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This year we are holding a series of three webinars under the title of “Innovative School Management During Covid-19 Pandemic” for education leaders. These online professional education and training webinars are held between 29 June and 1 July 2020, under the motto “We recover, regain and restart so that no student or teacher is left behind”. At this stage, we would like to remind you once more that all Global-CPD services are built around you – your goals, your needs, your time frame and your environment.
Regardless of an institutions capacity to provide appropriate, continued access to learning during crises and school closures, such as Covid-19 pandemic, all educational institutions should prepare for schools to reopen when the time comes. We’d like to provide advice and information for you, education planners, who are anticipating the reopening of schools following closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This transition poses many challenges for education authorities, and requires careful planning on how to tackle the closure of schools, compensate for the loss and restart education in a new form.
Content:
- Innovative School Management During Covid-19 Pandemic
- Institutional Organisation Plan
- A roadmap of essential actions to help school leaders plan and implement a safe, efficient, and equitable return to school
- Possible changes and protective measures that schools might take to reduce risks
- What will a return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic look like?
Innovative School Management During Covid-19 Pandemic
This online event aimed to examine how the pandemic will affect the future of education and how we can get ready to tackle the issues around the corner. Most governments around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology and digitalisation came to the rescue of policymakers and teachers alike who had to develop plans for the continuation of education through alternate methods during the period of social isolation, with virtually all teaching taking place online. We aim to discuss what steps can be taken to minimise the negative impact of the pandemic on education and the role of technology in educating future generations. We will also try to answer whether Coronavirus-related disruption can give governments and educators a chance to rethink the transition in education.
1. Recover – returning to the normal state of operation, health, mind and strength
- Review and assess the learning needs of students
- Developing and optimizing Online resources
- Training teachers, students and helping staff
- Optimising the digital education action plan
- Adopting a human centered approach
- Focus on education, research and innovation
2. Regain – obtaining the qualities and abilities again after the Covid-gap
- Tackling the Covid-gap in the best possible way
- Defining clear roles and commissioning team roles
- Achieving clear and effective communication
- Pathways for consultation and collaboration
- Coordination of administrative staff and teachers
- Redesign curricula to fit the new online learning
3. Restart – a new beginning with the new settings, protocols and operational changes
- Planning for the reopening of schools
- Financial analysis and funding arrangements
- Managing school facilities and infrastructure
- Strategic human resource management
- Revising school management and operations
- Being ready for different scenarios
Covid-19 had an unprecedented impact on education and continuation of learning. We have seen schools all over the world closing and an interruption of the learning experience. Schools had to give very rapid response to this new situation. As a result, educational institutions have tried to assure the education through technology that was at their disposal.
This technology of course did not come without challenges as the new learning experience requires access to digital devices, to a stronger internet connection and to parent support at home. Teachers on the other hand, also have to be literate in the digital technology.
Institutional Organisation Plan
- Education
- Curriculum and Testing
- Curriculum
- Schedules
- Testing and Assessment
- Materials Development
- Social Activities
- Physical
- Online
- Consultancy
- Training
- Seminars
- Questionnaires
- Curriculum and Testing
- Infrastructure and Facilities
- Entrance and Exits
- Classrooms
- Staff rooms
- Hallways
- Play grounds and gym
- Auditoriums
- School Support Staff
- Sanitation and Hygiene
- Security
- Transportation
- Meals
- Social and Psychological Well-being
- Educational staff
- Support staff
- Students
- Parents
- Human Resources and Recruitment
- Managers
- Teachers
- Support staff
- Social Media Management and Communication
- News
- Polls and Comments
- Promotions
- Communication Channels and Platforms
- Admissions and Applications
- New Applications
- Graduating Students
- Finance and Budget Management
- Staff
- Facilities / service, maintenance and repair
- Equipment
- Training
- Sanitation – Covid-19
- Library and Resource Centre
- Printed Resources
- Printed Subscriptions
- Online Resources
- Online Subscriptions
- Innovation Research and Development
- Education
- Staff training
- Improving Facilities
- Technology and Equipment
- Promotion
A roadmap of essential actions to help school leaders plan and implement a safe, efficient, and equitable return to school
Do First
- Build a Return to Instruction working group, potentially led by the Director of Curriculum, Chief Academic Officer or the equivalent, and composed of diverse and representative stakeholders on the district and school-level, such as school leaders and teachers.
