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>> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION
FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 30: OUR
SPECIAL "COVID-19 AND THE
CLASSROOM," WITH A LOOK AT HOW
MORE FAMILIES ARE TURNING TO
HOMESCHOOLING, AND ADVICE FROM
THE FOUNDER OF KHAN ACADEMY, SAL
KHAN.
>> Sreenivasan: NEXT ON “PBS
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.”
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>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING AND
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
THIS WEEKEND OUR SPECIAL SERIES
"COVID-19 AND THE CLASSROOM" IS
TAKING A LOOK AT HOW THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS
AFFECTING EDUCATION AS SCHOOLS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE REOPENING
IN VARIOUS STAGES OF IN-PERSON
OR REMOTE LEARNING.
AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE ARE
MORE THAN 25 MILLION CASES OF
COVID-19 GLOBALLY AND 843,000
DEATHS ACCORDING TO JOHNS
HOPKINS UNIVERSITY'S CORONAVIRUS
RESOURCE CENTER.
IN THE UNITED STATES NEARLY SIX
MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
INFECTED AND MORE THAN 182,000
HAVE DIED.
OVERALL INFECTION RATES ARE
SLOWING, BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS
THAT AS SOME STUDENTS RETURN TO
CLASSES THERE WILL BE AN
INCREASE.
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
REPORTED THAT IT HAS HAD MORE
THAN 1,200 STUDENTS TEST
POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 SINCE THE
START OF CLASSES LESS THAN TWO
WEEKS AGO.
THE UNIVERSITY SAID IN A
STATEMENT THAT NO STUDENTS HAVE
BEEN HOSPITALIZED.
WE'LL HAVE MORE ON OUR COVERAGE
OF COVID-19 AND THE CLASSROOM
AFTER THE NEWS SUMMARY.
IN PORTLAND, OREGON, ONE MAN IS
DEAD AFTER PRO-TRUMP PROTESTERS
AND COUNTER PROTESTERS CONVERGED
IN THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN LAST
NIGHT.
IMAGES FROM THE SCENE SHOW THE
VICTIM, WHO HAS NOT BEEN
IDENTIFIED, WEARING A PATRIOT
PRAYER HAT-- A FAR RIGHT GROUP
BASED IN THE PORTLAND AREA.
IN A STATEMENT OVERNIGHT,
PORTLAND'S POLICE CHIEF URGED
PATIENCE BEFORE “DRAWING
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT TOOK
PLACE.”
AS OF THIS MORNING, POLICE WERE
STILL LOOKING FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
OR INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE.
YESTERDAY, CARAVANS OF PRO-TRUMP
TRUCKS RALLIED.
SOME DROVE OFF THE ROUTE THROUGH
DOWNTOWN PORTLAND IN THE EVENING
AND CLASHED WITH PROTESTERS.
PORTLAND POLICE SAID THEY
ARRESTED TEN PEOPLE.
TODAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP
RE-TWEETED A VIDEO OF HIS
SUPPORTERS FIRING PAINTBALLS AND
PEPPER SPRAY FROM A TRUCK,
SAYING “THE BIG BACKLASH GOING
ON IN PORTLAND CANNOT BE
UNEXPECTED.
BRING IN THE NATIONAL GUARD!”
PORTLAND'S MAYOR HAS RESISTED
FEDERAL HELP, BUT THE ACTING
DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SAID TODAY THAT FEDERAL
INTERVENTION WAS A POSSIBILITY.
>> ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE,
SPECIFICALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT
PORTLAND.
>> Sreenivasan: THERE HAVE BEEN
DAILY PROTESTS IN PORTLAND SINCE
THE POLICE KILLING OF GEORGE
FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS IN LATE
MAY.
IN KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ABOUT
1,000 PROTESTERS MARCHED AND
RALLIED YESTERDAY DEMANDING
JUSTICE FOR JACOB BLAKE.
THE PEACEFUL CROWD HEARD
SPEECHES FROM LOCAL LEADERS AND
BLAKE'S FAMILY OUTSIDE THE
CITY'S COURTHOUSE.
