Educators and students must have patience

We are entering uncharted waters in the education field, here and across the entire state.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced that all schools in the state will be closed for the rest of the school year. From this point forward, all learning will be done remotely.

The sudden shift will force students and teachers alike to be creative in the approach they take. Nothing like this has ever happened before.

As we enter this unprecedented time, we want everyone to be patient. That applies to both students and teachers. We are all learning as we go along right now.

All over the country, people are learning how to do jobs remotely that have always been done in an office. That shift has been easier for some people than others.

Teachers and students will be among the most affected by this shift. Most students have never attended school in an online setting, and most teachers have never had to teach completely separated from their students.

In this time when all of us are isolated in our homes, it may be easy to lose patience. Teachers may be upset when students don’t complete an assignment the way they originally imagined. Students may become upset when they don’t understand a concept because they aren’t learning it the way they always have.

It will be important to adapt as things go on. The expectations will have to shift for everyone, because the learning environment is so much different behind a computer screen than it is in a physical classroom.

The important thing at this point is to teach all the necessary concepts and ideas so students are ready for the next grade when everyone is allowed to return to school, hopefully in August. If that happens, this time can definitely be considered a success.

The work that has gone on to get schools to a place where learning can occur in a remote setting is remarkable. Teachers had almost no advance notice, yet re-arranged their curriculum entirely to fit new circumstances. That cannot be applauded nearly enough. Even a month ago, none of us would have seen that being a realistic possibility.

This will be an incredibly difficult two-plus months. The students and educators need all the support in the world.

— Las Vegas Optic