Pandemic learning loss

Learning loss is a ridiculous term. For years, we have talked about learning loss over the summer. This is not learning loss. This is forgetting what was memorized. There is a difference.

Lately, we have been talking a lot about pandemic learning loss. This is actually a very different form of learning loss and still a ridiculous term. In this case, we insist that less was learned than expected because of the pandemic. Not learning as much is very different from losing learning.

Of course, both uses of the term are in context of what the schools value rather than what has practical value. If children learn something different during the pandemic, it's not going to count towards the expected learning. What's learned away from schools is more likely to be fueled by the value of the learning. Because of this, so-called learning loss is likely being substantially overestimated.