A KENOSHA POLICE OFFICER SHOT
BLAKE, A 29-YEAR-OLD BLACK MAN,
SEVEN TIMES IN THE BACK LAST
SUNDAY AFTER RESPONDING TO A
DOMESTIC DISPUTE CALL.
BLAKE REMAINS IN THE HOSPITAL
AND IS PARALYZED.
YESTERDAY HIS FATHER CALLED FOR
THE PROTESTS FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
TO CONTINUE PEACEFULLY.
>> GOOD PEOPLE OF THIS CITY,
UNDERSTAND: IF WE TEAR IT UP, WE
HAVE NOTHING.
IF YOU TEAR IT UP, THEN WE HAVE
NOWHERE TO GO.
>> Sreenivasan: EARLY LAST WEEK
SOME PROTESTS IN KENOSHA TURNED
VIOLENT-- STORES WERE DESTROYED,
THERE WAS LOOTING AND AN ARMED
WHITE TEENAGER SHOT AND KILLED
TWO PROTESTERS.
HE IS NOW CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE.
NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ARE
DEPLOYED IN KENOSHA AND A 7:00
P.M. CURFEW IS IN EFFECT AGAIN
TONIGHT.
A SPOKESPERSON SAID PRESIDENT
TRUMP WILL GO TO KENOSHA THIS
TUESDAY.
SEVERAL WISCONSIN OFFICIALS,
INCLUDING THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR AND KENOSHA'S MAYOR,
SAID THEY DO NOT WANT THE
PRESIDENT TO VISIT.
DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS ARE
PUSHING BACK AFTER JOHN
RATCLIFFE, THE DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, ANNOUNCED
MOST IN-PERSON BRIEFINGS WILL
END AND BE REPLACED WITH WRITTEN
REPORTS.
IN A LETTER TO CONGRESS
YESTERDAY, RATCLIFFE SAID THE
CHANGE WILL PREVENT“
UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES OR
MISUSE” OF INTELLIGENCE
INFORMATION.
THIS MORNING RATCLIFFE DEFENDED
HIS DECISION AND SAID CONCERNS
ABOUT RUSSIA'S THREAT TO
NATIONAL SECURITY ARE BEING
OVERSTATED.
>> WITHIN MINUTES OF ONE OF
THOSE BRIEFINGS ENDING, A NUMBER
OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WENT TO A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OUTLETS AND
LEAKED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
AGAIN FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES TO
CREATE A NARRATIVE THAT SIMPLY
ISN'T TRUE, THAT SOMEHOW RUSSIA
IS A GREATER NATIONAL SECURITY
THREAT THAN CHINA.
>> Sreenivasan: THIS MORNING,
DEMOCRATIC HOUSE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE CHAIR ADAM SCHIFF
DENIED THAT HE OR HIS STAFF HAVE
LEAKED INFORMATION AND SAID
QUESTIONING INTELLIGENCE
OFFICIALS IS CRITICAL TO
ELECTION SECURITY.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT IN
WRITING NOW INSTEAD OF GIVING AN
ORAL BRIEFING.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE
UNLESS THE GOAL IS NOT TO ALLOW
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
>> Sreenivasan: PROTESTERS IN
BELARUS ARE ONCE AGAIN CALLING
ON EMBATTLED PRESIDENT VICTOR
LUKASHENKO TO STEP DOWN.
TENS OF THOUSANDS GATHERED IN
THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL FOR THE
FOURTH WEEK OF DAILY PROTESTS
SINCE A DISPUTED PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION ON AUGUST 9.
LUKASHENKO, WHO TURNED 66 TODAY
AND HAS BEEN IN POWER SINCE
1994, HAS RESISTED CALLS TO
RE-RUN THE ELECTION, WHICH WAS
MARRED BY WIDESPREAD ALLEGATIONS
OF VOTE-RIGGING.
