Emergency Home Learning – Inclusive education should be

Inclusive education should be factored into future plans if distance education is not offered because too many students, approximately 15-20% in most school districts, depend on “educational support” or “special intensive education. Although composite classrooms are not ideal for all children or adolescents with special needs, they tend to be smaller and small enough to be classified as “class bubbles” that meet most public health guidelines in the event of a pandemic. Slowly but surely, evidence is emerging that the three-month experience of “home schooling in emergencies” in 2020 was a “total disaster. “A recent report by Toronto Life investigative journalist Reisel Robin painted a disturbing picture of the introduction of e-learning on the Toronto County School Board in March and April 2020. Interviews with students, school district reports and investigative journalism are beginning to show where e-learning has gone wrong and what needs to be corrected next time. The most vulnerable children and needy students who live in poverty or face serious learning difficulties lost their “support system” and their families were forced to protect themselves without personal education. Provincial Testing and Reporting: Commitment to support provincial and national testing systems so that students, parents, and the public can evaluate student performance and gain insight into the real impact of school closures on learning and school skills development. Support for the poor and excluded: School systems exist to support all, especially children and young people living in poverty or facing learning difficulties or difficult needs, and this is something to do next time. Rather than focusing almost exclusively on HVAC safety and health, it is time to focus more on what is ultimately important – education and learning – the core function of K-12 education. Our system, which has a reputation for being one of the best in the world, has suffered from power outages, which have left educators barely able to master new technologies, and the vast majority of children in family isolation have been forced to “mind their own business”, usually according to vague and volatile guidelines for home schooling. A rapid and unplanned transition to distance learning disrupted the Canadian school system, changing the lives of nearly 5 million children and families and their teachers. Three-month school closures are expected to affect student performance, particularly the development of basic skills in 1-6 years and academic preparation for higher education and the modern world of work. Simulating face-to-face learning as much as possible means that much higher priority is given to synchronized learning or online learning in real time via video, interactive media, or text messaging. Director John Malloy, who left the Toronto Council, trusted his teachers so much that he thought it was “extremely inappropriate” for teachers to follow the time teachers spent in direct contact with their students, as this would demonstrate a lack of confidence in them as professionals. Seven provinces eventually decided to go back to regular schooling entirely, while the other three provinces – Ontario, New Brunswick and Manitoba – continued to provide some form of e-learning from grades 9 through 12. To date, no school board, including TDCB, has produced a reliable and comprehensive report on student attendance, scheduled meeting attendance, grade levels and completion rates.