How We're Helping Students Succeed During School Closures
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting schools around the world, and we are here to help you through this challenging time. Here is a message from our CEO, Terry Nealon, on how we're supporting schools and families with distance learning.
Dear Friends,
In just a few weeks, responding to student needs, Learning Without Tears has pivoted to bring our accessible and powerful learning programs into all homes with both digital and print resources. We understand the challenges parents, who were already juggling work, family, and other pressures, now face as they are pressed into the unfamiliar role of home-based “educator,” as they struggle to prevent their kids from falling behind.
On April 16, The New York Times ran an editorial that was both stunning and chilling - warning that students could experience a reversal in learning of such magnitude that it “could hobble an entire generation.” Recent polling cited by the Times found that 90% of parents surveyed are worried that their children will fall behind. It is unacceptable that students could be saddled with learning deficits that follow them through life. We all must help these students succeed.
While hundreds of EdTech companies are providing no-cost resources, the lack of sequencing and educational structure renders much of these materials of little use to families. Uniquely qualified to make sense of this content chaos, Learning Without Tears is creating “learning packs” of structured educational content organized by theme, grade, and the like. We will update these packets monthly, providing families with an organized learning path that starts at square one and supports student learning on an ongoing basis.
Our company started at home in Jan Olsen’s basement. While we have grown from those early days, we have never strayed from our fundamental understanding of how children learn. This expertise, including the development of proven digital teaching products, provides the multisensory, hands-on experience children need to successfully learn, making complex concepts more accessible and enjoyable.
At the start of this crisis, we provided access to our digital programs for family use at home – more than 40,000 families are currently using our products for free. Today, we are dramatically increasing those resources, creating videos, adding workshops, and expanding structured content. We will continue to bring new and better resources to families through the remainder of the school year, with no-cost monthly learning packet updates. To support as many families as possible, this material will be available in both English and Spanish.
Our resources focus on the fundamental skills children need – the foundation of learning that will allow them to be academically successful and confident communicators – skills such as handwriting fluency, letter formation, and 21st Century keyboarding skills.
As the father of two elementary-aged children myself, I understand the hurdles facing virtually every family today. Advice seems to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time - schools are either struggling to deliver access to resources or overwhelming you with so many that it’s nearly impossible to sort it all out. For any parent or caregiver this can be overwhelming, particularly for those without a background in education. Our expertise is here for you. Let us help you find a solution by focusing on those fundamental skills that will work for you and your children.
We are all in this together.
The entire Learning Without Tears family is here to help you keep your children learning, even though schools are closed. It is our sincere hope that you are safe and well and the disruption in your life is limited to having to stay home.
Sincerely,
Terry Nealon
CEO, Learning Without Tears