RIOT POLICE WERE OUT IN FORCE IN
CENTRAL MINSK, AND SEVERAL
PROTESTERS WERE DETAINED.
THE EUROPEAN UNION IS PLANNING
ON IMPOSING SANCTIONS ON BELARUS
IF LUKASHENKO DOESN'T AGREE TO
NEGOTIATE WITH THE OPPOSITION.
HE'S ACCUSED WESTERN GOVERNMENTS
OF TRYING TO TOPPLE HIS REGIME
AND THREATENED COUNTER
SANCTIONS.
TWO OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TOP
ADVISORS WERE IN JERUSALEM TODAY
TO MEET WITH ISRAELI PRIME
MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU.
WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR JARED
KUSHNER AND U.S. NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISOR ROBERT O'BRIEN
HAILED THE RECENT AGREEMENT
BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES TO ESTABLISH
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AT A NEWS
CONFERENCE WITH NETANYAHU.
KUSHNER WILL JOIN AN ISRAELI
DELEGATION TOMORROW ON THE FIRST
COMMERCIAL FLIGHT FROM ISRAEL TO
THE U.A.E.
YESTERDAY, THE U.A.E. FORMALLY
ENDED ITS COMMERCIAL BOYCOTT OF
ISRAEL.
FOR MORE NATIONAL AND
INTERNATIONAL NEWS VISIT
pbs.org/newshour.
>> ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS OFFERED
UP THEIR GARAGE AS A
KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM.
SO, THEY EMPTIED OUT THEIR WHOLE
GARAGE AND TOOK EVERYTHING TO
THEIR PARENTS HOUSE AND THEY
BASICALLY MADE LIKE A MAKESHIFT
KINDERGARTEN ROOM IN THEIR
GARAGE.
AND THEN WE USE OUR BACKYARD AS
A RECESS AREA OCCASIONALLY AND
ALSO AS A LUNCH AREA.
AND SO DOES ANOTHER FAMILY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE ZOOMS
ARE NINE, ELEVEN AND ONE AND
THAT'S WHEN MOST OF MY MEETINGS
AND WHEN MOST OF MY WIFE'S
MEETINGS ARE.
SO THERE IS NO WAY, THERE WAS NO
WAY WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
DO THIS.
UM, WE NEEDED HELP.
>> Sreenivasan: HAVING CHILDREN
AT HOME LEARNING REMOTELY IS AN
ADDED BURDEN FOR PARENTS
RETURNING TO WORK, OR TRYING TO
WORK AT HOME THEMSELVES, AND
IT'S FORCING MANY TO SCRAMBLE
FOR SOLUTIONS.
SOME ARE ORGANIZING SCHOOLING
PODS WITH A SMALL GROUP OF
STUDENTS AND A PAID TUTOR OR
TEACHER.
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE GAINING
POPULARITY IS HOMESCHOOLING.
IN THE SPRING OF 2019, AN
ESTIMATED 3% TO 4% OF SCHOOL-
AGED CHILDREN WERE HOMESCHOOLED,
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HOME
EDUCATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO
INCREASE DUE TO COVID-19.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S IVETTE
FELICIANO RECENTLY CAUGHT UP
WITH TWO PARENTS IN GEORGIA.
THEY'VE HOMESCHOOLED THEIR KIDS
FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE ADVICE
FOR PARENTS LOOKING TO MAKE THE
LEAP TO HOMESCHOOLING.
>> Reporter: WHEN NEWSHOUR
WEEKEND FIRST MET UP WITH THE
SARDEN FAMILY IN THEIR GEORGIA
HOME BACK IN 2018, JUDY SARDEN
WAS ALMOST SIX YEARS INTO
HOMESCHOOLING HER TWO KIDS,
AIDAN AND HALEY, WHO WERE THEN
TEN AND NINE.
