One of my colleagues is known for regularly reminding us that a crisis is a terrible opportunity to waste. The COVID-19 crisis has forced districts to redefine the manner in which they are delivering education.
In the best-case scenario, district leaders had a week to develop and roll out an eLearning strategy to students. Most teachers had a weekend to prep, and sent their students home without a defined plan or resources to help parents who became teachers overnight.
Anyone who says they predicted the scenarios that have unfolded in the last four weeks in the United States and around the world over the past four months is being less than honest.
Developing an overnight plan for eLearning takes the best minds in a district working together in ways we might have previously thought impossible. At Follett, we’ve spent the last few weeks working with districts across the country and have witnessed the best from educators–like mobilizing to make sure students are fed, continue learning, and have the resources they need.