Homeschooling or Crisis-schooling?

By Ja’Near Garrus

Due to the Coronavirus, many students have been displaced from school buildings and are learning virtually at home.  At first many compared this to homeschooling. And while there are many similarities, the unique environment that we find ourselves in is something different- even for traditionally homeschooled students.  Yes, like homeschoolers, public and private school students are learning in their homes and rely on the support of their parents for their schoolwork. In addition, their teachers have had to pivot and learn to instruct online to get the students their work and assignments to finish out the school year. 

Homeschoolers are feeling the pain as well.  A large number of homeschoolers spend a great deal of their time outside of the home.  Museums, special classes, field trips, and extracurricular activities all happen during the day.  Yes, homeschoolers do get their traditional work done as well, but schoolwork happens around life versus life happening around schoolwork.  The culture of homeschooling today is that the world becomes the student’s classroom by experiencing their communities at a heightened level.  Needless to say that being quarantined in the home is a culture shock for homeschooling families as well.  

The silver lining during this time of isolation is that parents can reboot from a hectic day to day schedule for a lifestyle that is more conducive to the core values of their family.  Whether you are a traditional schooler or a homeschooler I would say that everyone is crisis-schooling in some way to navigate the current environment and protect the wellbeing of our children, and that is something we ALL have in common.