IN MARCH, WHEN COVID-19 BEGAN TO
RAPIDLY SPREAD IN THE U.S.,
GEORGIA GOVERNOR, BRIAN KEMP
ORDERED THE CLOSURE OF ALL
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
AND IN EARLY APRIL HE ISSUED A
SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER, SENDING
PARENTS SCRAMBLING TO KEEP THEIR
KIDS LEARNING WHILE DOING FULL
TIME JOBS.
ACCORDING TO SARDEN, IT WAS A
LITTLE DIFFERENT AT HER HOME.
>> THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE
PANDEMIC WERE... KIND OF
SURREAL, I THINK IS PROBABLY THE
BEST WAY I CAN PUT IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOLING, THE
SCHOOLING PORTION OF OUR LIVES
DIDN'T CHANGE BECAUSE WE JUST
KIND OF PLUGGED ALONG AS WE
ALWAYS WERE, BUT NOT BEING ABLE
TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE WAS
REALLY CRAZY FOR ME.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE I'M
TYPICALLY OUT OF THE HOUSE EVERY
SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK.
>> WE WERE ACTUALLY OUT OF THE
COUNTRY.
SO, WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF A
WORLD SCHOOLING TRIP.
>> Reporter: AMBER JOHNSTON, A
WIFE AND HOMESCHOOLING MOTHER OF
FOUR, ALSO FROM GEORGIA, WAS IN
GREECE WITH HER KIDS AT THE
TIME, THE FIRST LEG OF THEIR SIX
COUNTRY EUROPE TOUR.
>> BUT I WAS GETTING ALL THESE
TEXT MESSAGES, URGENT TEXT
MESSAGES AND EMAILS FROM BACK
HOME ASKING ME TO RETURN,
FRIENDS CONCERNED, WONDERING
WHAT WE WERE DOING.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THINGS
WERE BECOMING MORE PANICKED HERE
IN THE STATES THAN THEY WERE
WHERE WE WERE.
BUT IN TERMS OF SCHOOL, MUCH
LIKE WHAT JUDY SAID, WE DIDN'T
MISS A BEAT.
WE WERE-- WE HAD OUR BOOKS WITH
US AND WE WERE DOING THE THINGS
WE NORMALLY DO.
>> Reporter: THE JOHNSTON'S SOON
RETURNED HOME, BUT AS THE TWO
FAMILIES SETTLED INTO WHAT
BECAME A ONE-MONTH SHELTER IN
PLACE ORDER, THEIR PROFESSIONAL
LIVES BEGAN TO CHANGE.
THE CHOICE TO EDUCATE THEIR KIDS
AT HOME THAT AT TIMES IN THE
PAST WAS MET WITH SKEPTICISM,
WAS NOW SEEN AS AN ASSET.
THEY BEGAN FIELDING MORE AND
MORE CALLS FROM PARENTS LOOKING
TO BETTER MANAGE THEIR NEW
SITUATIONS.
>> IN ADDITION TO MY PRIVATE ONE
ON ONE CONSULTATION PICKING UP,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE REACHING
OUT TO ME AND INDIVIDUALS ARE,
BUT I'M ALSO WORKING WITH
CORPORATIONS NOW.
YOU KNOW, TO HELP THEM PROVIDE
THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH STRATEGIES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THAT
THEY CAN BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE
AND MORE ENGAGED WHILE WORKING
FROM HOME WHILE ALSO MANAGING
THEIR KIDS.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MOST, MOST
PEOPLE DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS.
>> Reporter: AS SCHOOLS BEGIN TO
OPEN UP AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH
VARIOUS FORMS OF IN-PERSON
LEARNING OR VIRTUAL CLASS, SOME
PARENTS, DISSATISFIED WITH
WHAT'S ON OFFER, ARE LOOKING
MORE AND MORE AT HOMESCHOOLING.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HOME
SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, IN A SINGLE
DAY LAST MONTH THE ORGANIZATION
RECEIVED 3,400 REQUESTS FOR
INFORMATION, UP FROM A HANDFUL
OF INQUIRIES PER DAY BEFORE THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
BUT SARDEN CAUTIONS THAT WHAT
MANY PARENTS WERE DOING WITH
THEIR KIDS' EDUCATION IN THE
SPRING WITH DISTANCE LEARNING
WAS NOT TRADITIONAL
HOMESCHOOLING, AND THAT PARENTS
NEED TO PREPARE AND EDUCATE
THEMSELVES ABOUT STATE
REGULATIONS BEFORE BECOMING HOME
EDUCATORS.
>> WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING
IS PANDEMIC SCHOOLING.
THEY HAVE BEEN SCRAMBLING,
SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN, IN
THE SPRING THEY THREW TOGETHER
WHATEVER THEY COULD TO TRY TO
HELP PEOPLE CONTINUE ON, AND
IT'S JUST A HODGEPODGE.
YOU KNOW, I KNEW SEVEN MONTHS
BEFORE I STARTED HOMESCHOOLING,
I WAS GOING TO START
HOMESCHOOLING, AND I PLANNED, I
WENT TO HOMESCHOOL CONVENTIONS.
I TALKED TO PEOPLE.
I DID RESEARCH.
>> Reporter: AS MANY PARENTS
HEAD BACK INTO PHYSICAL
BUILDINGS FOR WORK, BOTH WOMEN
AGREE THAT WHETHER YOU WORK IN A
FACTORY, OFFICE BUILDING, OR ARE
WORKING FROM HOME, HOMESCHOOLING
IS MORE FEASIBLE THAN SOME MIGHT
IMAGINE.
>> THE THOUGHT THAT SCHOOL
DOESN'T HAVE TO START AT 8:30
AND END AT 2:30, BUT YOU'RE
LOOKING AT THOSE EQUIVALENT
HOURS AND THROUGHOUT THE SPAN OF
AN ENTIRE SEVEN DAYS, ALL THE
HOURS THAT YOU'RE NOT AT WORK,
CAN YOU SCHEDULE SOME SCHOOL
THINGS TO INTRODUCE NEW LESSONS,
SPARK IDEAS, TEACH THINGS DURING
THAT TIME, AND THEN SET UP
THINGS THAT YOUR KIDS CAN DO
INDEPENDENTLY.
AND EVEN MY SEVEN-YEAR-OLD HAS
THINGS HE CAN DO INDEPENDENTLY.
>> Reporter: AND FOR JOHNSTON,
WHILE THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT
NEWFOUND INTEREST IN THE WORLD
OF HOMESCHOOLING, THIS TEACHING
MOMENT HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT FOR A DIFFERENT
REASON.
IN MAY, MASS ANTI-RACISM
PROTESTS SWEPT THE NATION
FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF GEORGE
FLOYD AT THE HANDS OF POLICE IN
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.
AS THESE EVENTS UNFOLDED MORE
HOME EDUCATORS TURNED TO HER FOR
GUIDANCE AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO
INCORPORATE MORE BLACK HISTORY
AND VOICES INTO THEIR
CURRICULUMS.
>> AND SO, WHAT I SEE AHEAD OF
US IS A LOT OF WORK THAT PARENTS
AND CURRICULUM PROVIDERS AND
WRITERS AND ALL OF US ARE GOING
TO HAVE TO DO TO CONTINUE THE
SHIFT THAT STARTED DURING THE
PANDEMIC OF WANTING SOMETHING
NEW AND DIFFERENT AND BETTER AND
MORE INCLUSIVE TO PRESENT TO OUR
CHILDREN.
>> WE WERE GIVEN OPTION TO
CHOOSE BETWEEN HIGH BREED OR
ONLINE LEARNING, THAT CHANGED.
THE COUNTY FINALLY ASKED US TO
GO COMPLETELY ONLINE.
>> ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE
IMPACTING US, AND THAT'S MY
GREATEST FEAR AS A PARENT, YOU
KNOW,, KEEPING THEM AT HOME AND
THEY DON'T HAVE THIS
INTERACTION.
THEY ARE LOSING THEIR SOCIAL
SKILLS.
HAVING YOUR OWN PERSONAL WORK TO
DO.
