For many students who defaulted to remote learning last spring, it has become very clear that a “one size fits all” virtual educational approach cannot replace in-person learning.
Homeschooling and private tutors existed, especially for those who can afford such services, long before the pandemic, but a cottage industry of educational startups has emerged in recent months when it became painfully clear that classes on Zoom did not. they were sustainable. Not for students, not for teachers, not for parents.
Only slightly more than half of the K-12 schools and colleges in the US have provided tentative reentry plans for the 2020-2021 school year, and many of them maintain remote classes for at least the first few months. With school already in session in some parts of the United States and the back-to-school season beginning within a few weeks elsewhere, parents have little time to determine how effective or not online learning is for their children. .
“Parents are nervous about the fall,” says Joseph Connor, co-founder of SchoolHouse, a Philadelphia-based company that is developing so-called microschools. “They lived through spring and they want something better for their children. Parents want their children to be involved in learning and collaborating with their peers. No parent thinks that their children can learn solely through technology. Parents want their children to learn from excellent teachers. “
Relief for parents:-
Founded before the pandemic was declared, SchoolHouse launched in January 2020 as an agency that provides teachers for small groups of children in home micro-schools. But the company insists this is not homeschooling. In what might seem like a throwback to Little House on the Prairie, SchoolHouse describes these capsules as “real schools” with classes taught by qualified and experienced teachers that take place in a family home or in the backyard. Class sizes are small, with groups of five to eight students in total, and there are mixed age level groups.
“SchoolHouse was inspired by the American tradition of the one-room school,” explains Connor, 32. “In most small towns, all the students met in one room. There, a single teacher taught the curriculum to various grades of children. The most important factor in the education of these children is the quality of the teacher. Similarly, we believe that most academic results derive from excellent teaching. We have updated the SchoolHouse model for the 21st century and are excited to let parents, students and teachers give it a try. “
I wasn’t very familiar with the remote learning platform the school uses, so I had to do my research and spend a lot of time trying to figure it out, ”says Arencibia. “There was a lot of trial and error trying to figure out what worked best for each child and how I could complete my daily tasks with homeschooling. While we did the job, I still don’t feel like we necessarily got it right, even after three months of remote learning. It felt like we were constantly floating in water.
Opportunities for new teachers:-
With tutoring available for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, Connor says SchoolHouse is seeing demand spread relatively evenly across all grades and across the country, with peaks in metropolitan areas that have already announced a full transition. to online learning. For example, the Los Angeles Unified School District announced on July 13 that schools would not reopen for the fall, and SchoolHouse saw a 3,600% increase in Los Angeles County traffic.
To ensure a safe environment during COVID-19, SchoolHouse teachers are trained to follow protocols that are said to meet or exceed state regulations. Depending on location and preferences, this may include daily temperature checks, use of masks, access to hand sanitizers and frequent hand washing, appropriate social distancing, and written health attestations from parents to ensure that no one attends classes. group if you are ill or potentially exposed. And SchoolHouse requires all teachers to pass a background check and have been vetted by their internal security team.
