COVID+5: The Impact on Education
Joshua Kahn
“When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.” This Chinese proverb captures the opportunity and challenge that confronted schools with the outbreak of COVID-19, five years ago. As we confronted unprecedented challenges, schools, like other institutions, were forced to consider how we would adapt to this new reality. Initially, this involved remote schooling exclusively, followed by decisions of how, when, and to what extent we could return to in-person instruction. Reflecting over the past five years, did we build walls or windmills? Did the challenge of COVID enable us to grow, to harness the challenges into creating strong schools, or did we build walls, ensuring that we remained immune to change?
Measuring growth and change can be a difficult endeavor. While weekly, monthly, and even annual assessments can be of some value in determining incremental growth, with the passage of a period of five years since the pandemic’s onset we can begin to take a more long term and overarching review of the growth and setbacks which arose as a result of those events.
Our yeshiva high schools today do not look drastically different than they did pre-COVID. This is not surprising since the changes the pandemic caused were of necessity, not of aspiration, and to address what we hope is a once-in-a-generation experience, not to tackle educational challenges or opportunities. Yet, the impact of the COVID shutdown, remote learning, and then return to in-person learning has profoundly impacted our schools. I would like to focus on four ways in which our schools have been positively impacted five years later. First, as we made critical decisions during the COVID period, we were forced to reflect on, balance, and prioritize values. Second, we reflected on and appreciated the importance of teen mental health, focusing on how to ensure we are investing properly in how we cultivate relationships with our students, the impact of these relationships, and how we ensure that we are providing an emotionally healthy environment for our students. Third, teachers cultivated their sense of flexibility and adaptability in ways they may not have previously felt possible, comfortable, or empowered to do. Finally, while faculty appreciation has long been a value in schools, COVID brought this to the forefront, as school leaders made a more conscious effort to consider faculty culture and appreciation.
Newton taught that an object in motion remains in motion until acted upon by an external force. This First Law of Motion does not only apply to objects, but also to organizations. Schools, like other organizations can remain stagnant, continuing to operate the way they did in the past, until acted upon by an external force, thereby necessitating change. The COVID pandemic was that external force. Forced to pause, literally and figuratively, schools quickly underwent a significant shift. Tomorrow could not simply look like today. Instead, unable to operate in the same way, schools needed to quickly triage and make priority and practical decisions. Without the liberty of time and a robust process, we had to decide in the limited time we could engage our students on Zoom what classes were higher priorities. Would our minor subjects also meet or would we only study our core subjects? Educationally, what were our priorities for each class? Were assessments important or did we want to prioritize instructional time? How important was the interpersonal interaction, thereby necessitating Zoom or were we satisfied if we could provide the educational content in other ways? What should be the role of extracurricular or co-curricular programs? With the limited time and resources available, would we invest in planning and providing these opportunities for our students? How significant are parents and their needs in our decision-making?
These questions were important during the Spring of 2020 when everything shifted to remote, but remained equally important when we returned to in-person school that Fall. For example, when we got back into the building were we willing to offer our athletics program, recognizing the increased risks for COVID spread through sports? Would we take our students on recreational and social trips, if that also increased the possibility of spreading the coronavirus? Another values-based decision was whether we would use our large beit midrash as a classroom enabling greater social distancing for general studies, providing an additional learning environment, which was educationally valuable, but sacrificing the perceived sanctity of this space? Or would we instead use the gym for a classroom, removing a recreational area from our students but gaining an additional learning space?
This reflective exercise caused schools to pause and drill down on our values, necessitating decisions that often required prioritizing one value over another. What emerged was a school that now understood and more deeply appreciated our mission, not just in theory, but in practice. Five years later, the impact of undergoing this process, with practical ramifications and applications has built a stronger understanding and appreciation of how our values must drive our decisions. Thankfully, the reality and necessity has changed over these years, however, the exercise and experience continues to guide our decisions and has maintained a long-lasting impact that makes our schools more thoughtful in decision-making.
Schools have long valued the healthy social and emotional development of our students. Emerging from the pandemic, the U.S. Surgeon General declared a teen mental health crisis. While this has other contributing factors, including social media and mass violence, the challenges of the pandemic exacerbated the problem and brought this to crisis level. As a result, schools more heavily weighed the implications of specific decisions through the lens of the emotional well-being of our students. How do we balance the workload with the resulting stress and anxiety it may generate among our students? What pauses must we create in our schedule and routine to provide our students with the correct focus on their mental health?
