Lessons of the Pandemic Disruption, Innovation, and What Schools Need to Move Forward

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on K–12 education have been pervasive and profound. This engaging book concisely outlines the current crisis in schools in the core areas of student learning, student and teacher mental health, and teacher burnout. Synthesizing original research, David T. Marshall and Tim Pressley offer in-depth descriptions of the disruptions caused by prolonged school closures and remote instruction. They also identify some positive changes, such as increased use of online resources and technology, flexible work models, and greater attention to social and emotional learning. Sharing key findings, concrete examples, and teachers’ own voices about what they need to succeed, the book provides clear recommendations for moving schools forward effectively and sustainably. 
 

David T. Marshall, PhD, is Associate Professor of Educational Research in the College of Education at Auburn University. Since 2020, much of his research has focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on K–12 education. Dr. Marshall edited COVID-19 and the Classroom: How Schools Navigated the Great Disruption, one of the first books to share social science research documenting the first 15 months of the crisis. His research interests also include school choice and charter schools. Dr. Marshall’s work has been published in leading journals of education research, policy, and practice. Prior to his doctoral studies, he taught middle and high school social studies in both traditional public schools and public charter schools in Philadelphia. He served two terms as chair of the Alabama Public Charter School Commission.
 
Tim Pressley, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at Christopher Newport University, where he is also a faculty member in the Master of Arts in Teaching program and the Center for Education Research and Policy. Before receiving his doctorate, Dr. Pressley was an elementary school teacher, an experience that has been a driving force behind his research. Currently his research focuses on teachers’ lives, specifically the impact of COVID-19 on teachers, teacher effectiveness, and teacher burnout. His work has been published in leading education journals. Dr. Pressley is coauthor of Reading Instruction That Works, Fifth Edition, and Lessons of the Pandemic: Disruption, Innovation, and What Schools Need to Move Forward. Giving teachers a voice on issues affecting their lives has been a driving force behind his research.
 

Foreword, Harry A. Patrinos
Preface
1. The Great Disruption
2. The Case against Prolonged School Closures
3. The Impact on Student Learning
4. The Impact on Student Mental and Social Well-Being
5. The Impact on Teacher Well-Being
6. The Impact on Teacher Labor Markets
7. What Changes Remain?
8. What Do Teachers Need to Be Successful?
9. Where Do We Go from Here? Lessons Learned from the Pandemic
Appendix: Overview of Methodology
References
Index