In the midst of the current pandemic, some schools are hurrying to adopt a new means of education: the hybrid schooling model. Instead of providing education completely virtually, schools are offering students the opportunity to attend in person on alternating, part-time schedules. While some see this as the perfect compromise between safety and in-person learning, others believe that it jeopardizes the safety of students and teachers.
The strength in the hybrid schooling model lies in the fact that teachers can instruct far less students on a given day, allowing students to practice 6-foot social distancing with ease at school. However, this may fail to effectively limit the transmission of the disease, as it is very likely students will not remain with a consistent group of peers.
For instance, younger children with working parents will likely need to move to a secondary source after the half day instruction ends. Whether that be a daycare or their grandparents’ house, the children will be exposed to another set of social contacts. Older children aren’t so different either. When their half-day schooling finishes, it is possible they might spend their off-school hours with another group of friends.
With the implementation of the hybrid model, teachers are at risk too. It might be more worthwhile for the most vulnerable teachers to work off-site and assist their colleagues in grading papers and designing lesson plans.
At the end of the day, it's important to consider all the facets of the hybrid schooling model before enacting a decision. After all, that decision will have a great effect on students’ safety and learning experience.
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