for all staff members, and maintain the student's education the guiding beacon.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.