The extreme cold Friday meant children across the Chicago area weren’t in school. Some districts opted for snow/cold days, while others had e-learning days.
When the kitchen table becomes the classroom, parents adapt.
“E-learning can be challenging, especially with three kids between the ages of 6 to 11 years old,” said Kristina Fossbakk Ferris, a mom of three from Downers Grove.
The Ferris kids had three classes going at once Friday, using e-learning packets they got at the start of the year. Their mom said they’re much more prepared for e-learning now than they were during the pandemic.
Six-year-old Noah Ferris proudly showed off his cactus picture and did a word search, while across the table, 8-year-old Jonas Ferris was thinking about his birthday Saturday, and the physical education and art he missed by not being in school Friday.
Meanwhile, their big sister, Layla, had her earth science book open. She’s very aware of the biggest advantages of e-learning.
“Then, I don’t have to have my summer break extended, and I can kind of learn from home and learn in my pajamas,” Layla said.
A mile away, the word of the day was “juggling” for Dyana VanWyngaarden. She taught high school students on her computer, while her own kids were e-learning. She said her 7 and 10-year olds were both engaged all day long, and weren’t begging to go outside in the cold.
“The afternoon’s a bit trickier because they have their assignments and homework they have to do and so that’s where they’re more at the table. So, I brought my stuff over so we can all kind of get stuff done,” VanWyngaarden said. “It’s hard when you lose a day, when you’ve got a lot of deadlines to make and things. So, it’s really nice to have that (e-learning) option.”
Sarai Coba-Rodriguez, an assistant professor in Human Development and Learning at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said there are benefits and disadvantages to e-learning days, but they often are more challenging for working families.
“Who’s going to watch the kids? Who’s going to be able to take time off, or who I do have to find additional care? I think it does create a burden, but at the same time it could also be a time to say, ‘Hey, we have an extra day to spend together as a family. Let’s take advantage of that,'” Coba-Rodriguez said.
Other factors include screen fatigue and whether home is a safe space.
“I also think there’s an advantage of unstructured play,” Coba-Rodriguez said, referring to snow days.
Both moms agreed they do miss the nostalgia of snow days.
“I remember the joy of checking the rolling bar on the TV to see, OK, did my school get called? Did my school get called?” Fossbakk Ferris said.
“The nostalgic part of me is sad that the snow days are gone. But I actually love the e-learning days,” VanWyngaarden said.
Coba-Rodriguez also wonders if there could even be a compromise.
“Check-ins rather than full schedules. Perhaps limiting e-learning days for older grades only or capping the number of days or year, or even making it optional for parents to choose whether or not their child participates in e-learning without any penalty,” she said.
