S9 E4: Post Pandemic Concerns

 Studies have shown the cumulative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the educational setting. This impact includes learning loss but also how we interact with one another. In today's episode, Drs. Lisa Dieker and Rebecca Hines talk about post-pandemic learning concerns. Please tune in to hear some of their tips on increasing students' executive function skills and the importance of including more movement in the classroom.

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Transcript

Lisa Dieker: 0:03

Welcome to Practical Access. I'm Lisa Dieker. And

Rebecca Hines: 0:06

I'm Rebecca Hines. And today, Lisa, I'm asking you to tell us about your post pandemic concerns. In our profession. I think this is something that's on a lot of people's minds. And I know everybody's seeing a lot of research on different, you know, losses and learning loss over the pandemic. So we're asking an expert, you know, what's concerning you? And is there anything we can

Lisa Dieker: 0:33

I'm gonna actually turn it into my favorite thing. Because there are three things that I'm really right, honing in on with teachers to say, look, what we did during the pandemic. So everybody reflect for just a second. I know, we're trying not to go there for long. But when you sit in a zoom box, it doesn't matter how good of a teacher you are, you can only do so many breakouts, gonna love this, only the clarifier can call me over. So I've had 21 kids in my class, there's only seven kids that can talk to me. Because I want the kids to talk to each other. Then we have a kid who is the manager, police person who's kind of managing the group, make sure he's on task behavior. And then we have a third student who's either the predictor or the artists are a movement person.

Rebecca Hines: 3:11

Okay, I love that. Now, I'm gonna I'm gonna push back a little bit. It's not even pushing back. Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna suggest a layer. Yeah. And you can agree or disagree. So there is a lot of research on kids who are gifted, and some of our other high fliers that when they feel with when they are in a group that is is created in that way, they become resentful, or overly

Lisa Dieker: 4:31

That's a scientific term. But somebody who's not as assertive now,

Rebecca Hines: 4:37

then it feels like I'm not trying to make you do it my way. I am just stating my opinion so strongly, and somebody who doesn't, you know, push back then they feel like they've been steamrolled. So maybe, maybe it's that we just start to think about how do we create these heterogeneous groups and we don't We'll say, okay, the A group is this the B group is this what this? But it's like, you know, here's Monday, Wednesday, Friday groups, here's Tuesday, Thursday groups, you know, something like that. What do you think?

Lisa Dieker: 5:09

Yeah, so I don't disagree at all. And I think just like, I think we need alternative teach in both directions and grouping. But what I'm talking about a little bit different is building this community. Because if in the model, I'm suggesting everybody's in a role they're gifted at, I gotcha. And so I'm not saying do all your academic tasks that way, but hold the group accountable for

Rebecca Hines: 6:31

I agree. I do. I do. I do think that we need to be aware of increasing student to student interaction, which is what you're saying. So your first tip is increase student to student interaction with a purpose,

Lisa Dieker: 6:48

correct and lower your talk as a teacher. So your teachers have to talk student, a student. And then my final one is I just I just like, I want to scream when I say this one. But I've walked through multiple building after building after building. And we still have kids in their blue taped bubbles, and they're never moving. And so I look at it. And at the end of the day, all these

Rebecca Hines: 7:50

I think that's those are all great tips. And I want to close my thoughts on this topic, my brother's an elementary Special Ed teacher. And, you know, we talk all the time about the fact that the younger kids who have come through without an opportunity to get some of those skills of following directions, and even understanding, like you said, the collaboration piece because they

Lisa Dieker: 8:34

a parent of an only child. I know exactly what would happen.

Rebecca Hines: 8:37

they didn't have anybody even practice that skill. They didn't have the practice of following the directions of somebody other than the parent. Yeah, you know, so they don't have some of the structural pieces. So I do think we have to focus on some some structures early on, and have a patience with kids because everybody came through something different during the pandemic,

Lisa Dieker: 8:55

and I'm going to just end by teachers be nice to yourself, you're saints, and you really, really, really deserve your time, manicures, pedicures, walk the dog, go to the beach, whatever you need to do, because I do think that these things will help learners but only if you can take care of yourself. So we thank you for joining us. And if you have questions, please send us a tweet app