| COVID-19 has affected our school system, too |
EDITOR'S CORNER
Over a Cup of Tea
Over a Cup of Tea
Heidi M. Pascual
Publisher & Editor
2006 Journalist of the year
for the State of Wisconsin
(US-SBA)
Publisher & Editor
2006 Journalist of the year
for the State of Wisconsin
(US-SBA)
When COVID-19 attacked the world a few months back and kept humanity in confinement within their homes, we
were all stunned, shocked, feeling helpless, most times hopeless and fearful of this pandemic’s fatal blow on our
communities. When we heard the news about thousands of people getting infected everywhere, in countries rich
or poor, then dying within days of contracting the “virus,” our governments started to close their boundaries,
isolating each community within their jurisdiction and imposing community quarantine to prevent people from
getting in or getting out of their homes.
One of the most affected areas during the pandemic is education. The school system has to close. Children have
to be protected from COVID-19 which has been claiming lives not by hundreds but by thousands. Early on, it has
been recognized that the most vulnerable populations are the elderly and the very young. As all of us may agree,
the future of any nation largely depends on the youth of today; thus, the utmost need to protect them from any harm,
were all stunned, shocked, feeling helpless, most times hopeless and fearful of this pandemic’s fatal blow on our
communities. When we heard the news about thousands of people getting infected everywhere, in countries rich
or poor, then dying within days of contracting the “virus,” our governments started to close their boundaries,
isolating each community within their jurisdiction and imposing community quarantine to prevent people from
getting in or getting out of their homes.
One of the most affected areas during the pandemic is education. The school system has to close. Children have
to be protected from COVID-19 which has been claiming lives not by hundreds but by thousands. Early on, it has
been recognized that the most vulnerable populations are the elderly and the very young. As all of us may agree,
the future of any nation largely depends on the youth of today; thus, the utmost need to protect them from any harm,
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which COVID-19 surely brings. There is no question that this pandemic has brought humanity a challenge that seems insurmountable, and as
an important social concern, education tops the list considering every society’s basic requirement to continue its survival in the future.
Because of the threat to life posed by possible exposure to COVID-19 when people get together in an enclosed space such as a classroom, the
school systems all over the world are in a quandary. What alternative learning systems should be adopted in response to this life-threatening
challenge? Several plans are now being considered -- homeschooling, online-only learning, moving school year dates, among others.
As a parent (and now a grandmother), I have decided there’s nothing to lose but gain if I choose to NOT ALLOW my children (or grandchildren) to
physically go to school this school year. I cannot, in conscience, take the risk of exposing my loved ones to COVID-19, especially since we are not
sure who are asymptomatic folks around. I would prefer that they take online lessons if possible, or be homeschooled for awhile. I would contact
the Department of Education and the school where our kids are enrolled last year, for an arrangement that would keep the kids at home,
supervised by their parents or grandparents, or relatives concerned enough to help kids navigate the present abnormal situation in all societies.
an important social concern, education tops the list considering every society’s basic requirement to continue its survival in the future.
Because of the threat to life posed by possible exposure to COVID-19 when people get together in an enclosed space such as a classroom, the
school systems all over the world are in a quandary. What alternative learning systems should be adopted in response to this life-threatening
challenge? Several plans are now being considered -- homeschooling, online-only learning, moving school year dates, among others.
As a parent (and now a grandmother), I have decided there’s nothing to lose but gain if I choose to NOT ALLOW my children (or grandchildren) to
physically go to school this school year. I cannot, in conscience, take the risk of exposing my loved ones to COVID-19, especially since we are not
sure who are asymptomatic folks around. I would prefer that they take online lessons if possible, or be homeschooled for awhile. I would contact
the Department of Education and the school where our kids are enrolled last year, for an arrangement that would keep the kids at home,
supervised by their parents or grandparents, or relatives concerned enough to help kids navigate the present abnormal situation in all societies.
As adults we have the responsibility to do the best we can to
preserve and conserve our youth today. We are looking at additional
work should we do many of what the school system and
professional teachers do as educators; but this will pay off
handsomely because our children will be out of harm’s way. COVID-
19 is no joke, as we all know it now. More than 300 thousand people
have been killed all over the world, and we definitely do not wish our
loved ones included in this statistics.
In preparation for this forthcoming additional “job,” I will encourage
parents and grandparents to start educating ourselves about how to
become effective educators for kids at various levels. We have the
opportunity not only to help our society prevent further spread of
COVID-19 and ensure the safety of our loved ones, but to also learn
a new skill -- teaching, something we can even excel on and later
consider as a career option.
Today, there is an opportunity to expand our technology know-how
beyond emails and Facebook. Let us exercise our mental faculty by
doing research, deepening our knowledge base, and honing our
parenting skills to train our kids and grandkids not only to continue
learning new lessons at their school levels, but more importantly,
learning to cope and adjust to problematic situations such as real
challenges posed by natural disasters/calamities and
epidemics/pandemics that threaten life on land, water, and air. As
God’s creatures, we have the obligation to respect His wish to make
his creation grow, increase in number, and continue in perpetuity to
glorify His name forever.
preserve and conserve our youth today. We are looking at additional
work should we do many of what the school system and
professional teachers do as educators; but this will pay off
handsomely because our children will be out of harm’s way. COVID-
19 is no joke, as we all know it now. More than 300 thousand people
have been killed all over the world, and we definitely do not wish our
loved ones included in this statistics.
In preparation for this forthcoming additional “job,” I will encourage
parents and grandparents to start educating ourselves about how to
become effective educators for kids at various levels. We have the
opportunity not only to help our society prevent further spread of
COVID-19 and ensure the safety of our loved ones, but to also learn
a new skill -- teaching, something we can even excel on and later
consider as a career option.
Today, there is an opportunity to expand our technology know-how
beyond emails and Facebook. Let us exercise our mental faculty by
doing research, deepening our knowledge base, and honing our
parenting skills to train our kids and grandkids not only to continue
learning new lessons at their school levels, but more importantly,
learning to cope and adjust to problematic situations such as real
challenges posed by natural disasters/calamities and
epidemics/pandemics that threaten life on land, water, and air. As
God’s creatures, we have the obligation to respect His wish to make
his creation grow, increase in number, and continue in perpetuity to
glorify His name forever.