students challenges in new normal classroom essay

Student Reflections During the Pandemic: An Opportunity for Educators to Create a “New” Normal

As this challenging academic term begins, and some students are learning remotely, while others are heading back in person, we urge educators to pause and reflect on what worked — and didn’t — during remote learning last spring. While we eagerly await the moment when all schools can safely resume in person, we strongly caution against reverting back to the “normal” way of doing things. “Normal” was not working for so many students prior to COVID-19.

Since this remote learning experiment of 2020 upended typical school schedules and traditional approaches to teaching and learning, educators now have an opportunity to leverage key lessons and insights gained during this time to build a new normal that better supports student well-being, equity, and engagement with learning for all students during the next semester and beyond.

At Challenge Success , a school reform nonprofit affiliated with Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, we know that any school change process should begin by listening to the stakeholders who matter most — the students. So we reached out to some of the high school students who have participated in the Challenge Success School Program and asked what worked (or not) during remote learning and what they would like school leaders to know about their experiences last spring.

Their reflections, summarized below, are consistent with our SPACE framework and with the student-centered approaches and practices that research shows most effectively support student well-being and engagement with learning. We offer these as guiding principles for educators to use as they consider what schools might look like this fall, regardless of where school is happening.

1. Prioritize human connections and relationships.

During remote learning, daily check-ins from teachers via video, phone, or even hand-delivered letters were a lifeboat for many students. We heard from several teens that they were grateful for teachers who opened up Zoom rooms before or after class to hang out with students and ask about how they were handling life during the pandemic. The students also loved getting to peek into the lives of their teachers and coaches in their home environments with their own pets or children jumping into the video screen.

For students who were not able to join remote classes due to a lack of internet access or devices, or because they had to take on additional jobs and home responsibilities during this time, teachers found other creative ways to connect. Many reached out via text and arranged phone calls and even some home visits with proper social distancing to chat one-on-one. Matt, a 10th grader from Texas, reflected, “Our teachers did a great job of checking in with us to see how we were doing. I like how they really cared about our well-being and our stress levels, but I don’t think a crisis should be necessary to do this.”

Cultivating a climate of care that prioritizes strong relationships between students and teachers as well as peer-to-peer connections is critical now and in the future. Research shows that students who feel a sense of belonging and connection to both adults and peers in the school community are more engaged with learning. Students yearn to be seen, heard, and valued as whole people with lives beyond the classroom. We know that when students believe they have at least one adult at the school who cares about them and knows them well, they are more likely to thrive in school and out.

Unfortunately, creating and sustaining strong student-teacher relationships can be difficult. Even before remote learning began last spring, the large class sizes, hectic pace of the school day, and impossibly busy student and teacher schedules often impeded the type of personal connections we know are critical to student success. Schools should strive to make relationships a top priority and build in time and resources to ensure that teachers and students can connect in meaningful ways on a regular basis.

2. Redesign the school schedule to allow more hours for sleep, playtime, downtime, and family time (PDF).

The scramble to create a remote learning schedule provided an unexpected opportunity to rethink the structure of the school day. Many schools, out of necessity, offered fewer synchronous class meetings and more time for independent, asynchronous learning. Others that were able to offer more synchronous learning to students, decided to shift from a traditional 7 or 8 period day to a modified block schedule where students took half of their classes twice a week over four days leaving one day for dedicated office hours with teachers or online tutoring time.

One of the biggest and most consistent silver linings we heard from students was that the new schedules allowed teens to get more sleep. We know from the Challenge Success survey of over 200,000 students that high school students average about 6.5 hours of sleep per night – significantly less than the 8-10 hours they need to thrive. As Nate, 11th grader from Massachusetts, shared, “Since getting more sleep, I found I was much more efficient with my school work. I could do an English essay in two hours that would have taken me six hours when I was tired.”

Though many students missed their extracurricular activities in the spring, some found that the reduction in structured activities, along with the shorter school day, and lack of commute, resulted not just in more sleep, but in more playtime, downtime, and family time (or PDF as we call it). Research shows that time spent on PDF serves as a protective factor in keeping kids mentally and physically healthy.

Several teens told us that they finally had time to read for pleasure, play guitar, exercise, paint, or simply “do nothing” while they were sheltering in place. Being able to break up the day with exercise or other activities between classes helped to clear their minds and prepare for more learning. And for some students, this shift of pace was eye-opening. As Zack, an 11th grader from Massachusetts, reflected, “One of my big takeaways from this time is that I need time to relax. Before this, I was always going and going. I’m so used to being ‘on’ all the time, doing something. After this, I’ve realized I need some time to relax. I picked up fishing and now I love going fishing. I think that a lot of students will find that they actually need time to relax.”

When a typical student’s day pre-pandemic might have started before 7am and ended after 11pm due to school, sports, other extracurriculars, paid work, commuting, family obligations, and homework, many teens quite literally had no time for any of these essential “PDF” activities. Schools and families ought to question if the old “normal” is what we all want our students to return to this year. Though students and their parents ultimately decide how they spend their time outside of school — and many students do not have the option to scale back time spent doing paid work or supporting family obligations — schools can play a critical role in creating a schedule that honors the need for sleep and more free time for students. Later start times, longer passing periods and lunch breaks, more time for tutorial or advisory, and block classes where teachers and students can engage in deeper learning, are all elements that Challenge Success recommends that schools consider as they plan the schedule for the new school year.

3. Build in more flexibility to curriculum and assignments.

Annalise, a 10th grader from Massachusetts, reflected that “One great thing about distance learning was the flexibility.” Having more autonomy over when she got her work done and when she turned it in led to less stress. Soren, an 11 th grader from California, agreed: “With distance learning, whatever you need to do for yourself, you have that freedom to do – go for a run or take a break outside. The slower pace of life allowed me to learn on my own terms which definitely had benefits in terms of mental health and general well-being.”

Many students told us how much they appreciated the increased flexibility during remote learning to get assignments done on their own schedule. They liked that more teachers posted assignments a week or two in advance, which allowed students some control over their schedules and helped them to balance homework, jobs, and other responsibilities. In a pre-COVID world, some students didn’t find out their homework for the night until class that day. During remote learning, the students appreciated being recognized as whole people with varying home lives and multiple commitments and needs.

Flexible approaches to whole class instruction can also benefit students. We heard from one student that during a class held on Zoom, the teacher shared a lesson and then dismissed students as soon as they could demonstrate that they understood the concept. The teacher was able to work with a smaller group of students and use alternative approaches to teach those who were still working towards mastery. We know that differentiating instruction in this way was happening in many classrooms prior to remote learning, but as schools consider new ways of structuring classes in the future, they may want to build in even more time for small group work and review opportunities.