- Set an ambitious goal to ensure that every student is on track for success academically and socially and emotionally by the end of the 2022 school year. This could include developing a process for schools to create and implement individualized plans for each student based on their needs.
- Develop a plan for assessing students’ learning progress and loss when students return that includes multiple forms of assessment (e.g., diagnostics, formative assessments, student work, conferences, advisories, parent feedback).
- Inventory all intervention programs and services that are available to students when they return to school, through the district, and on the school-level, and identify any gaps.
- Identify the most vulnerable students (students with disabilities, English-language learners, students who are homeless or live in temporary housing, migrant students, and students who live in poverty or whose families face other challenges, and students directly affected by SARS-CoV-2 due to a death or job loss in their family) to recognize and prioritize their needs.
- Connect with your State Education Agency (SEA) about changes to testing, grading, report cards, and promotion policies, and outline decision points.
- Ensure that schools and teachers are engaging in intentional curriculum planning and documentation, inclusive of curriculum maps, pacing plans and calendars, and lesson plans, to ensure continuity of instruction during a second wave in school year 2020 -2021, should it materialize.
- Secure resources and plan restorative supports and professional learning offerings for teachers around SARS-CoV-2 and trauma, equity and implicit bias, Social Emotional Learning , inclusion and appropriate use of digital and online learning tools and systems, and Culturally Responsive Education.
Do Before School Opens
- Solidify and communicate an overall plan for assessment for when students return to school that includes timelines for giving assessments, analyzing data, and making adjustments to curriculum and academic goals based on the data.
- Share a comprehensive account of academic interventions and social-emotional and mental health support services available through the district.
- Assess the capacity of structures outside of the regular school day, such as summer learning options, extended day, and after school programming, to potentially be leveraged to support students in need of learning recovery.
- Communicate decisions and guidance around grading, report cards, and promotion policies with school leaders, teachers, and parents.
- Align expectations around onboarding school communities, including students, teachers, school leaders, and parents, that prioritize the whole child, and emphasize a tone of safety, togetherness, and empathy.
Do When Schools are Open and Operating
- Review assessment data gathered by schools to identify overall trends and specific gaps in student learning to design targeted supports and match appropriate interventions (potentially maintain the Return to Instruction working group to do this work).
- Conduct checkpoints with school leaders around curriculum pacing and ongoing monitoring of student progress, specifically honing in on the progress of the most vulnerable students or student populations.
- Develop targeted intervention plans to stopgap learning loss for the most vulnerable students.
- Assess the efficacy of all academic and social-emotional interventions against the goal of ensuring that every student is on track by the end of the 2022 school year, and report out the results on a quarterly basis.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of any remote learning experiences by surveying school leaders, teachers, and parents to gather their feedback and input, to make improvements in case of any additional disruptions to school time.
Possible changes and protective measures that schools might take to reduce risks
- Classes split into smaller groups of up to 15 children
- Half class groups (no more than 15 pupils) won’t mix with other children throughout the day
- One-way system around the school, or corridors divided in half (two-way ‘traffic’)
- Break and lunch-times staggered, or children eating lunch in their classrooms
- Some lessons may be outside
- Stagger drop-off and collection times for parents at the start and end of day
- Increased cleaning around the school and classrooms less cluttered
- Classroom layout different – increased spaces between desks
- If a school cannot achieve small groups due to lack of available rooms or staff, children might need to attend a nearby school
- No more whole school assemblies
- Play equipment will not be shared
- No soft toys and furnishings and toys with intricate parts
- A group of children use the same classroom or area throughout the day; sitting at same desk all day
- Classroom doors propped open, where safe to do so (bearing in mind fire safety and safeguarding)
- More frequent washing of hands
- Limiting the number of children or young people who use the toilet facilities at one time
- There may be a new timetable – fewer subjects being taught
While observing and assessing these components of effective education management, our fundamental aim of maximizing student learning will always be at the forefront. Finally, we’d like you to know that we eagerly look forward to working with you to create a vibrant community of ‘teachers-as-learners’.
What will a return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic look like?
Life during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult for parents and children alike. The return to school is an important and hopefully welcome step, but you and your children likely have many questions. Here’s the latest information from UNICEF on what to expect and how you can support your young student.
When and how will schools be reopened?
