The Global Pandemic and Education

A number of MBD Marketing & Events' clients are those that work with children and/or education. The global pandemic has had a significant impact on students and educators in the past year... and their families. Thompson Education Foundation is one of these clients.

​School is almost out for the summer! It was not an easy school year for anyone, from going to full time remote learning to a blended learning and in some districts even back to full time in person (with limitations of how many students could gather and the mandatory wearing of masks). Teachers, parents, students and school staff members all had to learn how to adapt and succeed through a school year full of random and sudden changes. 

Looking back on the 2020-2021 school year has brought up some questions and concerns. How did the pandemic effect students and their families?

​ Are students thriving or suffering from the remote learning and blended school experiences? And what did our wonderful Thompson Education Foundation do to help out these students and families during all of these uncertain times?
 
Students’ education has taken a pretty serious hit since the pandemic began. The sudden change in the learning environment and materials has really thrown a curve ball at our students who are so used to school being in person with their teacher and peers.

​According to the University of Colorado, 58.2% of students felt as though the pandemic negatively impacted their learning environment and 76.8% of students felt like finding motivation to complete assignments was harder at home.[1] Switching to a different style of learning was not an easy process and many students struggled to adapt to these changes.
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[1] https://www.colorado.edu/artssciences-advising/2020/05/01/how-remote-learning-has-affected-students-learning-environment-and-motivation-levels
 

On a happier note some students have found that remote learning is right up their alley! The Denver Post interviewed a student from West Early College in Denver and she has noticed a change in her younger sibling “All the sudden she’s an independent learner and she’s taken charge of her education in a new way that wasn’t possible under the old regime,” St. Marie said.[1]

Remote learning has given students the opportunity to do their school work on their own schedule giving a lot of freedom to them. Edutopia interviewed at student who stated, “The reason I enjoy online learning is because of the opportunity to structure my day efficiently,” wrote a 10th grade student in English teacher Katie Burrows-Stone’s class survey. “I am able to workout, relax, and complete the work in a timely manner, with no distractions.”[2]
 
“Thompson Education Foundation (TEF) and the Literacy Committee of Loveland Rotary Club each committed $10,000 ($20,000 total) to support remote learning for students. The first acquisition was 5,000 books for students who were participating in TSD’s emergency food distribution program. The books were purchased for all grade levels, PreK-12 and were available to students. In addition, Thompson Education Foundation supplied 500 school supply kits to supplement at-home learning for elementary and secondary students without access to supply resources at home. Since forming in 1989, Thompson Education Foundation has been contributing to ensure student opportunities and success for Thompson School District students.”[3]
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If you would like to help this effort, please use our "Donate" link to help those impacted in our TSD community.
https://www.thompsontef.org/donate


[1] https://www.denverpost.com/2021/01/01/colorado-covid-education-changed-schools-teacher/
[2] https://www.edutopia.org/article/why-are-some-kids-thriving-during-remote-learning
[3] https://www.facebook.com/ThompsonEducationFoundation

​Overall, everyone experienced their own ups and downs over the course of this school year. Hopefully summer will help refresh and clear up some of the mass chaos we all had to go through together. Luckily we have foundations like TEF to join with our community to help take care of those who were lacking the resources they needed to make it through the school year.

​Looking forward a new school year where even though things will still be different than before the pandemic, we can all be prepared and ready and know that we can get through anything as long as we stick together!