Schools can further support students by explicitly teaching time management and executive functioning skills. Flexible or self-determined due dates allow students a real-world opportunity to practice these skills. Educators can encourage students to self-advocate and reach out to their teachers when they are juggling multiple deliverables or when their health or well-being (or that of a family member) might necessitate even more flexibility. Creating conflict calendars where faculty members coordinate dates for major tests, projects, and school-wide events can also help to reduce student overload and increase student engagement and achievement on assignments.

4. Consider that “less is really more” and focus on transferable skills.

As the minutes spent per week in each class were reduced for many schools during remote learning, teachers were forced to strip their lesson plans down to the essential elements students should learn. While reducing content can feel uncomfortable to teachers and can cause worry about how to get through the required material, it can also provide an unexpected opportunity to focus on the enduring understandings we want students to master. Students are more likely to learn and retain skills and concepts when they are not overwhelmed by the load and pace of work being assigned.

Gabe, a 10th grader from Texas, reflected, “In chemistry, we didn’t cover as many topics each week during remote learning as we did during the normal school year, but I feel like I got a fuller understanding of the concepts that were being taught. My teacher used a ‘flipped classroom’ approach where we independently watched 20-minute videos he created on a specific topic and answered homework questions. We then used class time to ask the teacher questions. The whole process felt much more efficient.”

Shifting the focus from coverage to competency can provide both teachers and students space in the day to engage more deeply in the learning process and build more meaningful connections between concepts. When teachers prioritize transferable skills, students practice applying what they have learned to novel situations and ultimately build mastery.

Educators have an exciting opportunity now to redesign lessons and pare learning goals down to those that are essential in each subject area. Even when students face comprehensive end-of-year exams, for example, in advanced placement courses, a deeper focus on key concepts and critical thinking skills, such as use of evidence to back a claim, logical reasoning, and clear communication, may prove more beneficial to students than covering in a more cursory way all of the possible content that might show up on the test.

Before COVID-19, we regularly surveyed students about what, if anything, caused them the most stress. The number one answer was usually “workload.” Many students also reported that they perceived much of their homework to be busywork and that it did not help them to learn the material. When teachers focus on what matters most, they can reduce unhealthy workloads and can help students see the meaning behind what they are learning each day.

5. Offer more student-selected, authentic learning experiences.

As Lauren, a 10th grader from Virginia, described a website she developed for a nonprofit during remote learning, her whole face lit up with joy. Her teacher was looking for volunteers and knew Lauren had an interest in coding. With this project, she got to learn by doing. She shared, “I learned so much in [those] last two months that I never would have been able to learn in the classroom. Being able to deep dive into web development has been amazing for me. I’ve loved connecting with real-world groups and actually doing an assignment that is contributing to something.”

Allowing students to have voice and choice with their assignments and incorporating opportunities to address real-world problems or create products for authentic audiences can motivate students to do higher quality work. As Soren noted, “I have been able to use a wider variety of resources to learn concepts, while still gaining the same information. I’ve been more interested in learning because it is more personal.”

Eliot, a 10th grader from Texas, described an assignment where students were asked to investigate how the CDC uses mathematical models to chart the spread of COVID-19. Showing the practical relevance of a particular math unit made it much more interesting to the students than teaching it as an isolated concept. Eliot summed it up well, “When work feels meaningful and relevant, I am more engaged.”

Amber, an 11th grader from Virginia, was given some assignments that were optional and ungraded. For some students, this policy, along with alternate forms of assessment such as open note tests, peer review, and increased opportunities for revision and redemption, helped teens to engage in learning for the sake of learning, not just for the grades. Other students found the lack of extrinsic motivation very challenging and were not completing their work. Educators can use this as an opportunity to talk to students about why learning matters for the long-term and collaborate with students to design lessons that they are motivated to complete. Amber suggests that her teachers look at which assignments students did during this time period – and which they left undone; “If [teachers] can learn from the projects that students choose to do, this will help our learning experience be more about the learning rather than a boring assignment we do just for the sake of doing it. If there’s one thing I hope educators take away from this time, it’s to bring the love for learning itself back into the curriculum.”

All five of these guiding principles are validated by research and are likely not new ideas to most educators. But hearing them directly from students during this potentially transformational moment for our educational system serves as an important opportunity for reflection. We encourage schools to invest time in these first few weeks of school to listen deeply to the students. Conduct a survey to find out what worked and did not work for them during remote learning. Gather a small group of students for a fishbowl and dive deeper into their reflections about this unique time. Shadow students by following their synchronous and asynchronous learning schedules. Conduct an “I Wish” campaign asking students to share what they wish teachers knew about this unique school experience. Then, embrace those learnings as you redesign and reimagine what you can offer students that best supports their journey to become balanced, healthy, and engaged learners — wherever that learning is happening.

Denise Pope, Ph.D., is a Co-Founder of Challenge Success and a Senior Lecturer at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, where she specializes in student engagement, curriculum studies, qualitative research methods, and service learning. She is the author of, “Doing School”: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students, and co-author of Overloaded and Underprepared: Strategies for Stronger Schools and Healthy, Successful Kids. Dr. Pope lectures nationally on parenting techniques and pedagogical strategies to increase student health, engagement with learning, and integrity. 

International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction

HCII 2023: Social Computing and Social Media pp 116–136 Cite as

Teaching and Learning in the New Normal: Responding to Students’ and Academics’ Multifaceted Needs

• Andriani Piki   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0376-1713 9 &
• Magdalena Brzezinska   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4213-8636 10  
• Conference paper
• First Online: 09 July 2023

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14026))

Alongside the prolonged social and economic instability and the escalating demands for upskilling, Covid-19 pandemic had a detrimental impact on students’ and academics’ mental health and wellbeing. Social isolation and the emergency transition to remote education caused high levels of psychological distress, hindering students’ self-efficacy and academic performance. The pandemic also induced sudden changes affecting academics’ personal and professional lives, leading to mental disorders and risk of burnout. While recent research focuses on addressing the effects of the pandemic on either students or academics, this paper presents a collective analysis. The key themes that emerged by examining the experiences of both students and academics in higher education are framed in a multi-layered support system embracing qualities such as: self-efficacy, wellbeing, equality, diversity, and inclusion, social interactions, human-centred technologies, and authentic pedagogical methods. The findings are discussed with the aim to extract informed recommendations for enhancing teaching and learning experiences in the post-pandemic era.

• Higher Education
• Emergency Remote Teaching
• Wellbeing Education
• Inclusive Education
• Learner Engagement

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Piki, A., Brzezinska, M. (2023). Teaching and Learning in the New Normal: Responding to Students’ and Academics’ Multifaceted Needs. In: Coman, A., Vasilache, S. (eds) Social Computing and Social Media. HCII 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14026. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35927-9_9

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Student Challenges in the New Normal Education: Challenges and Alternatives

Reference & Education → Education

• Author Anis Adriena Jane Binti Hishamuddin
• Published August 1, 2021
• Word count 967

Since the COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted people's normal lives around the world, the online environment has stepped in to help. The world appears to an end because of the novel coronavirus. Several businesses will have to shut down, projects have been postponed, and schools have been forced to close. On the other hand, students will indeed continue their education mostly through online learning, either conducted synchronously or asynchronously. The procedure is currently the ideal solution since keeping the universities open might poses a health risk to students.