LIKE WITH ME, I MEAN, I HAVE MY
-- I AM NOT ONLY A MOTHER, I AM
A STUDENT, AND NOW I AM A
TEACHER.
I AM JUST LIKE WEARING MULTIPLE
HATS AND IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING
SO I WOULD LOVE FOR MY KIDS THE
TO GET BACK TO SCHOOL SO I DON'T
HAVE TO DEAL WITH OTHER THINGS.
BUT AT THIS POINT, WHAT CAN WE
DO?
>> 
>> Sreenivasan: WHEN SAL KHAN
FOUNDED THE KHAN ACADEMY WEBSITE
IN 2008 HIS MISSION WAS TO
PROVIDE FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL
BY PROVIDING ONLINE TOOLS,
SOFTWARE AND VIDEO TUTORIALS ON
DOZENS OF SCHOOL SUBJECTS.
SINCE THEN, HIS SITE HAS GROWN,
WITH MORE THAN 100 MILLION USERS
AND VIDEOS IN 46 LANGUAGES.
I SPOKE WITH SAL KHAN RECENTLY
IN PART ABOUT A RECENT BIT OF
ADVICE HE OFFERED IN "THE NEW
YORK TIMES."
HOW TO "AVOID AN EDUCATION
CATASTROPHE" AS SCHOOLS, PARENTS
AND STUDENTS CONTINUE TO
NAVIGATE THESE UNCERTAIN WATERS.
SAL, I'M ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE
ARE USING KHAN ACADEMY MORE NOW
THAN THEY HAVE PRE-PANDEMIC?
>> YEAH, PRE-PANDEMIC, WE HAD
ABOUT 20 MILLION FOLKS COMING
PER MONTH AND THEY WERE USING US
ABOUT 30 MILLION MINUTES PER
DAY.
LAST SPRING, WE SAW THAT
INCREASE DRAMATICALLY, ABOUT
250% OF NORMAL.
WE SAW ABOUT 85 MILLION MINUTES
A DAY, 30 MILLION FOLKS DOING
THAT, AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, THIS IS ONE
OF THOSE THINGS THAT I'M SURE
THAT YOU'VE THOUGHT THROUGH, BUT
KHAN ACADEMY IS NOT A
REPLACEMENT.
I MEAN, IT CAN BE A SUPPLEMENT,
BUT IT DOESN'T REPLACE WHAT
HAPPENS IN A CLASSROOM, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I WAS SPEAKING AS
SOMEONE WHO'S INADVERTENTLY
BECOME SOMETHING OF A POSTER
CHILD FOR ONLINE EDUCATION, AND
I'LL BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT
FOR MY OWN CHILDREN OR ANYONE
WITH CHILDREN, IF I HAD TO PICK
BETWEEN AN AMAZING TEACHER IN A
PHYSICAL CLASSROOM AND THE
WORLD'S BEST TECHNOLOGY, I WOULD
PICK THE AMAZING TEACHER EVERY
TIME.
NOW, PRE-PANDEMIC, WE IN THEORY
COULD DO BOTH.
WE COULD HAVE AMAZING TECHNOLOGY
IN SERVICE TO AN AMAZING
TEACHER.
BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE HAND
THAT WE'RE DEALT, WE HAVE THE
CONSTRAINTS OF, OF COVID, AND
WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND WE'RE
REALLY SEEING TEACHERS DO THIS
WELL IN CERTAIN POCKETS IS EVEN
THOUGH WE'RE DOING DISTANCE
LEARNING, THE IRONY IS THAT
DISTANCE LEARNING IS A LOT OF
KIDS MAIN CONNECTION TO A
COMMUNITY, TO SOCIAL INTERACTION
RIGHT NOW.
>> Sreenivasan: HOW DOES A
TEACHER BUILD COMMUNITY ACROSS
SCREENS?
>> WELL, RIGHT WHEN A TEACHER
GETS ON TO THEIR VIDEO
CONFERENCE AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND
AT LEAST ONE TOUCH POINT PER
DAY.
