Returning to In-Person Learning Suggestions for At-Risk Students

The 2021-22 school year will be different.  Schools across the country will likely return to in-person learning. This is despite the continual spread of the Delta virus variant, the potential for additional virus mutations, the lack of an approved vaccine for children under 12, the resistance from Americans who have pointedly politicized safety protocols for the pandemic, and regular vaccine hesitancy.

The national mood is so polarized that federally mandated protocols could be viewed by some as “tyranny” instead of public safety. Therefore, parents and students across the nation have legitimate reasons for anxiety. According to the U.S. Department of Education report “Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts of COVID-19 on America’s Students,” the gaps in education opportunities, access, achievement, and outcomes only widened during the pandemic and are expected to continue to do so.  This is especially true for at-risk students.

At-Risk Students Have Added Challenges

The term “at-risk” describes students whose circumstances threaten their ability to complete their education. These circumstances may include homelessness, incarceration, health issues, financial deficiency, or transiency (as is the situation for many migrant worker families). Academic factors related to learning also apply like learning challenges, English language acquisition, or even behavior issues. In addition, many students in America, at-risk and not, have faced challenges related to access to technology for on-line learning, food insecurity, economic hardship, mental health issues, and even loss of family members during the pandemic. This list encompasses many families in the U.S.

So, if your family has faced any of these critical circumstances, here are 7 suggestions that may ease the transition back to in-person learning.

1.  Make duaa.

 There is never a time that we as Muslims should begin anything without saying Bismillah!  Allah, The Most High, reassured Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and us in the Holy Quran, “So indeed, with hardship will come ease.” (Surah 94:5)

2.  Be patient with the situation and yourselves.

As parents you will have to validate your child’s feelings. At-risk students are typically aware that their struggles for education are a bit more than others. So, anxiety may run high, but don’t encourage feelings of defeat. Set the tone and expectations. Once you as a parent decide to put your child back to in-person learning, then be sure, calm, positive, reassuring, and ready to listen to your child, and give them real answers, feedback, and support to move ahead.  Resiliency is the only way to defeat doubt. Even if you feel that your child has fallen behind others, that does not mean they can’t catch up and succeed. Be patient with the situation as there are many moving parts and with yourselves. In a pertinent hadith, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, tells us, “… There is no gift that is better and more comprehensive than patience.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6470, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1053)

3.  Establish a Routine.

Give your children a predictable routine leading up to their return to in-person learning.  Routines help all children feel things are getting back to normal and generally decrease anxiety. As an at-risk student you and your child are already familiar with the accommodation protocols educators put in place which typically involve maintaining a particular discipline in behavior, study practices, and reinforcement. Attend to these details and your routine.

4.  Be flexible.

As students return to in-person learning, expect things to change constantly. The school and country will have to respond to the changing dynamic of the virus and its spread.  At-risk students need routine, so the constant changes can cause disruptions in behavior or even retention of information learned. Expect that support will require work. Clear your schedule to help with homework. Prepare for progress to be erratic at first. Be flexible using multisensory objects, active reading, or chunking information to help your student so they are not overwhelmed. Ask for help from school administrators that will be uniquely suited for your child.

5.  Put safety measures in place.

The school your child returns to may or may not have safety measures that you are satisfied completely protect from transmission of the virus. This is to be expected until the virus threat is eradicated. Don’t wait for the school! Safeguard your own child. This may involve having them wear a mask even if the school does not mandate it. Instruct your child to wash and disinfect their hands frequently. Discuss safety practices before school begins. If your child has behavior issues that might make them forget easily or if they become resistant, put in consequence and reward protocols. For learning-challenged students you can insist that classroom personnel do enforce reminders for your student to do on their own. Just put your action plan in writing for them. There is a relevant hadith to keep in mind.

Anas ibn Malik reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Tie her and trust in Allah.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 251)                                                                               

6.  Respect social distancing.

Medical and civil authorities all over the world agree that social distancing decreases the spread of coronavirus. Discuss with your child how to not put themselves or others at risk.  If your child does not have the capacity to heed this protocol – whether that is physically, mentally, or behaviorally – then you may want to consider whether in-person learning is the best option for your child. Indeed, 15 centuries ago, Sa’d reported that Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, told the believers, “If you hear of a plague in a land, then do not go into it. If it happens in land where you are, then do not go out of it.” (Sahih al Bukhari 5396, Sahih Muslim 221

7.  Stay engaged.

As a parent stay engaged in your child’s education. At-risk students typically have a support system or learning plan in place (like being pulled from the classroom for an ELL session or allowed extra times for tests, etc.). Insist that these things are reinstated or re-accessed as soon as possible. Remember, the administration, staff and teaching personnel are returning to school as well, and everything will not be in place automatically like it used to be. If you don’t have full language proficiency, are displaced or are financially or nutritionally deficient, don’t hesitate to immediately seek support services to decrease the negative impact of those factors on your student. As a parent, you must always be your child’s advocate. Call and repeatedly follow up on requests for access or accommodation that increases your child’s ability to achieve academic success.

For further information, check out the U.S. Department of Education’s report titled Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts of COVID-19 on America’s Students.  

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/20210608-impacts-of-covid19.pdf