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Lessons Learned from Pandemic Pre-K
Kristen Poisson
Article
Lessons Learned from Pandemic Pre-K
When education as the world knew it was turned upside down in the spring of 2020, educators around the world had to act fast to creatively provide access to learning for students of all ages. In the world of early childhood education, the pandemic posed obstacles that challenged the basic fundamentals of how students learn and develop. There were many changes instituted in elementary and secondary schools across the country that simply would not work in the early childhood setting. Our young students need to move and play, often in close proximity to one another, in order to learn in a developmentally appropriate way. The perseverance and dedication of early childhood educators made the seemingly impossible possible and young children across the country continued their education in less orthodox ways.
During a normal school year, the Bright Beginnings Center in Hopedale, Massachusetts looks like many other early childhood buildings across our nation. Typically, around 100 preschoolers between the ages of 2.9 to 5.5 years fill eight classes across the school day. As the early childhood program for the public school district, special education services, and evaluations are provided throughout the school year. Staff members know the importance of learning through play and using hands-on learning opportunities to promote a child’s development.
On March 13, 2020, like students across the country, Hopedale’s preschoolers unknowingly left the physical school building for the school year. In the months that followed, early childhood education took on changes many never would have expected and provided us, as educators, lessons to learn from.
As students around the world turned to computer and tablet screens to connect with their teachers and classmates, this mode of learning proved to be difficult for the youngest of children. In addition to the known health concerns linked with keep young minds engaged during larger group activities, much as they do in the physical classroom environment. Teachers continued to connect with students and build relationships, even through the difficulties. Virtual learning also helped forge relationships between teachers and the caregivers supporting young students at home with online learning.
During the spring of 2020 and the subsequent school year, parents were given a front row seat to the daily learning going on in their child’s virtual classroom and in some cases,
this presented more opportunities for communication. Virtual meetings between teachers and caregivers allowed for flexibility that in person meetings sometimes do not provide. In addition, rather than focus on live virtual learning opportunities, many early childhood educators focused on supporting families to provide more enriching at home learning experiences.
too much screen time, preschoolers and kindergarteners often lack the attention span to attend to virtual lessons for extended amounts of time. Virtual learning for preschoolers could not look the same as it did for elementary and secondary learners. As educators worked through the challenges of navigating virtual learning, they were also able to find the strategies that worked best for the age group. Small group and one-onone opportunities to connect virtually with a teacher gave children more opportunities for interaction and less wait time. Music and movement helped “For remote learning activities that were directed to families, ECE and ECSE teachers reported sharing learning activities with
families, checking in with families over email, sending families links to websites, and giving families suggestions to support parent-child relationships” (Steed, 2021).
No matter how teachers were interacting with students and families, throughout the process of distance learning in early childhood education, engagement was key. Like in the physical classroom, young children require versatile teaching to remain invested in lessons and activities. One strategy for achieving high engagement is focusing on the interests of the students. Doing this virtually gave teachers an opportunity to learn more about their students, their interests, and their learning styles.
Perhaps the greatest impact of the pandemic on young children has been the social-emotional repercussion. Children have had fewer opportunities to learn social-emotional skills first hand because of the shutdown and the implications on social situations. Many children who are now beginning preschool have little to no experience with children outside their immediate families when in the past families may have frequented parks or playgroups before starting school.
“In an environment with social restrictions — where play and leisure activities are only possible within the home environment; where people wear masks and the learning of facial expressions, communication, and language is restricted; and where demonstrating affection is discouraged by many — there is a tendency towards limitations in the formation of certain areas of the brain, including the social brain, with consequent impairment in the acquisition of cognitive, behavioral, social, and communication skills” (de Araujo, 2021).
Teachers are now made to rethink their approach to social-emotional learning as students enter school for the first time.
When a cohort of children begins preschool, considerable time is spent on teaching routines, expectations, and school readiness skills. However, with the limited social exposure, many children have faced in the last year, even more, time needs to be spent on basic cooperative play skills and how to function at school in a group of peers. In addition, the physical endurance of making it through a school day is another concern since most children have been at home and not in a daycare setting before starting preschool. Using children’s literature focused on social-emotional skills such as friendships, emotional literacy, self-control, and problem-
solving, can help to foster thinking and discussions about these skills in an age appropriate manner. Teacherdirected opportunities for small group cooperative play and friendship skills can also be helpful for the age group.
The school years spanning 2020 and 2021 have been unlike anything seen in recent times. Educators and families have both made considerable changes, sacrifices, and modifications to early childhood learning to help students best develop and grow. As we continue to move forward during a global pandemic, one thing is certain—the relationship between home and school is of the utmost importance for student success. Both educators and parents working together for the common goal of student success breeds excellence from even the earliest ages. Steed, E.A., Leech, N. Shifting to Remote Learning During COVID-19: Differences for Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education
Teachers. Early Childhood Educ J 49, 789–798 (2021). https://doi.
org/10.1007/s10643-021-01218-w
Kristen Poisson, M.Ed., is the Principal of the Bright Beginnings Center, the early childhood education program for the Hopedale Public School in Hopedale, Massachusetts. The Bright Beginnings Center focuses on providing a strong social emotional foundation for early student success in all learning areas. Formerly a first grade classroom teacher and reading specialist, this is Kristen’s fourth year as a building administrator in Hopedale. When not at school, Kristen enjoys spending time with her three children, husband, and dogs.
References
de Araújo, Liubiana Arantes, Cássio
Frederico Veloso, Matheus de Campos Souza, João Marcos Coelho de Azevedo, Giulio Tarro. The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child growth and development: a systematic review.
Jornal de Pediatria. Vol. 97, Issue 4, 369-377 (2021). https://doi.
