With the coronavirus still escalating and its economic impacts hitting hard, most of us are understandably focused on immediate issues. In no way do I want to minimize the multitude of challenges many are facing. However, I do believe that with every crisis comes opportunity, and it's not too early to start thinking about what that might look like. Moreover, we need to start doing this now to set the stage to take advantage of those opportunities once life stabilizes. Crises can lead to critically important advancements. Wars always lead to advances in medicine. The New Deal, with its reforms impacting almost every sector of society, came in response to the Depression. At the same time, however, when a crisis ends, we can fall prey to a powerful human instinct to return to "normal," the way things were before. Think of all the women who had to give up their jobs after WWII. Plenty of evidence shows that epidemics set back women's progress. If we want to capitalize on the opportunities that this pandemic offers, we need to begin now.
On the plus side, some positives have already emerged from the pandemic and we should try to build on these when we return to "normal." The first of these involves teachers. As schooling has moved out of schools and into homes, parents inevitably have ended up having to help their children, especially younger ones and especially those living in school districts that have not been able to mount robust programs. Parents, in the process, have learned how much teachers do and how hard this work is. I'm sure you've seen the memes of frazzled mothers and fathers. Historically, American teachers have not received much respect, and their pay reflects that. Increased respect for teachers and even higher pay would be wonderful outcomes of this terrible situation.
Rarely—if ever—has an entire profession had to dramatically change how they conduct their work in a matter of days as our teachers have. They deserve enormous credit for their flexibility, creativity and dedication to their students. Most have experienced a steep learning curve—intensive professional development on a scale heretofore unimaginable. We should not underestimate how hard teaching virtually is. At the same time, however, we are finding new ways to teach, discovering resources and tools we were previously unfamiliar with, and bearing down on essentials. At Holton, in recognition of the stresses created by the pandemic, we are also accelerating integration of social and emotional learning into our work, through Advisory and also in the context of classes. We will want to take stock of all we've gained and ensure that we incorporate it into our in-person practice.
Finally, while we must not forget the enormous challenges the "stay-at-home" orders present for many people, we can also recognize that our isolated lifestyles have offered benefits to many others. Frenzy and overscheduling characterizes so much of American life, conditions that have evaporated in the pandemic, leaving families with time to connect with one another. We have certainly heard from our own students that they are enjoying spending time with their parents and siblings, engaging in a whole range of activities—biking, hiking, baking, cooking, knitting and playing games. This calmer, connected lifestyle is unquestionably healthier for our students and adults alike. In addition, we all benefit from spending time outdoors, something many people have been doing more of in the past several weeks. I continue to think about the Upper School teacher's sharing that several of her students said they discovered nature for the first time over Spring Break. Hopefully that discovery spurs an appreciation that persists well past the pandemic. People who have hobbies also tend to be happier and more fulfilled, and the new interests we may be developing during this period will also serve us well. Finally, many girls have rediscovered reading for pleasure, something I also hope they will be able to continue doing in the future.
We all want to return to a world that includes social interaction outside a Zoom call. However, we will need to be deliberate about what habits and activities we reestablish if we want to maintain some of the benefits we are currently experiencing. I know some parents worry about whether students are learning enough. I would wager that they are learning more than most of their peers around the country. We're going to have to figure out how to test this supposition, but I also believe that what they are learning, they may be learning better. They—and we in competitive schools across the country (and around the world)—drive themselves hard. They take demanding courses with attendant heavy homework loads; they engage in multiple activities both in and out of school. We know that all this creates stress, which interferes with learning; moreover, the amount of content that many of them expect to learn may well be unrealistic. We know from brain research that we actually only function effectively for relatively short periods of time—90 minutes, at the longest. That means that they probably aren't securing long-term knowledge.
If we question that assertion, we might want to consider a study that Ted Dintersmith references in his book, In Search of Deeper Meaning. For two years across a variety of subjects, Lawrenceville School tested their students in the fall after summer vacation to determine what "essential concepts" they had retained from the previous year. The result: "not one student retained all of the essential concepts that the school expected every student to have mastered." Lawrenceville is a selective school with highly qualified, caring faculty; in other words, not unlike Holton.
I have written quite often in this column, most recently this winter, about the stress and anxiety prevalent among teenagers, especially girls. You may even remember that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine have categorized students in high achieving schools as "at risk." The coronavirus has forced us to turn down the dial, giving less homework and deconstructing their packed schedules. We certainly don't want to maintain this type of schooling forever, but we should take this opportunity to hit a reset button—to focus on depth over breadth, to foster deep learning, and to keep our students' overall well-being a top priority.
COVID-19 is a tragedy of incalculable magnitude, especially for those who have lost loved ones. There are silver linings, though. Let's not squander the chance the tragedy is giving us to make things better.