Scarcity is often used in the context of economics in recognizing that resources are usually insufficient to meet all of our human needs and wants. In the context of schools, it also relates to how we manage our limited resources, both in time and finances. Recognizing the value of our resources and their scarcity, COVID caused a rebalancing, with a renewed focus on teen mental health. As an example, I know of several schools that maintained their shortened school day to allow students more time for recreational activities and homework. The current focus on schools going smartphone-free can also be in part attributed to the post-COVID mental health crisis, in which we have appreciated that we must play a leadership role.
During the pandemic we first shifted to remote learning and then to a more hybrid model. Throughout that time, we did not have access to in-person instruction and assessment in the same manner and frequency as we were previously accustomed. This forced us to think differently, consider our primary goals, decide how to deliver instruction and then assess our students. This was by necessity and not necessarily reflective of any desirable changes. As a result, for the most part, our instruction and assessment have returned to the previous format and style. However, like other areas of growth, while externally our approach to instruction and assessment may not look different, principles have changed. We have developed a more flexible attitude, figuring out ways to hold our students accountable while factoring in extenuating circumstances. We are sharper in understanding what our core instructional goals are and what can be stripped away if needed due to limited time or other circumstances. These examples are reflections of the way in which there is longer-lasting change beneath the surface.
Faculty appreciation has been a value in education for many years. Yet, there was a pronounced shift when the pandemic began in which school leaders made a concerted effort to check in and care for their faculty in new ways. Like other aspects previously discussed, this reflected a value that existed pre-COVID and the effect of the pandemic was to force us to be thoughtful and intentional in focusing on our faculty wellbeing as a priority and responsibility of school leaders. Looking back five years later, this effort continues, although the more pronounced teacher shortage has likely been further motivation to continue to focus on faculty wellbeing.
The COVID pandemic stretched muscles that we did not always realize we had and taught us a great deal about ourselves. While our educational institutions may not look drastically different today than they did pre-pandemic, the muscles that were strengthened and the mentality that was refined continues to provide a stronger engine that drives our schools. We have effectively built the windmills to harness this power and are better prepared today to withstand and even thrive through the challenges of tomorrow.
Rabbi Joshua Kahn currently serves as the Rosh Yeshiva of the Torah Academy of Bergen County in Teaneck. He previously served as the Head of School at the Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA).
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Leonard A. Matanky
I will never forget that Friday afternoon, March 13, 2020. That morning, I had written a note to our school community assuring them that our school would follow government guidelines regarding COVID–19 but remain open. But then, on the drive home, a few hours before Shabbat, I received a call from my board president, who said, “Rabbi, the governor just closed down your school.”
At first, I didn’t understand what he was saying—why would the governor target our school? But within a few minutes, I understood that, without notice, the governor had closed all schools in Illinois effective Monday of the coming week.
The following hours and days were a whirlwind of activity as we trained our staff in the use of a relatively new program called “Zoom,” planned an online academic schedule, and asked the students to come to school to pick up their texts and materials for what was then thought to be a two-week closure. Of course, the closure lasted through the end of the school year and even when we reopened, it was abbreviated, distanced, masked, and filled with uncertainty.
That we accomplished all we did – losing only one day in the transition from in–person to online instruction, successfully navigating all the medical and public policy restrictions so that there were no mass outbreaks of COVID–19 in our school and no need to close classes, sections or grades is a feat for which so many deserve credit and a source of great institutional pride.
But now, looking back five years, what has changed about Yeshiva high school education?
I don’t know for sure and can’t provide definitive answers. After all, there are so many variables at play beyond COVID–19, the war in Israel, the rise of antisemitism, as well as shifting family dynamics and mental health concerns that were on the rise even before COVID–19, that it is impossible to isolate variables and determine what is a result of the pandemic and what is not.
Yet, after polling my colleagues and considering their impressions and my experiences, I would suggest that post–COVID, the world of Jewish education has undergone profound changes in four areas:
- Technology
Let me begin with the good news. Because of the manner in which we pivoted to online instruction, students and faculty quickly learned how to use technology for remote instruction. The skills gained were not limited to Zoom but included an entire suite of tools and platforms that manage instruction, distribute classroom materials, and offer online grade books and reporting.
