Best Practices for Distance Learning in Elementary Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The impact on elementary education, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has far reaching effects and can only be ameliorated by educators following best practices in distance learning. The purpose of this chapter is to bring to teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, students, and parents innovative, effective ways to bring quality lessons at appropriate developmental levels to all students regardless of cultural backgrounds (i.e., second language learners, students qualified for special education, or those pupils hampered by trauma, homelessness, and/or mental health issues). This chapter will further describe through illustrations and step-by-step guides creating meaningful, interactive, and purposeful lessons to meet student needs based on assessment.

The Correlation Between Participation in Extracurricular Activities and Student Engagement During Distance Learning

The research described in this chapter aimed to find the correlation between participation in virtual extracurricular activities (ECAs) and student engagement during distance learning at a secondary school located in Northern California. Data was gathered on current student engagement through grades, attendance, teacher perception, and student and legal guardian opinion during the first two quarters of the 2020-2021 school year. Furthermore, data was gathered on student, teacher, and legal guardian opinions on the correlation between participation in virtual ECAs and student engagement during distance learning. The data revealed that there is a significant loss of student engagement during distance learning and that students are not participating in virtual ECA's due to a lack of interest. This data can be corroborated by the number of Ds and Fs students are obtaining which indicates a significant loss in student academic success. Looking forward to increase student engagement, the school must focus on creating virtual ECAs that pertain to student interest.

Building Toddlers' Language/Literacy Proficiency Through Parental Interventions During the Pandemic

This chapter will review research on early language development of toddlers from casual talk (CT) used in the home. Around age two there is the transition to academic talk (AT), which has a significant effect on later academic performance. AT requires embedding academic vocabulary (word level), complex syntax (sentence level), decontextualized topics (discourse level), and analytic and reflective discourse. The process of reading to toddlers embedding written academic language (WAL) can be expanded through encouraging storytelling narratives (STN).

COVID-19 Virtual Dilemma

This qualitative study explored the parental support of K-12 students with mathematics during the COVID-19 pandemic. A digital, open-ended survey was completed by parents or caregivers to examine the role they played in their student's school day with a specific focus on the challenges and successes of mathematics learning. The survey was administered after six to eight weeks of remote instruction with at least four weeks of remote instruction remaining. Parents supported learning by teaching, facilitating, promoting independence, and providing resources. Parents mentioned several challenges and some successes during at home mathematics learning. Challenges included student motivation, lack of tools, gaps in learning, and technology access. While some parents reported no successes, others mentioned completing work, reviewing and mastering concepts, and building confidence.

COVID-19 and the Growth Mindset

The pervasive shelter in place mandates of March 2020 forced all educators to precipitously migrate to online education. After grappling with myriad technical concerns such as hardware, software, and internet connectivity, educators began addressing more complex issues such as a new, different online pedagogy. Other hurdles to virtual education included appropriate curricular adaptations, modifications to instructional delivery and assessment, and evolving parameters of social engagement. This chapter explores the intersection of the pandemic and the growth mindset which many educators manifested during online migration, often with no preparation and under the duress of immediacy. Successfully navigating such a large magnitude of change challenged educators, and their ability to embrace a growth mindset often facilitated more positive outcomes with online teaching and learning. The silver lining of the dark cloud of COVID-19 was its unexpected intersection with the growth mindset, leading teachers and learners to develop new skills, abilities, and potentialities.

Issues Faced by Special Educators Around the World During the Pandemic

“Issues Faced by Special Educators Around the World During the Pandemic” examines the context of various countries and the education they provide to students when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Within this context, various concerns which arose at the outset as well as interventions which have been initiated to provide education to children and youth, support to families, and efforts to empower teachers and parents to provide alternatives to in-person instruction are examined. Discussion follows considering which of these interventions may be continued after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maintaining a Firm Social Justice Lens During a Public Health Crisis

School preparedness for national emergencies and natural disasters has long been part of the literature on global education. The recent COVID-19 crisis, however, has demonstrated the degree to which this literature had to date been ignored by school administrators in the Global North, and dismissed as a topic mostly relevant to Global South countries facing armed conflict, political instability, and lacking resources to address natural disasters. The global pandemic has been sustained, severe, and has led to the full or partial closure of schools in many Global North jurisdictions. While emergency measures have sought to maintain basic educational services, little focus has been given to inclusion and to the needs of diverse learners. In the absence of structured responses, parental support has become a key solution for many districts, and concepts such as the learning pod have popped up in various countries. These strategies have exacerbated inequities rather than offered sustainable and socially just responses. This chapter draws lessons from these initiatives.

The Importance of Focus on Mental Health During a Pandemic

A focus on mental health is paramount in importance during the COVID-19 pandemic! This chapter is devoted to how parents, teachers, children, and other professionals can maintain a modicum of sanity while the media touts the devasting effects of this global crisis. Various tools and coping mechanisms will be explored such as a positive outlook to combat the influence of the hyperbole espoused by the media and how to maintain one's focus for optimal health amidst the suffering caused by the pandemic. How fears can be assuaged in light of the risks associated with COVID-19 will be explored while simultaneously exploring one's passion to keep motivation to do what enhances life while the disease ravages the globe. An emphasis on cultivating social emotional principles will be a major aspect of the chapter as well as developing clarity through maintaining disciplined principles of organization for body and mind.

COVID-19's Impact on the Design of Multiple/Single-Subject Bilingual Teaching Authorization in California

This chapter will investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the design and structure of a newly developed multiple single (MS) and single subject (SS) teaching credential with bilingual authorization program in California. A review of recent changes in California's education policy regarding bilingual/dual language education will be presented as context for the discussion on the design of program coursework with embedded bilingual field experiences and culminating in bilingual clinical practice. Impact of COVID-19 will be analyzed from the perspective of design features with implementation provisions and program variations for a bilingual delivery of instruction virtually in the context of bilingual clinical practice. Final assessment of professional teaching performance will be completed by the California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA 3.0) in a bilingual delivery setting. Future research considerations will be discussed for bilingual virtual teacher preparation.

Impact of COVID-19 on Student Success

This chapter explored the impact of COVID-19 on candidates enrolled in Education Specialist credential programs at a private institute of higher education (IHEs) in California. COVID-19 impacted humankind globally and specifically interrupted formal education at educational institutional levels. Many IHEs offer their programs in a face-to-face, online, or hybrid modality to ensure candidates have access to school sites and complete their fieldwork hours requirements. The quarantine impacted teacher candidates at many levels especially interns employed in K-12 special education classroom settings. The authors drew data from three sources available at the university: (1) Special Education Student Success Faculty (SSF) team's DFWUI referrals, (2) SSF's weekly meeting minutes, and (3) university's data wellness. This data was analyzed and examined. Findings informed program directors on strategic program planning based on lessons learned from this historic pandemic.