As a home-learning student, it was challenging to adapt to online school because they had not been taught earlier through practices or simulations. Many students stated that the home-learning program was considerably more stressful than normal classrooms. Normal classes may have been challenging, however, having buddies makes everything more bearable and less burdensome. Online classes eliminate the advantages of having people to interact with and being stuck alone with assignments. There are a few challenges that students encounter, as well as suggestions for how to overcome them for successful education.

First, the greatest obstacle to online learning is indicative of poor and unstable internet connections, as those commonly used at home have limited capacity or have reached their quota. Many students probably do not have a strong internet connection or cannot afford the internet plan required for online learning. Therefore, they are having difficulties going live for virtual learning and other platforms that require an internet connection.

Hence, a certain alternative should be pursued to address these issues, such as expanding or upgrading existing community Internet centers so the students, particularly in rural areas, can access them for free. This could ensure that the learning process is not delayed for students who do not have access to or a stable Internet connection, and those who do not have gadgets. In addition, educators can provide remote learning accessible by using offline features. They can enable offline access for G Suite apps such as Drive, and so on. Interestingly, students may download an outstanding Google Docs offline extension for the Chrome web browser, which allows students and teachers to view content on various productivity apps such as Sheets, Google Docs, and others without requiring them to connect to the internet.

Next, online learning can be challenging due to numerous distractions. Social media and family are the most common causes of distraction for college students. Since the house acts as the classroom for online learning, these distractions might be difficult to avoid. The urge to respond to the notification from social media and SMS might pull their attention. Even during lectures, family members might interrupt them by seeking something. It can be difficult to say no to family, but it is necessary to set limits and ensure that everybody understands which interruptions are allowed and which should be postponed until your study session ends.

Controlling digital distractions can be incredibly difficult when students need to complete their assignments using a phone or laptop. Setting off notifications is an effective way to limit distractions so they will not be bothered to wander from their responsibilities. Other alternatives for dealing with distractions as an online student include being more organized, create a timetable, planning out assignments and projects for each term, and avoid procrastination. They also must communicate with their family to split household tasks and ensure they have a break to refresh.

Moreover, the workload during online distance learning is heavier compared to normal classes. Students are currently under a tremendous amount of stress because of online lectures, quizzes, assignments, and other coursework. The issue is some educators tend to assign more homework to substitute the inability to meet in person, they may be unaware of the amount of work given to students. The continuous assessment along with online courses has prompted students to spend most of their time staring at a laptop screen. Too much screen time has long been recognized to be unhealthy, and this epidemic has begun to harm them both emotionally and physically. When they are forced to sit in front of the laptop all day, they are more likely to develop depressive moods and restlessness. Students could become stressed due to the unmanageable workload, and they may believe they are trapped in a never-ending routine of class.

Thus, it is helpful for educators to understand that workload is defined not only by the number of pages students should answer, but also by how cognitively complex the assignment is. The extra pressure of the outbreak may cause students to have a higher cognitive load such as their reading performance being slower, being more easily distracted, and having difficulty managing their time. It is something for educators to take into consideration while assigning tasks and setting deadlines.

However, to become successful in the future, students must work on themselves. So, they must be able to identify when to have a break. People will sometimes push themselves to complete work when they have nothing else to contribute. They will end up wasting their time striving to read a book they would not even understand. So, they need to stop once they feel exhausted. After a hard day of studying, they should take a break and rest. They should be able to get back on track and feel much better at the end.

In conclusion, these are only some of the difficulties that students may encounter while participating in online education. Online learning is not the best option for every student, but now it is the only realistic solution. Moreover, students are concerned about their academic futures because of the sudden switch of education style. It is reassuring to see how hard people are trying to make everything succeed. We are all in this together, and we are all fighting the same battle.

Student in the Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.

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A Year After Coronavirus: An Inclusive ‘New Normal’

Six months into a new decade, 2020 has already been earmarked as ‘the worst’ year in the 21st century. The novel coronavirus has given rise to a global pandemic that has destabilized most institutional settings. While we live in times when humankind possesses the most advanced science and technology, a virus invisible to the naked eye has massively disrupted economies, healthcare, and education systems worldwide. This should serve as a reminder that as we keep making progress in science and research, humanity will continue to face challenges in the future, and it is upon us to prioritize those issues that are most relevant in the 21st century.

Even amidst the pandemic, Space X, an American aerospace manufacturer, managed to become the first private company to send humans to space. While this is a tremendous achievement and prepares humanity for a sustainable future, I feel there is a need to introspect the challenges that we are already facing. On the one hand, we seem to be preparing beyond the 21st century. On the other hand, heightened nationalism, increasing violence against marginalized communities and multidimensional inequalities across all sectors continue to act as barriers to growth for most individuals across the globe. COVID-19 has reinforced these multifaceted economic, social and cultural inequalities wherein those in situations of vulnerability have found it increasingly difficult to get quality medical attention, access to quality education, and have witnessed increased domestic violence while being confined to their homes. 

Given the coronavirus’s current situation, some households have also had time to introspect on gender roles and stereotypes. For instance, women are expected to carry out unpaid care work like cooking, cleaning, and looking after the family. There is no valid reason to believe that women ought to carry out these activities, and men have no role in contributing to household chores. With men having shared household chores during the lockdown period, it gives hope that they will realize the burden that women have been bearing for past decades and will continue sharing responsibilities. However, it would be naïve to believe that gender discrimination could be tackled so easily, and men would give up on their decades' old habits within a couple of months. Thus, during and after the pandemic, there is an urgent need to sensitize households on the importance of gender equality and social cohesion.

Moving forward, developing quality healthcare systems that are affordable and accessible to all should be the primary objective for all governments. This can be done by increasing expenditure towards health and education and simultaneously reducing expenditure on defence equipment where the latter mainly gives rise to an idea that countries need to be prepared for violence. There is substantial evidence that increased investment in health and education is beneficial in the long-term and can potentially build the basic foundation of a country. 

If it can be established that usage of nuclear weapons, violence and war are not solutions to any problem, governments (like, for example, Costa Rica) could move towards disarmament of weapons and do their part in building a more peaceful planet that is sustainable for the future. This would further promote global citizenship wherein nationality, race, gender, caste, and other categories, are just mere variables and they do not become identities of individuals that restrict their thought process. The aim should be to build responsible citizens who play an active role in their society and work collectively in helping develop a planet that is well-governed, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable.

 ‘A year after Coronavirus’ is still an unknown, so I think that our immediate focus should be to tackle the complex problems that have emerged from the pandemic so that we make the year after coronavirus one which highlights recovery and acts as a pathway to fresh beginnings. While there is little to gain from such a fatal cause, it is vital that we also use it to make the ‘new normal’ in favour of the environment and ensure that no one is left behind.   

