Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Kindergarten Students and Educators: Perspective from Ontario, Canada

• In Event: The Cascading Educational Impacts of COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions placed on society, including school closures, has dramatically affected many areas of everyday life. Closures impact students, families, as well as teachers and educators. With schools reopening, teachers find themselves as front-line workers, but little is known about how they are impacted by the pandemic. Reopening of schools and ensuring optimal opportunities for students cannot be done effectively or successfully without addressing the needs of educators who are crucial in reducing pandemic’s impact on children.

Objectives and methods: In this observational, area-based study, we asked kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators in Ontario, Canada, to complete a web-based survey entitled “Hidden Future Front Line: Educators’ perspective on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on kindergarten children (HiFLEC)” from May to July 2020. We gathered information on transition to distance learning, contact with students, educators’ concerns for the transition back to school-based learning, and their mental well-being.

Results: A total of 3,028 kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators completed the survey. Almost 90% (86.5%) reported that they were able to reach most children in their classes after the closures, but 11% reported having at least one student who they could not contact, and 84% had students in their class whose families opted out of distance learning. Respondents also reported experiencing several barriers to distance learning, with a lack of parental engagement (i.e. parents/guardians not submitting assignments or providing updates on their child’s learning) being the number one barrier. Teachers and educators were also asked about whether they had any concerns about the reopening of schools. The majority of concerns reported were related to health and safety, including concerns about children being able to follow new protocols and maintaining proper hygiene. We then conducted multiple analyses of variance to examine the association between the following variables and teacher/educator well-being: lesson planning/preparation time compared to pre-pandemic, experiencing barriers to distance learning, and having concerns about the reopening of schools. Analyses revealed that greater preparation time (F8, 4304 = 4.109, p < 0.001; Pillai’s trace = 0.015) and having concerns about the return to school ((F8, 4318 = 13.486, p < 0.001; Pillai’s trace = 0.049) were associated with both symptoms of anxiety and depression, while experiencing barriers to distance learning were only associated with depression (F2, 2170 = 4.018, p = 0.018; Pillai’s trace = 0.004).

Conclusion: The COVID-19 global pandemic has impacted many people by forcing the closure of schools and the implementation of distance learning. Our survey provided a snapshot of the realities of emergency distance learning, educators’ concerns for the reopening of schools, and their well-being. We believe that our key findings are: 1) despite efforts, there will always be children missing out on education in such circumstances; and 2) educators mental health needs to be addressed to ensure optimal return to school for all. Acting upon such findings is imperative as society faces more uncertainties in relation to the pandemic.

Authors

• Caroline Reid-Westoby, McMaster University
  Presenting Author

• Molly Pottruff, McMaster University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Magdalena Z Janus, McMaster University
  Non-Presenting Author