Pandemic pods (also called coronavirus bubbles, quarantine containers, and our personal favorite – quaranteams) have been popping up all over social media. Their popularity has grown as parents try to navigate + balance virtual and in-person learning.
If you haven’t heard of pandemic pods, they are a small network of people who limit their non-distanced social interactions to the members of their pod, or group. It’s kind of like a Myspace Top 8. Remember Myspace ?
In terms of school during COVID-19, learning pods have become especially important for children who are acquiring a myriad of life long skills, including socialization, empathy, sharing, setting boundaries, problem solving, and more. Learning pods have even become a way to help small business owners during COVID-19, while giving working parents a place to drop their children off during the workday.
Here in Greenville + the surrounding Upstate, there is already an active facebook group, called Pandemic Learning Pods and Microschools of the Upstate , with over 300 members. The group is for parents to explore forming a learning pod, a microschool, or just getting information on a nanny share who can help to tutor your child during their classes.
Aside from the benefits of kids having a way to learn in a small socially distant group, having a tutor or a recently retired teacher in the room to help is not only a major help for the student, but also for the parents who are realizing very quickly that teaching is not for everyone.
Ron Swanson | Giphy
These pods are not limited to fulfilling the needs associated with learning. They have become a popular and effective way to meet our social, familial, and emotional needs, while also helping to limit both the size + spread of outbreaks.