These increased technology skills have ensured that students and teachers are no longer limited to interacting only when located in the same physical space. Today, we can easily have guest speakers from around the world present to classes or to the entire school online and in real time, and we can provide remote instruction for students who may be homebound. While all of these advantages of technology were available pre–COVID, no one could have imagined that these changes would be accomplished in weeks and not years, nor the ease with which they are now used.
However, during COVID as our students’ reliance on technology grew and the amount of time they spent on “screens” increased significantly, we have also noticed a change in attention spans and learning – changes that are in line with what research has found to be a significant impact on the brain and the way we think (“deep” vs. “shallow,” “reading for meaning” vs. “scanning”). On a much more basic level, whether one subscribes to Jonathan Haidt’s dire predictions of an “anxious generation” or one merely yearns for a time when two students sitting at a table would set down their devices and have a conversation, COVID accelerated shifts in communication in ways we were not fully prepared to address or understand; we remain unprepared today.
- Resilience
While the response of our schools to COVID mandates was admirable, and the pace at which we were able to reopen safely was, by some accounts, astonishing, the two years of the pandemic left an indelible mark on many of our students, especially the most vulnerable ones.
This phenomenon may seem counterintuitive; after all, the reopening of school and the resumption of regular instruction should be the ultimate example of a resilient community. Yet, in reality, there were individuals left behind, emerging from the experience in a more fragile state than before. The reason for this can be that resilience is fostered in an environment rich with connections and where challenges are overcome, change can be accepted – even embraced – and a hopeful outlook maintained. But not every student was able to do so during and immediately after the pandemic. The fears were, for many, overwhelming, and connections were severely limited.
To further complicate matters, because of health concerns or fears, some students were not allowed to return to school and remained online even after schools reopened. These students became even more isolated from their peers and were unable to confront their fears of COVID, a key factor in developing resilience. To a lesser extent, there were students who continued to wear masks well after the mandate was lifted, not for health reasons but as a way to hide and disassociate from others – similar in some respects to people who opt to go through life with a “hoodie” draped over their heads.
But even for those with relationships and positive outlooks, the very technology that enabled us to deliver education when our schools were closed was also the means enabling some students to escape the demands of school. This was especially true during school closings, when the school day was shortened because of the difficulty of being “on screens” for a full day. While teachers valiantly and skillfully employed many strategies to engage students online, many found ways to “hide” from their teachers and peers, claiming technological difficulties, turning off a camera, or hiding in plain sight as they became just one of the many stoic images on a screen filled with faces.
As a result, in the five years since the pandemic, teachers report a greater hesitation by students to tackle difficult challenges. Students are less likely to push themselves and take risks, and the number of students who experience some level of depression appears to be on the rise, as is absenteeism (another well–documented post–COVID phenomenon). But even more, we have noted that the courses that students choose to take are more often the ones perceived as easier, and except for a small minority of academically gifted students who seek to attend the most competitive schools, the most challenging and demanding courses have lower enrollment.
Moreover, the pandemic disrupted the normal rites of passage that help young people develop resilience—graduations, milestone celebrations, and social experiences that mark key transitions. Many students missed out on these moments, and while schools made efforts to create alternative experiences, they were not the same. The absence of these experiences may have contributed to a sense of loss and a lingering difficulty in adjusting to post-pandemic life.
From a religious viewpoint, the COVID years harmed the relationships that our children have with God and our primary form of encounter – tefilla. Because synagogues were closed, tefillot limited, and gatherings were forbidden, many children missed out on the opportunity to attend synagogue and pray alongside a parent – an important formative experience. Furthermore, bar mitzva boys did not have the same opportunities to read from the Torah or lead services – again a significant rite of passage and preparation for synagogue engagement. While we cannot measure the impact this has had on their relationship with tefilla and God, we have also seen a drop in synagogue attendance, and we attribute this to children missing out on critical role modeling.
On a communal level, after COVID, formal tefillot have been streamlined, singing has been limited, and the experience of synagogue has lost some of its grandeur. As a rabbi of a synagogue, I have also seen a precipitous drop in the attendance of women on Shabbat morning, perhaps due to falling out of the habit of attending synagogue that was necessary during COVID.
