Meet the students who say remote learning works just fine

One group of students is called the Golden Barrels, another Prickly Pears. For seventh graders in Jennifer Cale’s language arts class, this year’s theme is the cactus.

“They wrote all these metaphors about how they needed to be resilient like a cactus, and they needed to thrive in harsh conditions,” says Ms. Cale, whose Renton, Washington, school turned to remote learning last spring.  

That writing prompt helped them conclude that if they stuck through it, she explains, “they were going to bloom like the cactus.”

Ms. Cale’s students seem to have taken the theme to heart. On top of their good academics, she reports near-100% daily attendance online – on par with her pre-pandemic classes.

Resilience is more necessary than usual as districts in cities from Los Angeles to Detroit face decisions about whether to reopen

More time for rewardsBonding with family – and Jane AustenIncreased communication helps