Student studying
Learning online–shift from have to be there to want to be there
Having joy in your online learning experience

 
With Crisis Comes Opportunity—
Quantum Live Virtual Learning

Captivate – Connect – Cultivate

How schools open for the new school year is being debated across the nation and much is at stake . . . the wellbeing of our students as well as their parents and their teachers. No matter what path is eventually taken, there is potential cost to our physical and emotional health as well as financial impact. There is also an opportunity for significant long-term benefits for our students.

With dramatic shifts in our lives comes opportunity for change and growth—evolution into a better version of our schools and ourselves, that would not have evolved otherwise.  As Albert Einstein said,

“In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.”

Regarding our schools and education –

We believe the opportunity in front of us is Quantum Live Virtual Learning* experiences where we Captivate – Connect – Cultivate creating positive learning for students for this new school year and beyond.

We are in an unprecedented time. School choices are limited—distance learning, in-classroom learning, or a hybrid approach—and all come with concerns. Most schools and districts are fluctuating between approaches, sometimes week by week, causing uncertainty and for some, anxiety.

Distance learning is the new norm for most schools and needs an upgrade! It’s a challenge for students to stay motivated and to put in the extra effort and focus that’s required. It’s a challenge for parents to keep encouraging their kids while also working from home, as well as the financial challenge for those who need to return to work. And it’s a challenge for teachers, as most have not been trained in how to teach effectively online. As a result of all these and many other challenges that we’re all aware of from their spring learning experience, far too many kids are bored and some don’t even show up!

Let’s take a look at some of the concerns and health issues that come with distance learning and in-classroom learning:

Distance LearningIn-Classroom Learning
Mental health
Social-emotional health
Learning loss
Physical health
Emotional health

Here’s what’s at stake . . .

Mental Health—Mental health influences our thoughts and actions, and affects how well our mind processes and understands information and experiences. It also impacts our ability to reason through decisions and maintain focus.

Distance learning has been in place for several months, starting last spring.School closures are intended to keep students physically safe, however, it’s ushered in anxiety, depression and other serious mental and emotional health conditions. Increasing numbers of students say they feel overwhelmed.”  —edsource.org

Social-Emotional Health—Social-emotional health relates to our ability to understand and manage our emotions, reactions and relationships. It’s all about how we interact with the world and the people in our lives, and affects our self-confidence, trust, and empathy.

“School is the only place where we get constant interaction with others  . . . As the lockdown extended, a majority of us felt the devastating effects of social distancing, which for many of us was more like social isolation.”       —Gael Aitor, student, age 17   (Comment in San Diego Union Tribune)

Learning Loss—Summer slide is a well-known concept.  One study of more than half a million students reported that students lost between 25 and 30 percent of their school-year learning over the summer—that’s two to three months of learning! And now we’re faced with COVID learning loss. The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) projections suggest a major academic impact for most students from COVID closures. For many, if not most, that distance learning experience was nowhere near the level of learning they were used to from in-classroom learning.

Many students have trouble keeping motivated during distance learning, especially those who simply receive assignments to complete online with far too few check-ins with their teacher. This is not a positive learning experience. Missing is the daily interaction with their teacher along with the camaraderie and interaction with other students—the joy and laughter that are such an important part of learning!

 Physical Health—From constant news reports we’re all aware at some level of the number of COVID-19 cases and its impact. Along with this, recent reports of schools opening without taking the necessary precautions have been particularly disturbing.

No matter what protocols (including everything from masks to improved ventilation) may be placed on schools reopening, threats to the physical wellbeing of all involved—students, teachers and other school personnel, and families—are real. The key for opening is to avoid opening too early, and when opening, to implement strict precautions.

Emotional Health—Anxiety about return to classrooms: In addition to the physical health aspect, there is an emotional impact as well with the anxiety for parents about sending their children back to their classrooms. There is also anxiety for school administrators, teachers, and other school personnel about a possible outbreak.

Uncertainty can leave us feeling stressed and powerless: The options that school districts are considering and offering—whether distance learning or in-classroom learning or some combination of the two—seem to change on a daily basis. Deciding among those options and planning how to accommodate them becomes impossible, and that uncertainty and the fear it engenders results in a great deal of anxiety.

What’s the opportunity this crisis offers?

Instead of complaining about our school options of distance learning, in-classroom learning, and various combinations of the two . . . 

We believe the answer is highly engaging live virtual learning that

This option is highly interactive and fun—something that students look forward to, versus something they are required to do. And what a difference that makes in their motivation!

Quantum Live Virtual Learning
  • A place where students’ mental, social, emotional, and physical health is supported by authentic connections, interactions, and meaningful, engaging learning.
  • A place that is safe and consistent, and provides a sense of belonging and support.
  • A place where learning loss turns into learning gain.

The need for a positive culture has never been greater, and is central to our Quantum Learning System that focuses first on culture, then on cognition. It starts with a place that is safe, consistent, and reliable, and provides a sense of belonging and connection. It’s a place where students feel comfortable, where they find joy in learning, a place where they actually want to participate—a place where students learn, grow, and achieve.

Live virtual learning is greatly enhanced when it starts with students getting to know each other and sharing what’s important to them, including what they do for fun. Authentic connections are made and relationships are formed leading to a safe place with a sense of I belong here, I can be myself here, I’m accepted here.

There are no easy answers, and we’re here to support students, their teachers, and their parents—in whatever their coming school year brings—with captivating live virtual student programs and teacher training.

In fact, here’s some feedback from participants in recent SuperCamp virtual programs:

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Bobbi DePorter
President
Quantum Learning Network
SuperCamp Programs
Quantum Learning Education
www.qluniverse.com


SuperCamp FUTURE DAY
is a captivating live virtual workshop like no other. It creates a shift in a students’ mindset, in their willingness to take responsibility for their learning, to be accountable for their own results, and to be committed to an effective system to stay organized. In a single transformative workshop, students experience a change in their attitude, they learn how to thrive in their new school year and beyond, and they’re motivated to excel. An interactive experience for students ages 13 to 18.   QLUniverse.com/for-students

For information on all of SuperCamp’s programs go to:  www.SuperCamp.com
SuperCamp Future Day
SuperCamp Mastermind with Mentors
SuperCamp Weekly Courses
SuperCamp Summer 2021 (Onsite)

Bobbi DePorter, co-founder and president of Quantum Learning Network (QLN), is an early pioneer in the field of accelerated learning. Through her study and application, Quantum Learning teaching and learning methods were developed.  Her SuperCamp learning and life skills youth program, now in its 40th year, has over 85,000 students and is offered in fourteen countries. Her Quantum Learning Education division produces schoolwide programs for teachers, administrators, students and parents, in thousands of schools and districts in the U.S., as well as international programs. Through these programs and the 8 Keys of Excellence movement, her work has impacted millions of young people around the world. Bobbi is the author of more than a dozen books on teaching and learning.

Bobbi can be reached at: [email protected]