We are slowly seeing an increasing number of children return to the classroom. More than 1 billion students are still out of school due to nationwide school closures, but more than 70 countries have announced plans to reopen schools and hundreds of millions of students have returned in recent weeks. [As of early June 2020]
Given the difficulty of the situation and variation across the globe, countries are in different stages regarding how and when they plan to reopen schools. These decisions will usually be made by national or state governments, often in discussion with local authorities. They will have to consider public health, the benefits and risks for education and other factors. The best interest of every child should be at the centre of these decisions, using the best available evidence, but exactly how this will look will vary from school to school.
Is it safe for my child to go back to school?
Schools should only be reopened when it is safe for students. Going back to school will likely look a little different from what you and your child were used to before. It’s possible that schools may reopen for a period of time and then a decision may be made to close them again temporarily, depending on the local context. Because of the evolving situation, authorities will need to be flexible and ready to adapt to ensure the safety of every child.
Even if leaders in your area have not yet decided to reopen schools, it’s crucial that they begin detailed planning now, to help ensure students, teachers and other staff are safe when they return and communities are confident in sending their students back to school.
What precautions should the school be taking to prevent COVID-19 virus from spreading?
School reopenings should be consistent with each country’s overall COVID-19 health response to protect students, staff, teachers and their families.
Some of the practical measures that schools can take include:
- Staggering the start and close of the school day
- Staggering mealtimes
- Moving classes to temporary spaces or outdoors
- Holding school in shifts, to reduce class size
Water and hygiene facilities will be a crucial part of schools reopening safely. Administrators should look at opportunities to improve hygiene measures, including handwashing, respiratory etiquette (i.e. coughing and sneezing into the elbow), physical distancing measures, cleaning procedures for facilities and safe food preparation practices. Administrative staff and teachers should also be trained on physical distancing and school hygiene practices.
What questions should I be asking my child’s teacher or school administrator?
During such a worrying and disruptive time, it’s natural to have a lot of questions. Some helpful ones you may want to ask include:
What steps has the school taken to help ensure the safety of students?
How will the school support the mental health of students and combat any stigma against people who have been sick?
How will the school refer children who may need referrals for specialized support?
Will any of the school’s safeguarding and bullying policies change once schools start to re-open?
How can I support school safety efforts, including through parent-teacher committees or other networks.
What should I do if my child has fallen behind?
Students around the world have shown just how much they want to keep learning. They have persisted with their lessons under difficult circumstances, with the support of their dedicated teachers and parents.
But many children will need extra support to catch up on their learning when schools reopen.
Many schools are making plans for catch-up lessons to help bring students back up to speed. This might include starting the year with refresher or remedial courses, after-school programmes or supplemental assignments to be done at home. Given the possibility that many schools may not open full time or for all grades, schools may implement ‘blended learning’ models, a mix of classroom instruction and remote education (self-study through take home exercises, radio, TV or online learning).
Give extra support to your child at home by creating a routine around school and schoolwork. This can help if they are feeling restless and having trouble focusing.
You may want to contact your child’s teacher or school to ask questions and stay informed. Be sure to let them know if your child is facing specific challenges, like grief over a family loss or heightened anxiety due to the pandemic.
What should I do if my child is struggling to get back into “school mode?”
Remember that your child will be dealing with the stress of the ongoing crisis differently from you. Create a supportive and nurturing environment and respond positively to questions and expressions of their feelings. Show support and let your child know that it’s not only okay, but normal, to feel frustrated or anxious at times like this.
Help your children to stick to their routines and make learning playful by incorporating it into everyday activities like cooking, family reading time or games. Another option could be joining a parent or community group to connect with other parents who are going through the same experience to share tips and get support.
Osman Bedel, Academic Coordinator
Osman Bedel has been working in ELT for over twenty years, having taught English and trained teachers in various countries. For the time being, he is working as the academic coordinator for Global-CPD and an ELT publishing editor. Throughout the years, he has taught from primary through high school to adult courses along with exam preparation classes. He has given educational consultancy and done academic planning for many high schools. He has also worked for various ELT publishers and has taught at under and postgraduate teacher training courses. He is also experienced in ELT and education management and has worked as part of the managing staff at numerous institutions.
He has a BA in English Language Teaching, an MA in Applied Linguistics. He is an approved Oxford Teachers’ Academy trainer, Cambridge speaking examiner and has attended many other certificate programmes on ELT, teacher-training, education management, learning technologies and international exams.