Frosts returned Russian schoolchildren to distance learning: experts are sounding the alarm

Severe frosts covered the country, for some it was a real disaster, but for schoolchildren they are a joy: because of the cold weather, vacations were extended in a number of regions. But far from everyone was lucky: somewhere the students were transferred to distance learning. “MK” found out from experts whether it is worth, as in the “good” coronavirus times, to put the kids on a distance again, or are there other options?

Due to severe frosts, classes were immediately canceled in a number of regions of the Komi Republic on January 9. This is not surprising, because the temperature there dropped to -35…-39°C. At the same time, in some cities, children did not go to school at all, and in some areas, indulgences were made only for elementary school students (for example, in Vorkuta, students from grades 1 to 5 stayed at home). And in Izhma, where the frost dropped as low as -45.3 ° C, education for schoolchildren was made remote. The Komi Ministry of Education said that “the school makes the decision to cancel classes or switch to distance learning due to low temperatures on its own, taking into account current and forecast weather conditions.”

In Rospotrebnadzor “MK” confirmed that “decisions are made by regional executive authorities in the field of education (regional education departments, education committees, etc.)”.

In the Penza region, for example, not schools, but the parents themselves had to decide whether to send their children to classes in the cold or not. So did officials from education in the Orenburg, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Chelyabinsk regions, Udmurtia, Mordovia and other regions where frosts of -39 … -41 ° C and below were recorded. Such an order of the local Ministry of Education, judging by social networks, caused a wave of indignation among moms and dads. The department recalled that with those students whom parents, despite the frost, send to school, classes will be held as scheduled. “Such decisions should be made by the school! – the mother of one of the Perm students is indignant. – Either everyone is at home on vacation, or everyone goes to school, at worst – everyone has a remote control! Otherwise, children will have different levels of knowledge!” In addition, the townspeople are surprised: you know, the kids go to the gardens, and nothing, but the students are not able to get to schools? ..

“When the Ministry of Education shifts its decision to parents and brings confusion, this is a completely incomprehensible story for me,” Mikhail Bogdanov, chairman of the St. “.

Recall that even according to the norms of Soviet times, elementary school students may not attend school from -25 ° C, and senior students (starting from the 5th grade) – when the frost is below 27 ° C. But if schoolchildren still come, then teachers will be obliged to conduct lessons with them. The school must operate at any temperature.

For comparison, in Tatarstan, the decision to extend the winter holidays for two days was taken by the ministry, and it became common for everyone. True, this was done at the expense of spring break, which will be shortened. There are general rules in the republic that differ for rural and urban educational institutions: for example, in primary grades of schools in villages and villages, classes are canceled at -23 ° C, in primary grades of urban schools and grades 5-9 in rural schools – at – 25°C.

“MK” found out from the experts: how do they see the best option for teaching schoolchildren in wild frosts, and is it worth switching to distance learning at this time?

“That the coronavirus, that severe frosts affect the health of children, and, of course, no one wants to provoke outbreaks of diseases once again,” said the former teacher of the Moscow State Technical University named after N. E. Bauman, and now the head of the National Parents’ Committee, a member of the Public Council for Rights child Yuri Obolonsky. – I think that the approach here should be balanced. If distance learning methods are well mastered in some schools, there are professionals trained for this format, then children can be transferred to distance learning. But, unfortunately, based on the pandemic experience, I can say that in our country there are no standards for distance learning. Teachers do not know how to give material at a distance and how to check the knowledge gained later. On the other hand, many schoolchildren, due to the fact that not all regions have a good Internet connection, simply imitate learning at a distance.

Obolonsky concluded that in those schools where there is no good communication and trained teachers, the best way out in such cold weather is to do with homework. “Classes could be postponed for a week, and for this time, give the guys certain tasks so that they read the material at home and then, at a face-to-face meeting with teachers, they could go through these topics at a faster pace,” Obolonsky said.