Part 1. Vocabulary
remote /rəˈmōt/ adj
- of
a place) situated far from the main centers of population; distant
There are many remote schools in the mountains.
hesitancy /ˈhezidənsē/ n
- the quality or state of being
hesitant or unsure
Many
people are still in a state of hesitancy over the vaccine.
adherence /ədˈhirəns/ n
- attachment or commitment to a person,
cause, or belief
The students
will have a strict adherence to the health protocol.
anxious /ˈaNG(k)SHəs/ adj
- experiencing worry, unease, or
nervousness
She was
extremely anxious about the result of her exams.
validate /ˈvaləˌdāt/ v
- demonstrate or support the truth or
value of.
In a healthy family a child's
feelings are validated.
Part 2.
Comprehension Questions
1. Why many families chose to do remote
learning?
2. What do hybrid schedules mean?
3. Why is it for some students remote
learning helps?
4. What are the ways for students not to
get anxious about going back to school?
5. How important is being mindfulness?
Part 3. Article Reading
‘School hesitancy’ has changed
Before coronavirus vaccines, and
before spring weather, many families across the country opted to keep
students in remote learning for fear of the pandemic’s spread. But now,
our colleague Dana Goldstein reports, their reasons have changed.
“If you close schools down for
the better part of a year or, in some places, for over a year, it is actually
not as simple as throwing open the doors in terms of getting the people back,”
Dana told us.
Across the country, “school hesitancy” abounds as families have established
routines based on remote learning. Some are reluctant to interrupt their
newfound stable alternatives for a return peppered by hybrid schedules — with
students in class some days of the week and working from home on others — or
the risk of closures and quarantines.
Dana found that other families,
limited by language barriers or poor communication from districts, didn’t even
know their schools had reopened. And some teenagers from low-income families
have taken on full- or part-time jobs to help their families make ends meet, so
remote learning works better for them.
Superintendents and school
leaders are now in a bind. Most believe that endless remote school poses
academic and social risks for kids, but they don’t want to pressure families.
Continuing adherence to social-distancing guidance also means most
schools can’t operate at full capacity, and staffing remains an issue.
Curb back to
school anxiety
After months at
home, some children may feel anxious about going to school or camp. Here
are a few tips to smooth their transition.
1. Validate
their concerns. Not every kid is old enough or able to verbalize their emotions.
Look for behaviors that indicate anxiety, like stomachaches or clinginess.
2. Try
mindfulness. Make time for calm and suggest ways they can be open to their
feelings in the moment.
3. Change your
routine. Set firmer bedtimes and build moments of quiet into your morning to
give them time to settle and prepare.
4. Involve
their teachers. Ask for recommendations and give them a general heads-up about
behaviors that mean your kid is struggling.
5. Pace
yourself. Don’t talk about school too often or too early. Over-preparation can
be stressful, too.
( Amelia Nierenberg and Kate Taylor)
Source: See Full Article https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/12/us/remote-school-covid.html