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Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

11 Strategies for Facing This Year’s Classroom Challenges

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The new question-of-the-week is:

What do you think will be some of the challenges for teachers who might be returning to the physical classroom for the first time in a year and a half, and what are your ideas for how they can best handle them?

The new school year has already begun for some and will soon kick off for the rest of us.

Today’s post offers some advice for all of us on how to face it ...

Today, Meg Tegerdine, Robert S. Harvey, Lauren Nifong, and Julia Stearns Cloat offer their best suggestions.

You might also be interested in Ten Ways I’ll Be Teaching Differently Next Year , where I previously shared my own plans, along with A Beginning List Of Resources On Supporting Our Students As We Make Baby Steps Towards Returning To A Post-Pandemic Classroom .

Giving ‘Grace’

Meg Tegerdine is a nine-year veteran special educator teaching in a self-contained setting in north St. Louis County, Mo. Three words she uses to describe her classroom culture are leadership, community, and voice. Meg was recognized as a 2021 Extraordinary Educator by Curriculum Associates:

For many kids, learning virtually meant having limited access to peers and, therefore, limited access to social interactions. For my kids, this was even more difficult because they are in my self-contained classroom in order to improve their academic progress and their social/emotional/behavioral skills. Not only were they out of practice in social interactions by the time we returned to in-person learning in late 2020, but we also suddenly changed the rules on them. We had to social distance, wear face masks that were uncomfortable and made it hard to understand one another, and could no longer high-five or give a side hug.

These barriers and many more led to a lot of frustration for my students, my staff, and myself. My classroom has always felt like a community, but we had to relearn how to be one. Here are some things that helped us:

• Explicitly communicate expectations, routines, procedures, and consequences: Be clear and concise and make sure to give reasoning when possible. Make consequences of positive and negative behavior clear so that no one is surprised. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. This may seem like going overboard, but be sure that your students are consistently hearing about, observing, and practicing these skills.
• Build in time to get to know each other better: We all spent months teaching through screens. Now that the kids are back in person, you may feel that you need to focus 100 percent of your attention on academics. Yes, academics are essential and the BIG reason we come to school, but we’re not just teaching academic skills. Keep in mind that you are teaching an entire human being who needs to learn how to positively engage with others. Build time to create positive relationships. This may seem like a small piece of the puzzle, but without positive relationships and community, your teaching will not have as much of an impact.

Combine learning modalities and give kids voice in your class: None of us had a choice in how we were learning during the pandemic. Most of us were told we had to stay home and reach our students through a computer screen. That was tough for adults, but think how much more difficult it was for students who don’t have the coping or problem-solving skills that we do. Our students’ lives were drastically changed over the pandemic, and they had little to no say in their own learning.

Give students voice in your classroom. This can be as simple as combining learning modalities by allowing students to choose to complete assignments with paper and pencil or through their computer. When possible, give them ownership over classroom problem-solving and management. Encourage your students to be leaders in their classroom and school community and to use their voice to advocate for themselves and others.

• Give one another (and yourself) grace: I imagine that like me, many of you felt like you just weren’t doing enough. That you were working 24/7 and that there still weren’t enough hours in the day. Take a breath. Maybe two. And give yourself grace. This is not going to be easy. Teaching changes constantly, but over the last year, you have done incredible things to support your students. Coming back in person is not going to be picture perfect, but it will be classroom perfect. Your kids will be exactly where they are meant to be with the exact person who was meant to teach them.

‘Naming Emotions’

Robert S. Harvey is the superintendent of East Harlem Scholars Academies, a community-based network of public charter schools in New York City, and chief academic officer of East Harlem Tutorial Program, where he manages an out-of-school-time program and teaching residency. He is visiting professor in public leadership at the Memphis Theological Seminary. And he is the author of Abolitionist Leadership in Schools: Undoing Systemic Injustice through Communally Conscious Education :

As teachers prepare to return to physical classrooms, the challenges facing them [as humans, first, then as pedagogues] are expansive, particularly because it will demand balancing the personal and the pedagogical. From internalized loss and social isolation to increased anxiety to exacerbated housing, economic, food, and health disparities, teachers will inevitably have to hold the impact of these challenges on a young person’s lived reality, and therefore, on a young person’s pedagogical engagement.

Against that backdrop, emotional ambiguity from the joy of being reconnected and yet the angst of that connection occurring within close proximity will require teachers to radically humanize the emotional as consequential for the pedagogical. In effect, returning to the physical classroom will inescapably yield an experience of emotions that many of us have never experienced.

Thus, a strategy to employ is communal emotional labeling, which is the practice of making space [within community, which is classroom] for naming emotions with granularity—an act that seems simple but can be incredibly transformative. It transcends, “I’m fine,” and invites, “I feel worried and closed-in.” Or, instead of “I’m OK,” it allows, “I feel confused, just here, lost.” Susan David, author of Emotional Agility , writes: “We need a more nuanced vocabulary for emotions, not just for the sake of being more precise, but because incorrectly diagnosing our emotions makes us respond incorrectly.”

Think about how often we as educators, and the students we support, barrel through our days and weeks completely unmindful of what we are feeling? Now, take that unawareness and compound it by the last year and a half and imagine the pedagogical possibilities by ensuring that before we give of ourselves in teaching and learning, we check in with ourselves in mind and spirit.

In marginalized communities full of Black, brown, and economically vulnerable students, correctly labeling [or what we can call, self-diagnosing] emotions is the beginning of utilizing agency to set an expectation of what students need to be supported within the classroom.

For instance, when one of our upper-elementary students told me that she felt frustrated with coming to school, we explored it more. Did she feel nervous about entering into a building because she had experienced loss at the height of the pandemic? Did she have anxieties from previous years about her academic performance, which clouded her experience with school prepandemic until now? Was their perceived embarrassment because her friends’ families selected for them to be virtual, yet her family selected otherwise?

As students, and as teachers [modeling the expectation], become aware of the intricacies of what we are feeling and can communicate effectively with those around us within community, we can then free ourselves to become present in meaningful and whole ways, which creates the conditions for information internalization and emotional transformation.

‘Consistency’

Lauren Nifong is an instructional coach in Greenville, S.C. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in administration and supervision, and is currently a member of South Carolina ASCD’s 2021 Class of Emerging Leaders. You can connect with Lauren at @Lnifong0320 on Twitter:

As schools begin to reopen and welcome young people back into their buildings, teachers and students alike are now faced with the challenge of returning to “normal” (or as close to “normal” as possible). What obstacles will teachers face, and how will they overcome them to best serve their students in this new era?

One of the greatest challenges that teachers will most likely face will be helping students acclimate back into classroom expectations and procedures. For over a year, students have participated in virtual learning without a classroom full of their peers to collaborate with in person. After being self-paced in their own homes, students will now have to adjust to coming back into an academic setting. The structure that is normally implemented throughout a school day will have to be relearned.

