Student Reflections on Remote Learning

This is part of a series of posts we are sharing with reflections from students and educators about their experiences during remote learning.

The quotes above are just a few of the reflections we heard from high school students who shared their experiences with remote learning during our Students Speak professional development workshop delivered to educators in early June. 

We encourage all parents and educators to listen deeply to how their students have felt during this time of change and upheaval. 

Here are a few questions to ask students to encourage them to reflect on their recent experiences:

• In what ways have you felt more/less engaged with learning during quarantine?  
• What is one thing you wish your teachers knew about your experience in this situation?  
• Compared to how you felt pre-quarantine, in what ways have you felt more/less balanced or overloaded? In what ways have you felt more/less stress? 
• What are you finding time to do or explore that you did not have time for pre-quarantine?

Another, simple yet powerful way to understand how students are feeling right now is to ask students to complete the statement:  “I Wish My Teachers Knew...” or “I Wish My Parents Knew…” Educators can do this remotely via an anonymous survey or parents can carve out time and space to ask their own kids these questions. 

Two students from Folsom High School, Scarlett Kniznik and Arash Dewan, created a powerful audio piece that drew together “I Wish” statements gathered from students around the country. Listen here.