Tough education choices in tough times

Many students may find a ‘gap year’ before post-secondary can give them time to catch up

It has been more than a year since classrooms were shut and learning disrupted because of COVID-19. The majority of students have been studying online, often with very mixed results. Instruction has been inconsistent from school to school. Teachers are burned out, as are students.

Students are challenged and even the highest performing are struggling. It has been a difficult time, but it has not been all negative. Students with special learning needs, who are socially anxious, bullied or very introverted have reported a greater enjoyment of online learning. Yet far too many students aren’t learning what they need to learn, see no value in education and have become discouraged learners.

The biggest struggle is for students in math and sciences — try teaching yourself physics or advanced calculus online. Making the learning challenges even more difficult is that many parents do not have the time, energy, technology or ability to support even one student in their studies, let alone multiple students.

Many students do not feel confident that they have developed the knowledge required to move on to the next level of high school. Students in Grade 12 are not confident they have the expertise to move into post-secondary education. New post-secondary students are also struggling. They have no sense of a genuine university experience when they are sitting alone in their dorm room or at home attempting to teach challenging material to themselves.

Compounding these difficulties is the ubiquity of technical problems that inevitably arise from studying in an online environment. Particularly in rural areas, internet connections are often poor and result in frequent disruptions in class and frustrating learning experiences.

While learning struggles are obvious, another troubling consequence of online learning is that valued interests and relationships developed through extracurricular activities, volunteering, clubs and athletics have not occurred. For many students, these activities make school worthwhile and provide the inspiration for learning and personal growth.

The consequences of negative learning experiences are profound. Students are turning to YouTube and their peers to learn material. Families with the means are hiring professional tutors or certified teachers and are setting up makeshift classrooms at home. Some students have abandoned formal schooling and opted for a homeschooling experience. Too many have just given up.

Those who don’t feel confident in their learning wonder if they should delay their application to college or university, if they should repeat courses they have struggled in, or if they should simply pause. This is leading many students to an identity crisis — being a student, an athlete, a member of a club or a team is in many ways the main anchor of their identity — who am I if I’m not these things?

Despite the difficult times, life does and will go on. What should students do, especially if they feel unprepared to take the next step in their education? The data is clear that students who attend post-secondary at an older age are more likely to thrive academically and personally. A gap year is when they achieved the focus, maturity and discipline to thrive in post-secondary studies. Delaying an application by a year can be a positive step as long as it’s a gap year with a plan.

For students who insist on heading to post-secondary education but feel unprepared, there are many positive programs that can help them build academic strengths. Most colleges offer prohealth and pro-technology pathways designed for students to gain a better understanding of math and science disciplines. There are also programs related to business, arts and science.

Travelling, working, volunteering, and developing new interests can go a long way to helping students feel like they are making meaningful progress toward their goals. The silver lining of the pandemic is that it gives students more time to just be themselves, independent of the pressures of school, extracurriculars and work. It also has provided opportunities for young people to reflect more about what matters most to them.

Students can take a step back and think about and discover what interests them most, what they do best, what they find to be truly meaningful. Post-secondary education should not be simply about attending because everyone else is doing it. The most successful students know why they are there, what they need to do to be successful, and who they want to be upon graduation.

There is a cliché that says when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, if life gives you a pandemic, look for a way to turn it into something that tastes good enough and something that can build a bridge to the future you want and deserve. Sometimes going slower is the best way to speed up.