AND, FIRST OF ALL, THEY CAN
RETHINK HOW THAT IS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WHAT YOU
WERE DOING IN THE PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT WAS AN HOUR
A DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
IT COULD BE 10 MINUTES EACH DAY,
BUT WITH A SMALLER GROUP OF
STUDENTS THAT YOU CAN FOCUS IN
ON AND MAKE SURE YOU GET TO KNOW
THEM.
WHEN YOU GET ON THE CONFERENCE
CALL OR THE VIDEO CONFERENCE,
TRY TO PULL THEM OUT.
ASK THEM WHAT THEY'RE DOING
TODAY, HOW ARE THEY FEELING.
SPEND FIVE MINUTES DOING THAT.
AND THEN, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,
ASK THEM INTERESTING QUESTIONS
AND ASK THEM TO WORK WITH EACH
OTHER, IDEALLY IN VIRTUAL
BREAKOUTS OR WHATEVER ELSE.
THAT'S GOING TO-- THAT'S WHAT'S
GOING TO REALLY GET THE KIDS
INTERACTING AND GET TO A GOOD
MENTAL PLACE.
>> Sreenivasan: YOU KNOW, THAT
MENTAL PORTION OF IT THAT YOU'RE
REFERENCING IS SO IMPORTANT.
I MEAN HOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE
THING IN A PHYSICAL CLASSROOM
WHERE A TEACHER IS ABLE TO SEE
THAT THE CHILD JUST REALLY
HASN'T SLEPT MUCH AND IS TIRED
AND CAN GO OVER AND ASK WHAT'S
GOING ON AT HOME.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN ACROSS THIS
MEDIUM NOW?
>> THIS IS CLEARLY A SUB-OPTIMAL
SITUATION.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT
JUST BODY LANGUAGE THAT AFFECTS
THAT YOU CAN GET WHEN YOU'RE IN
THE ROOM WITH SOMEONE, IT'S MUCH
HARDER OVER VIDEO CONFERENCE.
I'VE SEEN SOME DISTRICTS DO SOME
THINGS PRETTY WELL.
THE PHOENIX SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS
MADE A POINT OF AN ADULT FROM
THE DISTRICT TRYING TO CALL EACH
KID AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY TO ASK
EXACTLY THOSE TYPES OF
QUESTIONS.
AND, IN SOME WAYS, THAT MIGHT BE
BETTER THAN WHAT A LOT OF
STUDENTS WERE GETTING WHEN YOU
JUST SHOW UP AND YOU'RE ONE OF
30 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM.
NOW AT LEAST SOMEONE, MAYBE IT
MIGHT BE A TWO OR THREE MINUTE
CALL, BUT THEY'RE CHECKING IN ON
YOU.
ANOTHER REALLY SOLID PRACTICE
THAT I'VE, I'VE SEEN IS IN
MARYLAND.
THERE'S ABOUT 5% OR 10% OF THE
POPULATION THAT EVEN WHEN
THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING LAPTOPS AND
GETTING INTERNET CONNECTIONS,
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE
SUPPORTS AT HOME.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE CONTEXT AT
HOME.
AND SO, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS
THEY'RE OPENING UP THE SCHOOLS
FOR DISTANCE LEARNING SO THE
TEACHERS AREN'T THERE, BUT THE
STUDENTS CAN GO THERE INTO A
SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
THEY CAN GET THEIR MEALS WHAT
OTHER-- WHATEVER OTHER SOCIAL
SERVICES THEY NEED.
AND THEN THERE ARE KIND OF
CHILDCARE FOLKS THERE THAT CAN
HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE
ON TASK IN A COVID SAFE WAY.
SO THAT'S A REAL GOOD STOPGAP
MEASURE FOR THE 5% OR 10% OF THE
POPULATION THAT WE, FRANKLY, I'M
MOST WORRIED ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, IT SEEMS
LIKE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY HERE
THAT SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE
LEARN AND HOW TO KEEP IN TOUCH
WITH OUR STUDENTS SHOULD LAST
EVEN AFTER THIS IS GONE.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A
BAD IDEA TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM A
SCHOOL DISTRICT REACH OUT TO A
CHILD EVERY DAY AND MAKE SURE
THAT THERE IS THAT CONNECTION
THERE.
