In the midst of virtual classrooms, in-person learning, and the constant back-and-forth between the two, it’s easy to worry that our kids are lagging academically. Maybe your kindergarteners aren’t reading yet, your third-graders are struggling with multiplication, or your high schoolers are missing key chemistry concepts. But here’s a reality check: your kids are not falling behind. They’re simply surviving a global pandemic.
My partner, who teaches high school, acknowledges that our educational standards are designed to prepare children for the workforce or military service. This means we’ve created a system that prioritizes productivity over knowledge. So, what does it mean when we say children are “falling behind”? What exactly are we measuring?
A school superintendent might proudly proclaim, “Standards!” But whose standards are we really discussing? As Rita Kohli points out in an essay, these benchmarks often reflect the values of upper-middle-class white culture. Many established standards carry inherent biases, leading us to unfairly evaluate our children based on these narrow metrics. It’s time to rethink this perspective. Do we want to judge our kids through a lens that is biased and exclusionary? No? Then let’s stop labeling them as falling short.
Learning is not a one-size-fits-all process. For example, my son could identify various amphibians by age five but struggled to differentiate between “b” and “d.” Children learn at their own pace, and they aren’t falling behind because of a pandemic. If they are, it’s only in relation to arbitrary standards that often lack real significance.
These standards are rooted in the belief that children must be ready for adulthood by age eighteen, when they can join the workforce or the military. Society has decided that this is the age of maturity, and as such, we’ve designed our educational system to prepare them for this transition. The pandemic has shown us that school also serves as a form of childcare for many families.
When we claim children are “falling behind,” what we really mean is that they might not be prepared for the workforce by eighteen — a potentially catastrophic outcome in our productivity-driven society.
Interestingly, it seems that privilege plays a role in how we perceive maturity. Prince William can take a gap year without facing judgment, while suggesting your child do the same could raise eyebrows. The affluent often have the luxury of time for self-discovery, making it seem acceptable to lag behind academically.
Our children are facing an unprecedented challenge. They will not forget the lessons learned during this time. They are discovering the importance of wearing masks for the safety of others, learning to navigate challenging social dynamics without external interactions, and finding ways to entertain themselves in limited spaces. They are growing in empathy and resilience, and while they may not be mastering long division or social studies, they are exceeding expectations in ways that truly matter.
This pandemic has taught our kids invaluable lessons about compassion and adaptability. They are not falling behind; rather, they are thriving in a world that demands flexibility and understanding.
For more insights on navigating this journey, check out this blog post. Additionally, for those considering options for starting a family, Make a Mom offers comprehensive resources. For a deeper understanding of the methods involved, Wikipedia provides an excellent overview of artificial insemination.
Search Queries:
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Summary:
Children today are not falling behind academically due to the pandemic; rather, they are adapting and learning critical life skills in empathy and resilience. Traditional educational standards often reflect biased cultural norms, and it’s important to reassess what it means to succeed. Instead of worrying about academic performance, we should celebrate the important lessons our kids are learning during these challenging times.
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