Kindergarten During COVID?

For millions of kids and young adults across the nation, the months of August and September mark the beginning of a new academic year, and with it comes a slew of mixed emotions: excitement, anxiety, happiness, annoyance. Whatever their feelings are, though, the start of school is a return to a familiar routine that they have been accustomed to following for nine months in a year (albeit with some adjustment if they’re distance-learning). But what about the group of kids for whom school isn’t a common event? Those who have never before had to sit in a classroom and pay attention for several hours at a time? The children entering Kindergarten—the youngest, least-experienced students among us—will have the hardest time making the transition from Summer Vacation to Daily Education, a tough task under normal circumstances and undoubtedly much harder during a global pandemic. 

As Kimmie Fink aptly puts it in an article written for We Are Teachers, Kindergarten this year “doesn’t resemble anything [she recognizes] as kindergarten at all” now that it’s missing components like hands-on activities and opportunities to develop social skills through play that are so quintessential to the Kindergarten experience. This is a sentiment shared by other parents as well, so much so that some are even considering holding their child back a year.  

Of course, such extreme measures are, in most cases, not necessary—but facilitating a happy and productive academic year may require a lot more effort on the parent’s part, from keeping their child on-task to assisting with inevitable technological breakdowns. For essential workers working all day, this is a much harder feat to accomplish, which is where organizations like MD COVIDSitters come in:

MDCS is a member of the COVIDsitters Network and offers a variety of free services to help essential workers in the DMV Area as they face more unpredictable and stressful schedules. Their most popular programs are for Childcare and Tutoring, both of which are completely free, available at any time of day, and staffed by well-trained volunteers. 

Most workers associated with MDCS are aspiring healthcare professionals and CPR-certified, and all are required to pass a background check and childcare program developed by the Minnesota Department of Health before starting, making them an incredibly safe and reliable organization. MDCS volunteers can help your child make the transition to school, ensure they are learning everything they need to, and play with them afterward—so when you come home from a stressful day at work, you can focus on spending time and having fun with your family. 

Learn more about MD COVIDsitters and sign up for their services here.

Sources:

https://www.weareteachers.com/kindergarten-during-covid-isnt-kindergarten-at-all/

https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/08/kindergarten-remote-learning-school-coronavirus.html