>> YEAH, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S
THE INTERESTING THING.
YOU KNOW, AS SUB-OPTIMAL AS THE
SITUATION IS, IT'S PUTTING
EVERYONE INTO KIND OF THIS
INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE,
EXPERIMENTAL STATE.
TEACHERS ARE TRYING NEW THINGS
AND, TO SOME DEGREE, THEY HAVE
MORE PERMISSION TO INNOVATE
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE
ALTERNATIVE IS, IS NOT THAT
GREAT.
SO, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF
TEACHERS TRY THINGS, SOMETIMES
THEY'RE WORKING, BUT IT'S OKAY
IF THEY FAIL.
THEY CAN FAIL FORWARD ON THAT.
AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF
INNOVATION OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THE KHAN
ACADEMY SIDE, WE'RE CREATING NEW
COURSES TO MAKE SURE KIDS CAN
FILL IN ALL THE GAPS THEY HAVE,
GET READY FOR GRADE LEVEL
COURSES.
I HAVE A SEPARATE SKUNKWORKS
PROJECT CALLED SCHOOLHOUSE
WORLD, ANOTHER NONPROFIT.
WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MATCH
KIDS WHO NEED FREE TUTORING.
AND IT'S OPEN TO ANYONE WITH
AMAZING VOLUNTEER TUTORS WHO ARE
WILLING TO PROVIDE THESE TYPES
OF EXPERIENCES.
AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT, BEST PRACTICES ON A VIDEO
CONFERENCE CLASSROOM, THESE ARE
ACTUALLY THE BEST PRACTICES IN A
PHYSICAL CLASSROOM AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, JUST A ONE TO MANY
LECTURE HAS NEVER BEEN THE MOST
ENGAGING THING.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN YOU'RE
HAVING A CONVERSATION WHEN YOU
WERE ABLE TO WORK IN BREAKOUTS
AND REALLY COLLABORATE ON
THINGS.
>> Sreenivasan: OKAY.
SAL KHAN, KHAN ACADEMY.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IT'S BEEN A WAITING GAME AND
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY,
AND I THINK THAT ADDS TO AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF ANXIETY I
THINK EVERYBODY HAS RIGHT NOW.
I HONESTLY TRY TO HAVE PATIENCE
AND GRACIOUSNESS WITH THAT
BECAUSE I THINK WITH THIS VIRUS,
EVERY DAY BRINGS NEW
INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A WAITING GAME.
BUT TODAY IS OFFICIALLY THEIR
FIRST DAY.
THEY'RE CERTAINLY SIGNED UP ON
THEIR iPODS THIS MORNING, READY
FOR THEIR FIRST MEETINGS WITH
THEIR TEACHERS.
THE PLAN IS HYBRID.
SO, TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY,
GROUP A, GROUP B, DEPENDING ON
YOUR LAST NAME.
IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING FLEXIBLE AT
THIS POINT.
I WANTED SOMETHING CONCRETE.
MY FRIEND HAD A REALLY GOOD
ANALOGY.
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE
TRYING TO BUILD A STRUCTURE IN
THE MIDDLE OF A HURRICANE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER KEEPS
CHANGING.
THE MATERIAL IS, YOU KNOW, YOU
CAN'T YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
AND WE HAVE TO JUST BE FLEXIBLE.
>> Sreenivasan: THAT'S ALL FOR
THIS EDITION OF “PBS NEWSHOUR
WEEKEND.”
FOR THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES
VISIT pbs.org/newshour.
I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
STAY HEALTHY AND HAVE A GOOD
NIGHT.
 Captioning sponsored by WNET
 Captioned by
 Media Access Group at WGBH
 access.wgbh.org
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