Just press the RESET button

Now everyone is talking about de-escalating the coronavirus lockdown measures, but there seems to be little consensus on the way forward, perhaps because there are so many unknowns in the equation. One of the big topics of discussion is just how and when to get our children back to school.
Young children that remain quarantined at home will need more parental attention, overwhelmingly still from their mothers, than those that can be safely consigned to school care, and this is much cited as a impediment to restarting the economy.  It is also feared that children who miss out on part of their school education will be handicapped for life, blighting both their own prospects and the economic recovery of the nation.  All of these arguments seem to be encouraging a rush to re-open schools in a desperate effort for a return to 'normal'.

I would like to consider the disadvantages of this approach and possible alternatives:

Most young children in Europe and the USA will have had their formal education interrupted from sometime in early March, until perhaps mid May or June at best.  That's long enough for children to forget much of what they learned during the autumn term, and one month, or at the most two, of subsequent teaching will be nowhere near enough to bring them back to the standard they should have reached after an uninterrupted year.  They will therefore pass on to their next year missing vital building blocks in their education, and let's face it there is already plenty to learn!
If we push through the pipeline students who have missed big chunks of basic arithmetic, language or science learning, either examination standards will have to be compromised or remedial education will be necessary at some later date.  Either way individuals, society and the economy will suffer.
Older children and those in higher education will fare no better.  Personally I can not imagine how I could have progressed at university to any kind of degree if two or three months had been chopped from any year - it was tough enough as it was!  So what's the answer?

My suggestion is to simply Press the Reset Button on the '19-'20 academic year and start over in September/October '20.  This will give all students, whether 8 or 18, a great opportunity to revisit what they covered in the autumn of '19, really understand the material, and, most importantly, during the next few months before September, when hopefully health risks will be much lower, they can broaden and deepen that base.

How?  What's the advantage?  Well just consider, could this time not be used profitably, for all ages, to broaden and enrich?  Whatever age and whatever  the preferences of children and young people these few months could be used to further develop their own personal talents or interests.  Everyone could usefully learn and expand their horizons by simply reading more widely.  Thus encouraged by example why not experiment with writing short stories or poetry?  Those with artistic talents could try painting or modelling.  Linguists would have the chance to learn more of the worlds numerous languages, and practice via the Internet.  Some might learn to play a musical instrument, developing a talent that will serve them well all their lives.  Those that are athletically gifted can easily improve skills without school and a PE instructor, many talented footballers learned with little more than a ball, a street, a wall and a stick of chalk.  Any embryonic scientists have a world of opportunity open to them, from building telescopes to observe the universe to making wind turbines and websites.  The possibilities are truly endless.
All of this could and should be supported by the teachers and educational professionals though the next several months, their reward would be a much better educated and matured cadre of pupils in September.



Problems?  I will not deny that this approach needs some creative thinking, not least the fact that the next year's intake of primary school children at four or five years or whatever, would be twice the usual size failing any other action, so that needs to be thought trough, however surely that is not a problem beyond solution by the education profession?



So, that's my proposal.  Think outside the box and let's take the opportunity to create a generation of children that are better educated than usual, not worse, as a truncated education will undoubtedly produce.  Instead of trying to cram the original curriculum into the remaining time wouldn't it be better to use that time to learn something extra?

All comments appreciated.

*This article is a product of WINO (Wine Inspired New Order), not so much a think tank as a drink bank whose members (Isobel & Dick) convene daily to enjoy dinner and good wine.  While the wine is almost always red the ideas produced are seldom read.