I’ve had so many friends and family ask what going back to school looks like post-COVID lockdown. As schools around the world consider reopening for fall in-person classes, I thought I would do a quick write up on how it has worked for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year here in Germany, and what my kids are saying.
First, it’s important to qualify this with a few caveats:
- My kids are not in the local German public schools. These schools have gone back as well but I imagine the situation looks a little different and each German school is, from what I hear, trying to figure out what’s best for its campus.
- My kids’ school is small and international with only 1,600 kids in K through 12. I am well aware some of what the school is doing wouldn’t scale to our home school district (Fairfax County Public Schools).
- There was no guidance on how the school was supposed to make this happen, merely lots of brain power from smart minds, discussions with other international schools, and trial and error. It’s kind of scary but fun–there’s no rule book for how to resume daily life after a pandemic scare.
Lockdown Begins: March 13
On March 13, our school had sent a very lengthy email about how school would proceed the following week: restricting parents on campus, requiring daily temperature checks, lots of hygiene reminders, change in lunchtime seating, etc. Within hours of that email, it was moot. School closed. The German government closed all schools, and international schools had to follow suit.
Having contemplated this scenario, the school spent the previous six weeks preparing its Distance Learning Programs (DLP) for students via Zoom. That included training teachers, ensuring digital tools were distributed, and setting student expectations. Something many local German schools could not do because of less school technology.
After the March 13 school closure, classes resumed on March 18 on Zoom. The kids pushed through almost two months (plus a spring break) of online learning, following their same daily schedule with some slight modifications. But for all intents and purposes, it was a full school day with lectures, tests, papers, and projects. The school basically mapped a physical school day onto Zoom–the kids attended the same classes, at the same hours, with the same teachers, just virtually.
Teachers quickly adjusted their lesson plans and adapted to new technology and pedagogy in a very short time frame. Many while parenting their own children simultaneously at home. And many of these teachers were rock stars adapting to these extreme circumstances. Good teachers are good regardless of online, in person, or some challenging combo of both. (See below for that model.)
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Reopening Plans: Mid April
Mid-April, the German government (again our state specifically) announced schools could reopen to students in the final years and then if that worked well, other grades would be allowed back in the building in some capacity. Our school’s crisis team spent countless hours devising a phase-in plan for the entire school.
The building crew began right away with logistics to make it all happen. The entire campus is now covered with signs reminding kids to wear a mask, stay to the right on stairs/hallways, and wash their hands. Colored taped lines and Xs fill the entryway, cafeteria and other common areas letting kids know where to safely stand or sit. Hand sanitizer dispensers hang in every nook and cranny.
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Phasing In: Split Schedules and Student Choice
Beginning with grade 12 the first week of May and then grade 11, the school was able to test its methods and easily tweak things that didn’t work quickly with a small number of kids who would more than likely comply with rules. Check out this promotional video the school created to prepare families.
Teachers in a high risk category or above age 60 could decide to teach in class or via Zoom.
Grades 6 through 10 were divided in half as government guidance is 15 kids per classroom. The school then put the kids on alternating days of physical school or distance learning. Students were given the option to come to school on their day “in school” or could stay home and continue with DLP. Their choice. That allowed for families with high-risk family members or those who did get sick to still stay home and learn.
Over the course of two more weeks, the rest of the student body came back to campus. (As of today, all grades are back at school in some capacity.) The younger grades attend half day to eliminate lunch periods. I do realize this would unlikely not work in the US since so many low-income students rely heavily on school lunches as a guaranteed meal.
The older grades staying for lunch though can bring lunch or purchase a meal in a pre-packaged lunch bag but have to stay seated far apart from each other, or can go outside.
The goal for coming back to school was two fold:
- To test this new hybrid method for the fall. Administrators and teachers knew trialing this new model would better prepare everyone for any adjustments in the future.
- To give students the chance to come back, see friends, and say goodbye. With an international school, a huge population of families leaves at the end of the year for new adventures.
The New Normal: Daily Life at School
During their days on campus, my kids said most classes have between 6 to 12 of their classmates– desks separated 2 meters apart. Again, I am aware their initial small classes make this do-able. For the most part the windows are expected to be left open to allow for extra ventilation (which is made easier as the school is not air-conditioned).
The kids do have to generally wear masks. They are required to wear masks on the bus, as they enter school, the hallways, and all common areas. While they were initially hesitant about wearing them, it’s become part of the routine. They are not required to wear them while sitting in class or when outside. But, outside, they remain 2 meter apart and they do have staff patrolling to make sure they comply.
On those at-home days, they are online and “present in class” with the rest of their peers. The school is calling this hybrid learning. The teachers may project the students profiles up on the Smartboard or have other kids logged in to Zoom so everyone is “together.” It’s totally teacher dependent and some seem to have figured out the right formula. It’s all by trial and error.
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Kids’ Take on the New Normal
Clearly our school has made impressive efforts to keep educating through this pandemic, but I’m not sure if this hybrid model is a long-term solution. While some children at least say they prefer distance learning via Zoom, our kids hate it. And will openly share with anyone why it’s killing their spirit. On the days they are online learning, breakfast is a quiet and depressing. They greatly prefer physical school to distance learning. The kids aren’t crazy about wearing masks and staying apart from their friends at school, but are willing to make the trade to go to real school.
According to our kids, cheating is frequent with this online and hybrid model. How do you make a kid take a test online at home and ensure said student doesn’t looking up the answers on a separate computer or phone? There isn’t an obvious solution here. This seems to be a global issue.
In addition, most teachers seem generous on the grading standards given the challenging time everyone is having to adapt to a new learning style. Hey, I’m fine with that. But I’m not sure how sustainable that is for an entire school year.
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After-School Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular activities have taken a beating. Most of them remain canceled, although Model UN has held at least a few physical meetings in the auditorium. Some teachers have tried–for example, my son’s orchestra teacher organized a virtual Beethoven performance–but it’s been tough. No real solution here.
Ironically, children can play sports outside of school, but the restrictions forbid sports in school. That may be an interpretation error (which will be figured out soon) since German schools don’t have school sport, only club teams. I have no idea why one is OK and not the other. Regardless, I imagine that will be re-evaluated come fall.
Overall, I’m pleased with the great lengths the school has taken to keep the learning going and get back into the classroom for some socializing. I am hopeful that this trial period will allow for modifications, if needed, when classes resume in the fall.
School picture by Frankfurt International School.
All other photos © Linda Kerr, TravelTeening