Teachers may also need to address social-anxiety issues that arise for students who are entering back into society after quarantine. With mask mandates and social-distancing guidelines perhaps lifted, students will now be able to be in close contact with many people throughout the school day. Some students may be apprehensive about collaborating closely with others. Families have approached this pandemic in various ways. Students will enter our schools with differing opinions and understandings of what the world has experienced in the last year. It will be crucial for teachers to be compassionate, understanding, and supportive.

The variables that face educators in this new school year may seem daunting, but like any other obstacle, teachers seem to always find a way to meet the needs of their students. Building relationships will be key to fostering environments that are supportive and conducive to learning. By being intentional about connecting with students and their unique circumstances, teachers can build a bridge of trust that will help to ensure expectations and procedures are respected and followed.

Consistency will also be essential to the fidelity of classroom routines. Educators will need to spend even more time than usual explicitly teaching and modeling classroom expectations so that students can adjust back into the academic setting. The road to recovering from a global pandemic may be rocky, but if anyone can persevere and ensure students are educated, loved, and protected—it’s a teacher.

‘Unfinished Learning & Stamina’

Julia Stearns Cloat, Ph.D., has spent the past 25 years working in unit school districts in roles including literacy specialist, instructional coach, and curriculum director and has earned awards for her work in student services. Julia currently works as executive director of curriculum and instruction in Freeport, Ill., and as an adjunct professor at Northern Illinois University:

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, most students have experienced disruption and/or a lack of continuity in their formal learning. Students who have been learning from home for the past year will face challenges as they adjust to being back in the physical classroom. It is likely that the biggest challenges to students and teachers as they return to a fully in-person environment are unfinished learning and stamina.

Data from the 2020-21 school year shows a trend among students of unfinished learning, especially in math. Students who return to in-person learning after having been learning at home for the past 18 months will return with a greater range in their progress toward grade-level proficiencies than teachers typically see at the beginning of the school year.

In the coming year, differentiated instruction will have greater importance than ever. In order to accommodate for the increased need for remediation, teachers and administrators should consider how to adjust the systems, such as MTSS or RTI, that support students. With the increased need for academic and behavior supports, tier 1 core instruction should focus on grade-level standards that were identified by the state or district as being high priority. Teachers who are in districts and/or states that have not identified priority standards can work together to identify the high-leverage standards. In the coming year, tiered interventions should be pushed into the classroom when possible. It will be important for teachers to not give into the temptation to spend every instructional minute on the remediation of skills. Instead, teachers should continue to teach grade-level skills and standards, adding the remediation as a differentiated layer on top of the core instruction.

When learning remotely, it is much easier to take mental breaks than it is while in the physical classroom. Students who are returning to in-person learning for the first time in a year and a half will need to build back the stamina that it takes to be in school and learning all day, five days a week. Students will need to readjust to the routines and structure of school.

Establishing and communicating clear routines will be crucial at the beginning of the year. Teachers should work toward building learning stamina by reducing the amount of time that students are required to sit and listen, increasing the number of physical breaks, and by slowly increasing time spent on cognitively demanding tasks (e.g., independent reading, independent work).

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. It’s titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching .

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email (The RSS feed for this blog, and for all Ed Week articles, has been changed by the new redesign—new ones are not yet available). And if you missed any of the highlights from the first nine years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below.

• This Year’s Most Popular Q&A Posts
• Race & Racism in Schools
• School Closures & the Coronavirus Crisis
• Classroom-Management Advice
• Best Ways to Begin the School Year
• Best Ways to End the School Year
• Student Motivation & Social-Emotional Learning
• Implementing the Common Core
• Facing Gender Challenges in Education
• Teaching Social Studies
• Cooperative & Collaborative Learning
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• Student Voices
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• Administrator Leadership
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• Professional Development
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• Best of Classroom Q&A
• Professional Collaboration
• Classroom Organization
• Mistakes in Education
• Project-Based Learning

I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributors to this column .

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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Preparedness and challenges of the new normal: perspectives of Filipino students in virtual learning

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TEACHER'S CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE NEW NORMAL: INPUT FOR DEVELOPING THE PUPILS' 21ST-CENTURY SKILLS

2021, IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal

This study dealt with the "teacher's classroom management practices to the developing the pupils' 21st century skills in the new normal in the Division of Batangas. The descriptive method of research was utilized to assess the "teacher's classroom management practices to the development of 4c's (critical thinking, creativity and innovation .collaboration, communication) as the pupils' 21st century skills. The 1005 respondents of the study were composed teachers from Area III with the total number of eleven (11) districts from Public Elementary Schools in the Division of Batangas.during the Academic Year 2020-2021.The salient findings of the study were as follows; teachers age 42-46 years old and above (39.70%) ; female (92.03%); had 21-25 years in service (49.25%), with a Master's Degree and EdD/PhD units (44.9%) ; holding Teacher III position (39.40%) ; and have General Education specialization (38.80%).The teacher perceived there level of classroom management practices on the five domains; a. maximize structure and predictability; b. post, teach, review, monitor and reinforce expectations; c. engage students in observable ways; d. continuum of strategies to acknowledge appropriate behavior, and e.continuum of strategies to respond to inappropriate behavior were "observed". However the level of the development of pupils' 21st-century skills in critical thinking, creativity and innovation, collaboration, communication, majority of the teachers' responses was "to a great extent". The study displayed that the ages, gender, length in service, and educational attainment were significantly related to the classroom management practices of the teachers in the new normal for the development of pupils' 21st-century skills. It demonstrates the older the teacher become the more mature in handling their classroom management practices in the field, the longer they stayed in the service ; the higher educational attainment they earn in their field greatly affects the development of the students 21st-century skills. All classroom management practices revealed significant with the development of pupils' critical thinking, creativity and innovation, and communication, collaboration 21st-century skills. Three domains of classroom management practices post, teach, review, monitor, and reinforce expectations; engage students in observable ways, and continuum of strategies to respond to inappropriate behavior were significant variables of pupil's 21st-century skills .

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IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal

IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal ( IIMRJ)

The study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative inquiry approaches such as problem-based learning and project-based learning on improving the thinking and reasoning skills of students. Furthermore, it aimed to determine the difference in pretest and posttest scores, and correlate the students’ perceived effectiveness on the approaches’ process, implementation and outcomes to the mean posttest scores. Descriptive-comparative research design was used. Sixty Grade 10 students clustered into two groups were selected as respondents in San Pablo City Science Integrated High School during the academic year 2018-2019. Survey questionnaires and pretest-posttest questions were utilized to obtain the data. Results revealed that there was a significant relationship between the students’ perceived effectiveness of collaborative inquiry approaches and their mean posttest scores in thinking and reasonings skills. However, the results of the pretest and posttest of the students were significantly different. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between the students’ mean posttest scores exposed to problem-based learning and project-based learning. Both learning approaches can co-exist inside the classroom as effective modes of teaching real-world learning and building future-ready skills.

