Patrick Kelly teaches Advanced Placement U.S. Government and History at Blythewood High School outside Columbia, S.C., and is a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as “the nation’s report card,”
In this guest column, Kelly explains how the pandemic affected and changed the seniors in his high school AP classes and what colleges ought to know about these teens.
By Patrick Kelly
While most high school students view the holidays as a time to relax, the students I teach often continue to write essays and stress over due dates straight through their winter break. That’s because for the past 19 years, I have taught seniors, and the start of a new year is filled with deadlines for college admissions and scholarship applications.
For the past several months, I have been writing recommendations for my remarkable current group of students, trying to highlight things that make each student unique. But for this cohort, part of what makes them distinctive is their shared experience impacted by the pandemic, which disrupted schools in the spring of their eighth-grade year. As a result, there are important student characteristics I believe future professors and employers need to keep in mind.
Credit: Courtesy Photo
Credit: Courtesy Photo
The truth is I’ve never taught a more resilient group. They’ve overcome loss, lived with uncertainty, and worked hard to rebuild community and regain a sense of normalcy. Who knows exactly how that resilience will shape my students’ lives, but I’m confident it will be an asset.
These current seniors are also exceptionally empathetic, not just toward each other and the people they know but also in an outward way. Living through a worldwide pandemic has made them feel more connected to people in other communities, other countries, and with other backgrounds. They’re interested in addressing and solving problems here in South Carolina, and much farther afield. That will be a major strength in this globally connected time.
The ways in which the pandemic shaped their outlook creates challenges too. Having experienced the devastating effects of the pandemic, this group of students has a different perspective on the things that matter most in life. Take grades, for example. While my students certainly want to achieve high marks, they are also far more likely than prior cohorts to want to see value and purpose in their studies in ways that stretch far beyond grade-point average. While the promise of an “A” can spark participation, these students need to see deeper meaning to fully engage.
Work habits also have changed. During the chaotic initial months of the pandemic, schools loosened up on policies like homework deadlines, test retakes, and even attendance. While our world would certainly be enriched with more routine instances of grace, the flexibility of pandemic policies stunted development of attributes like punctuality and time management that are essential for success in life. I’ve seen this cohort gradually building these skills, but college professors should be cognizant that doing things the way they’ve always been done is unlikely to reach all members of a group that experienced high school as it’s never been done.
I teach AP students who are achieving at high levels. But that’s not the case for all students. Nationally, achievement scores dropped across the country on the latest Nation’s Report Card in reading, math, history and civics. They also fell in math for U.S. students on a key international test.
Those scores worry me, but issues beyond academics are also a huge concern. Survey data on the latest Nation’s Report Card adds to the mounting evidence that chronic absenteeism is a major problem. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms what my colleagues and I have seen ourselves — teens are increasingly experiencing serious mental health problems, a trend that seems increasingly connected to pervasive screen time and social media use.
As a result, I firmly believe relationships matter more than ever. Getting to know my students helps me see what’s behind that missing assignment, low test score, or shoddy attendance. Sometimes, it’s habits that need unwinding, but at other times, it’s something bigger and talking to a trusted teacher can help.
Research shows that students who have a positive connection to at least one adult in school can greatly impact their success and well-being. I hope my fellow educators in higher education double down on office hours, grab coffee with students, and seek chances for intentional, meaningful engagement.
Wherever we teach, it’s vital educators do all we can to support the young people entrusted to us. From my view, this year’s high school graduates are exceptional. I hope those who have the privilege of working with them next take the time to harness their individual strengths as they collectively navigate the next steps in their unique journey to adulthood.
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