- Student Skills and Knowledge
This is one area of change for which there is substantial data. In general, students did not have the same academic gains from the pandemic period as they would have had in a similar period before or after those events. In the public schools over the two years directly impacted by COVID, reading and math scores dropped precipitously – in some states by more than an entire grade level. While similar data is not available for Jewish schools, we have seen a drop in math, science, language arts, Tanakh, and Hebrew reading.
Some of the difference in scores in Yeshiva high schools may be attributed to the fact that many universities no longer require SATs or ACTs for admission (also an outgrowth of COVID). Therefore, students are not as invested in preparing for or even taking the tests as seriously as they once did. However, much of the difference is simply due to students missing out on core instruction at an especially critical time of their learning during the lower school years. This is not only due to the general challenges of online versus in-person instruction but especially due to the significantly reduced success rate of online education in the lower grades.
As a result, teachers report that a great deal of remediation is now required. Students in high school need to work on their Hebrew reading – a skill they should have mastered in first through third grades. Reading comprehension is lower than in the past because of the core skills that were missed, and teachers must provide greater support for reading comprehension than before. Because many students lack the resilience necessary for success, this remediation is even more difficult than expected.
Finally, we have seen an approximate 25% increase in students with documented learning differences. Whether these differences are a function of broadening the categories of learning differences, the greater availability of testing, the lack of early intervention, or the impact of COVID has not been determined. However, the timing of this increase aligns with the post–pandemic era.
- Interpersonal Relationships
In describing the importance of in-person interactions to children’s emotional growth, Dr. David Pelcovitz often quotes the verse: “As water reflects a face back to the face that looks into it, so does the heart of a person reflect his feelings to a person who faces him” (Proverbs 27:19).
The COVID-19 pandemic broke those direct connections between students and their peers and students and their teachers. Even schools that were experts at using Zoom know that looking at a screen with a gallery of faces cannot evoke the same feelings of empathy and connection as standing across from someone and interacting with them. While better than texting or posting on social media, real-time audio and video streaming still does not create deep and meaningful relationships.
For most of our students, the early days of COVID-19 were spent isolated from friends. It challenged their ability to create connections with others, develop empathy, and understand of what it means to act as a community. The impact is well-documented, with the increased amount of screen time contributing to a significant rise in anxiety and depression. In many schools, this has led to an increase in the need for therapists and social workers, and the issues and challenges we now encounter are unprecedented in their breadth and scope. Despite efforts to normalize and expand support services, many schools struggle to meet the growing demand.
Conclusion
Five years ago, as I packed my office and prepared to leave school, I could never have imagined the impact that COVID-19 would have on our world, our community, and our students. It was a “black swan event” – unprecedented and unpredicted that has left a lasting impact on Jewish education.
The challenges are many, and the road ahead remains uncertain, but with thoughtful leadership and a commitment to student well-being, Jewish education can emerge stronger, more adaptable, and prepared for the future. As Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt”l spoke of in his eulogy for Rabbi Zev Gold, that is the hallmark of the Jewish people; we are a forward-looking people, who awaits not only the coming of the Messiah, but also the future greatness of the Jewish people itself.
Therefore, we need to focus on the opportunities COVID created, especially the new proficiency of teachers in using technology to support education and the ability to quickly pivot in times of need to find ways to strengthen our students and schools. At our school, we have expanded the network of social and emotional services available to students and partnered with other agencies to begin to address the new needs. We have joined with schools across the country in working to find the best balance of technology and learning. We have strengthened programming to create community among students. We are introducing new programs to give students a voice among their peers and to develop leadership skills. We continue to address the remedial needs of students, integrating a school-wide Hebrew reading program, creating a tutoring program for mathematics, and constantly reviewing data to find ways to enhance our curriculum.
As we move forward, it is crucial to learn from these experiences and continue to proactively address the challenges that have emerged. Schools must find ways to balance technology with interpersonal relationships, foster resilience through meaningful engagement, and ensure that students receive the academic and emotional support they need. The lessons of COVID should not be forgotten but should serve as a foundation for building a more resilient, innovative, and connected Jewish educational system for future generations.
Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky is the Rabbi of Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park, and Dean of Ida Crown Jewish Academy.