IOER INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH JOURNAL ( IIMRJ )

ABSTRACT Quality education considered as a crucial factor to produce a competent professional to build a strong nation and to bring out the best way to get along with global competition. Thus, this study aimed to determine the current practices in using Web 2.0 tools in 15 selected Higher Education Institutions in CALABARZON, Philippines concerning communication and collaboration, creativity and innovation, and instructional design. It also considered its level of acceptability for classroom instruction as assessed by administrators, teachers, and students. The level of seriousness of the problems met in the integration relative to teachers’ preparation, curriculum content and administrative support were also evaluated. The research design was descriptive survey method with the use of a researcher-constructed questionnaire as the data gathering instrument. The method and instrument employed were deemed appropriate to determine the viability of providing the students with an alternative delivery of learning through Web 2.0 tools for instruction. Weighted mean, T-test and Probability values, Percentage and Standard Deviation were the statistical tools used to test the hypothesis posited in this study. The hypothesis tested the significant differences between two groups of respondents regarding the extent of use of Web 2.0 tools in classroom instruction. Results revealed that to a very great extent, integration of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom promotes learner to interact, build a learning community and promotes student active participation in the classroom and increases student’s productivity. Based on the findings and conclusions, the researcher developed an offline game-based interactive instructional material that supports instruction and collaboration and could be used to enhance students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills to achieve better learning outcomes. Keywords: Web 2.0 tools, 21st Century students, Communication and Collaboration, Descriptive method, Higher Education, Philippines

IOER Inernational Multidisciplinary Research Journal

COVID-19 pandemic has resulted drastic changes in education. Part of it is the shift from face-to-face classes to different learning modalities which include distance learning. Since education is believed to continue despite the circumstances, teachers started to prepare for modular and online distance learning. Teaching is possible, but, has challenges as well. Hence, this phenomenological research explored the lived experiences of secondary teachers in the Division of San Pablo City in the pre-implementation of distance learning in the new normal. The participants were selected through purposive sampling and underwent one-on-one actual in-depth interview through video conference. The documented interviews were transcribed and coded. Categories were clustered; then, emerging themes were derived. Results identified three core themes related to preparation such as gathering resources and establishing practices, profiling learners, and capacity building for continuous learning and development; three core themes related to challenges such as complexity of assessment, difficulty in instructional delivery and digital divide; and five core themes related to coping mechanisms which include positive well-being, time management, openness to change, peer mentoring, and collaboration. Findings revealed that as education migrates to a New Normal, teachers make necessary preparations to equip themselves with distance learning. Though they face challenges which may hamper their work, they still manage to cope with the new normal to continue their tasks. The higher offices and school authorities should work with teachers at the pre-implementation of distance learning to address their needs in resources and training to effectively facilitate the delivery of quality education for students.

IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal ( IIMRJ) , Joefrey R . Chan , JOANNA MARIE DE BORJA , JAYSON L . DE VERA , RYAN V LANSANGAN , HAZEL DR. SAMALA

This study generally aimed to determine how the theory of constructivism has been translated into pedagogical practices of science teachers among the selected schools in Metro Manila. The study utilized case study adapting passive observation, document analysis and semi-structured interview in the data gathering and thematic interpretation in data analysis. Results uncovered that teachers' practices of planning learning episodes elicit active engagement as an evidence of meaning making. Various learning activities have been conceptualized to thoroughly activate prior knowledge on essential information and concepts and link these to new knowledge being introduced in the lesson through designed activities. The art of questioning has been observed to initiate and induce engagement among learners and was evident in the implementation of different strategies such as pre-assessment, reflection, collaboration, and use of language. Assessment procedures planned and implemented by teachers embodied a constructivist approach in terms of assessing students' understanding of concepts, creation of new knowledge, and integration of ideas to other disciplines. Results of the study further implied to revisit the curricular preparation of teachers in terms of its alignment to the various postulates of constructivist-approach of teaching and learning.

IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal ( IIMRJ) , JAYSON L . DE VERA , CHAELLIE ANGELIE D. MIRANDA , ANGELIKA MAE M. LEGSON , CLENNETH B. CUTAD

Students' perception in teaching serves as a powerful tool in evaluating teachers' performance and formative reviews. This research paper aimed to study the impacts of how teachers taught STEM science subjects to students and how teacher pedagogy affected the students learning. The study followed a descriptive research design, which was quantitative in nature. It was conducted in selected PSOs in Qatar with a total of 143 respondents from Junior and Senior HS selected using stratified random sampling. The instrument used was Student Instructional Report II. Frequency distribution, weighted mean, and percentage were used as statistical tools. Based on the results, the impacts of how STEM teachers teach science offers a positive feedback. Teachers' pedagogy affects how students perceived their subject to be; if the organization and planning of the subject was ineffective, students would then perceive that the subject is difficult. The evaluation results suggest a continuous monitoring of classroom instruction and teaching strategies are required. Teachers should follow the new trends in STEM pedagogy, where it follows a collaborative, integrative, constructivist, and reflective approach for authentic and interactive learning. Most of the respondents learn through audiovisual techniques, laboratory exercises, simulations, group discussions, and the use of computers and technology. Encourage further communication with the students, as it is a vital part of the relationship of teaching.

Teachers' role is to improve the quality of teaching and learning in any content area. It expected that these educators would help shape the basic program into a valuable tool for reorganizing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. In this study, the researcher aimed to determine the relationship between teachers' teaching practices and classroom behavior of Grade 8 students of BANAHIS with the end view of proposing creative teaching methods to facilitate positive behavior towards effective student learning in Science. The research design used was descriptive with a researcher-constructed questionnaire as primary data gathering instrument. Respondents were eight teachers and 108 Grade 8 students. Statistical tools used were frequency, percentage, weighted mean and t-test. Results revealed that majority of the teachers employed cooperative learning as foremost teaching practice. Results also revealed that as to students' behavior and attitude to science learning, teachers cited evidence of enthusiasm and passion in what students learn while student-respondents said that tasks they were asked to perform have value. On acquisition and understanding, teachers revealed evidence of students understanding thoroughly and justifying accounts of phenomena, facts and data while students demonstrated at the end of the lesson the expected knowledge and skills, while on development of skills, applying science inquiry skills in addressing real-world problems through scientific investigations and that students apply science inquiry skills in addressing real-world problems through scientific investigations were evident. The researcher recommends refinement of the proposed creative teaching methods before implementation.

IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal ( IIMRJ) , Mark Gil Vega

The Department of Education (DepEd) has implemented a policy on the Learning Action Cell (LAC) as a Professional Development Strategy for teachers. This policy helps the teacher to collaborate and solve shared challenges in the school. The principal objectives of this study were to investigate the benefits, challenges, and means of implementation of Learning Action Cell of Science teachers in Secondary Schools of DepEd in the National Capital Region. The study used qualitative, multiple case study design employing survey questionnaires, individual interviews, focus group discussions and LAC observations There were five individual interviews, six focus groups, four actual LAC observations, with approximately 59 participants conducted in this case study. The findings revealed that the implementation of LAC concerning the scheduling of sessions is different and inconsistent with other schools. In addition, there is no tool for evaluating the LAC session, no success indicator applied in the school and no LAC model to follow in implementing LAC. There are four themes that emerged in the benefits experienced by science teachers, which include: Better Working Environment, Develop Good Relationship, Professional Growth, Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. The participants in this study identified a number of challenges. They were divided into six themes: Scheduling, Disruption of Classes, Teachers' Availability, LAC Activities, LAC Framework, and Funding. Furthermore, the principal results of the study showed that the implementation of LAC has an impact on teaching science but still, the participants recommended strengthening the LAC through creating a LAC model and development of LAC evaluation to monitor the status of LAC in each school properly.

IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal ( IIMRJ) , MAYUMI B. MORALLO , JEMIL R. ABAY

The study assessed the professional development needs of basic education teachers in upland areas of Goa, Camarines Sur, along with the different domains of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) to create a framework for an extension program. A researcher-made survey-questionnaire was used to capture the data, and the results were statistically treated using weighted mean and percentage technique. Results showed that the majority of the respondents belong to the young population and are relatively new to the service. Also, most of the respondents have attended professional development training; however, most of these training was conducted either locally or school-based. Results also showed that the National Achievement Test scores of most of the identified schools are declining over the last three years. Based on the findings of the study, it recommended that more professional development programs be created to satisfy teachers' needs for further improvement. The design of the programs should be holistic and touch all the domains of the PPST. In addition, the activities under the programs should be of sustained length or duration and should involve experts that may include trainers or coaches from universities and professional development organizations. A framework for an extension program was also proposed.

Science investigatory projects (SIP) provide students the opportunity to apply their gained knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) in Science. This study aimed to implement an intervention program called Project i-CREATE (Intensive Collaboration through Research Enhancement and Advancement Training and Exercise) at San Pablo City Science Integrated High School on school year 2019-2020. Moreover, it attempted to investigate its perceived effectiveness as to learning outcomes and explore the students’ lived experiences. Explanatory sequential design was employed. Survey-questionnaire was used as the main instrument to describe the students’ perceptions. This was administered among 90 respondents who were selected purposively. Mean and standard deviation were computed to analyze the data. Results showed that the students improved their KSA, developed 21st century skills, and became more motivated and interested. Furthermore, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was held among select participants to gather their lived experiences in conducting SIP as exposed to the intervention program. Thematic analysis was used to derive emerging themes such as (1) SIP provides opportunities for improvement and development; and (2) SIP entails challenges such as lack of resources and lack of training that hampers its success. Consequently, there was an increase in the number of science research projects produced, colloquia and forums conducted, partnership, publication, and winning in local science fairs signifying the success of the intervention program. Project i-CREATE helped to develop young researchers and improve the schools’ science research program. Its implementation may be further strengthened through identifying other areas of development and opening its channels for benchmarking. Keywords: action research, project i-CREATE, science research, science investigatory project, San Pablo City Science Integrated High School

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​Why School Absences Have ‘Exploded’ Almost Everywhere

The pandemic changed families’ lives and the culture of education: “Our relationship with school became optional.”

By Sarah Mervosh and Francesca Paris

Sarah Mervosh reports on K-12 education, and Francesca Paris is a data reporter.

In Anchorage, affluent families set off on ski trips and other lengthy vacations, with the assumption that their children can keep up with schoolwork online.

In a working-class pocket of Michigan, school administrators have tried almost everything, including pajama day, to boost student attendance.

And across the country, students with heightened anxiety are opting to stay home rather than face the classroom.

In the four years since the pandemic closed schools, U.S. education has struggled to recover on a number of fronts, from learning loss , to enrollment , to student behavior .

But perhaps no issue has been as stubborn and pervasive as a sharp increase in student absenteeism, a problem that cuts across demographics and has continued long after schools reopened.

Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic, according to the most recent data, from 40 states and Washington, D.C., compiled by the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute . Chronic absence is typically defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days, for any reason.

Source: Upshot analysis of data from Nat Malkus, American Enterprise Institute. Districts are grouped into highest, middle and lowest third.

The increases have occurred in districts big and small, and across income and race. For districts in wealthier areas, chronic absenteeism rates have about doubled, to 19 percent in the 2022-23 school year from 10 percent before the pandemic, a New York Times analysis of the data found.

Poor communities, which started with elevated rates of student absenteeism, are facing an even bigger crisis: Around 32 percent of students in the poorest districts were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year, up from 19 percent before the pandemic.

Even districts that reopened quickly during the pandemic, in fall 2020, have seen vast increases.

“The problem got worse for everybody in the same proportional way,” said Nat Malkus, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who collected and studied the data.

Victoria, Texas reopened schools in August 2020, earlier than many other districts. Even so, student absenteeism in the district has doubled.

Kaylee Greenlee for The New York Times

The trends suggest that something fundamental has shifted in American childhood and the culture of school, in ways that may be long lasting. What was once a deeply ingrained habit — wake up, catch the bus, report to class — is now something far more tenuous.

“Our relationship with school became optional,” said Katie Rosanbalm, a psychologist and associate research professor with the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University.

The habit of daily attendance — and many families’ trust — was severed when schools shuttered in spring 2020. Even after schools reopened, things hardly snapped back to normal. Districts offered remote options, required Covid-19 quarantines and relaxed policies around attendance and grading .

Source: Nat Malkus, American Enterprise Institute . Includes districts with at least 1,500 students in 2019. Numbers are rounded. U.S. average is estimated.

Today, student absenteeism is a leading factor hindering the nation’s recovery from pandemic learning losses , educational experts say. Students can’t learn if they aren’t in school. And a rotating cast of absent classmates can negatively affect the achievement of even students who do show up, because teachers must slow down and adjust their approach to keep everyone on track.

“If we don’t address the absenteeism, then all is naught,” said Adam Clark, the superintendent of Mt. Diablo Unified, a socioeconomically and racially diverse district of 29,000 students in Northern California, where he said absenteeism has “exploded” to about 25 percent of students. That’s up from 12 percent before the pandemic.

U.S. students, overall, are not caught up from their pandemic losses. Absenteeism is one key reason.

Why Students Are Missing School

Schools everywhere are scrambling to improve attendance, but the new calculus among families is complex and multifaceted.

At South Anchorage High School in Anchorage, where students are largely white and middle-to-upper income, some families now go on ski trips during the school year, or take advantage of off-peak travel deals to vacation for two weeks in Hawaii, said Sara Miller, a counselor at the school.

