Parents form “Pandemic pods”

Transcript

It’s August and many kids are back to school.

Some children will go to physical classrooms but some parents are forming water being called “pandemic pods.”

Those who can afford it are hiring tutors or retired teachers for small, private classes.

A pod in a suburb of Atlanta has 7 families and 25 kids, from kindergarten through 5th grade.

There kids work with a single teacher in a home.

Parents who are taking apart of this say their kids like it because they can still interact with other kids but in a smaller environment.

From San Francisco to Toledo, Ohio to Tampa, Florida “pandemic pods” or micro school groups are popping up all over social media.

But in-person instruction doesn’t come cheap, with some parents guaranteeing a teacher their full salary.

Some families looking for a more cost-effective option are following their school’s virtual learning plan, while forming their own pods and hiring a tutor to help with all the digital homework and check-ins.

Parents who have kids with a pre-existing condition or special needs say the pod model is safest for their families.

But even hiring a tutor can be an expensive option, or not an option at all, for some families.

It is yet another way the coronavirus has highlighted how good education often depends on what your parents can afford.

Posted – 8.4.20