For a smaller number of students at the school who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, the reasons are different, and more intractable. They often have to stay home to care for younger siblings, Ms. Miller said. On days they miss the bus, their parents are busy working or do not have a car to take them to school.

And because teachers are still expected to post class work online, often nothing more than a skeleton version of an assignment, families incorrectly think students are keeping up, Ms. Miller said.

Sara Miller, a counselor at South Anchorage High School for 20 years, now sees more absences from students across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Ash Adams for The New York Times

Across the country, students are staying home when sick , not only with Covid-19, but also with more routine colds and viruses.

And more students are struggling with their mental health, one reason for increased absenteeism in Mason, Ohio, an affluent suburb of Cincinnati, said Tracey Carson, a district spokeswoman. Because many parents can work remotely, their children can also stay home.

For Ashley Cooper, 31, of San Marcos, Texas, the pandemic fractured her trust in an education system that she said left her daughter to learn online, with little support, and then expected her to perform on grade level upon her return. Her daughter, who fell behind in math, has struggled with anxiety ever since, she said.

“There have been days where she’s been absolutely in tears — ‘Can’t do it. Mom, I don’t want to go,’” said Ms. Cooper, who has worked with the nonprofit Communities in Schools to improve her children’s school attendance. But she added, “as a mom, I feel like it’s OK to have a mental health day, to say, ‘I hear you and I listen. You are important.’”

Experts say missing school is both a symptom of pandemic-related challenges, and also a cause. Students who are behind academically may not want to attend, but being absent sets them further back. Anxious students may avoid school, but hiding out can fuel their anxiety.

And schools have also seen a rise in discipline problems since the pandemic, an issue intertwined with absenteeism.

Dr. Rosanbalm, the Duke psychologist, said both absenteeism and behavioral outbursts are examples of the human stress response, now playing out en masse in schools: fight (verbal or physical aggression) or flight (absenteeism).

“If kids are not here, they are not forming relationships,” said Quintin Shepherd, the superintendent in Victoria, Texas.

Quintin Shepherd, the superintendent in Victoria, Texas, first put his focus on student behavior, which he described as a “fire in the kitchen” after schools reopened in August 2020.

The district, which serves a mostly low-income and Hispanic student body of around 13,000, found success with a one-on-one coaching program that teaches coping strategies to the most disruptive students. In some cases, students went from having 20 classroom outbursts per year to fewer than five, Dr. Shepherd said.

But chronic absenteeism is yet to be conquered. About 30 percent of students are chronically absent this year, roughly double the rate before the pandemic.

Dr. Shepherd, who originally hoped student absenteeism would improve naturally with time, has begun to think that it is, in fact, at the root of many issues.

“If kids are not here, they are not forming relationships,” he said. “If they are not forming relationships, we should expect there will be behavior and discipline issues. If they are not here, they will not be academically learning and they will struggle. If they struggle with their coursework, you can expect violent behaviors.”

Teacher absences have also increased since the pandemic, and student absences mean less certainty about which friends and classmates will be there. That can lead to more absenteeism, said Michael A. Gottfried, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. His research has found that when 10 percent of a student’s classmates are absent on a given day, that student is more likely to be absent the following day.

Absent classmates can have a negative impact on the achievement and attendance of even the students who do show up.

Is This the New Normal?

In many ways, the challenge facing schools is one felt more broadly in American society: Have the cultural shifts from the pandemic become permanent?

In the work force, U.S. employees are still working from home at a rate that has remained largely unchanged since late 2022 . Companies have managed to “put the genie back in the bottle” to some extent by requiring a return to office a few days a week, said Nicholas Bloom, an economist at Stanford University who studies remote work. But hybrid office culture, he said, appears here to stay.

Some wonder whether it is time for schools to be more pragmatic.

Lakisha Young, the chief executive of the Oakland REACH, a parent advocacy group that works with low-income families in California, suggested a rigorous online option that students could use in emergencies, such as when a student misses the bus or has to care for a family member. “The goal should be, how do I ensure this kid is educated?” she said.

Relationships with adults at school and other classmates are crucial for attendance.

In the corporate world, companies have found some success appealing to a sense of social responsibility, where colleagues rely on each other to show up on the agreed-upon days.

A similar dynamic may be at play in schools, where experts say strong relationships are critical for attendance.

There is a sense of: “If I don’t show up, would people even miss the fact that I’m not there?” said Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, the commissioner of education in Connecticut.

In her state, a home visit program has yielded positive results , in part by working with families to address the specific reasons a student is missing school, but also by establishing a relationship with a caring adult. Other efforts — such as sending text messages or postcards to parents informing them of the number of accumulated absences — can also be effective.

Regina Murff has worked to re-establish the daily habit of school attendance for her sons, who are 6 and 12.

Sylvia Jarrus for The New York Times

In Ypsilanti, Mich., outside of Ann Arbor, a home visit helped Regina Murff, 44, feel less alone when she was struggling to get her children to school each morning.

After working at a nursing home during the pandemic, and later losing her sister to Covid-19, she said, there were days she found it difficult to get out of bed. Ms. Murff was also more willing to keep her children home when they were sick, for fear of accidentally spreading the virus.

But after a visit from her school district, and starting therapy herself, she has settled into a new routine. She helps her sons, 6 and 12, set out their outfits at night and she wakes up at 6 a.m. to ensure they get on the bus. If they are sick, she said, she knows to call the absence into school. “I’ve done a huge turnaround in my life,” she said.

But bringing about meaningful change for large numbers of students remains slow, difficult work .

Nationally, about 26 percent of students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic.

The Ypsilanti school district has tried a bit of everything, said the superintendent, Alena Zachery-Ross. In addition to door knocks, officials are looking for ways to make school more appealing for the district’s 3,800 students, including more than 80 percent who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. They held themed dress-up days — ’70s day, pajama day — and gave away warm clothes after noticing a dip in attendance during winter months.

“We wondered, is it because you don’t have a coat, you don’t have boots?” said Dr. Zachery-Ross.

Still, absenteeism overall remains higher than it was before the pandemic. “We haven’t seen an answer,” she said.

Data provided by Nat Malkus, with the American Enterprise Institute. The data was originally published on the Return to Learn tracker and used for the report “ Long COVID for Public Schools: Chronic Absenteeism Before and After the Pandemic .”

The analysis for each year includes all districts with available data for that year, weighted by district size. Data are sourced from states, where available, and the U.S. Department of Education and NCES Common Core of Data.

For the 2018-19 school year, data was available for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For 2022-23, it was available for 40 states and D.C., due to delays in state reporting.

Closure length status is based on the most in-person learning option available. Poverty is measured using the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. School size and minority population estimates are from NCES CCD.

How absenteeism is measured can vary state by state, which means comparisons across state lines may not be reliable.

An earlier version of this article misnamed a research center at Duke University. It is the Center for Child and Family Policy, not the Center of Child and Family Policy.