Schools across the globe have reportedly closed down because of the coronavirus pandemic. This has brought the education industry into chaos. Educators, learning facilities, parents, and students are still experiencing the difficulties caused by the pandemic. Students were required to stay at home, and their parents were asked to assist them in continuing with their lessons. Learning facilities were forced to make sudden and considerable changes in their learning systems to adjust to the new normal. This only shows that a lot of people need to make all the necessary adjustments to ensure that gaining access to quality education will still be possible despite the situation.
Helping Students Cope with Disruptions in Education
Dealing with all the changes and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has made students grow anxious about their future. Thus, parents and teachers need to work together to assure students, especially children, that they can continue with their lessons. The key is to help them adjust to the new normal in education. Also, parents need to make sure they pay attention to their kid’s mental and emotional well-being. To achieve this, they can consider performing the following:
- Help them adapt to new routines—Kids might not easily understand why they need to stay at home 24/7. Thus, you need to help them adjust to the new normal and help them adapt to new routines. Make sure that you explain the situation properly. Slowly, assist them in building new habits that allow them to stay physically and mentally healthy.
- Keep them entertained through hobbies—Allow them to find joy in various activities. Let them explore new hobbies at home. Help them with their studies, but make sure they have time for play as well. Teach them new skills and ensure they gain knowledge and experience that they can use, not just in school but also in the world outside.
- Reassure them that the school closures are only temporary—Let them know that everything will be okay and will get back to normal. Inform them that they can still attend their classes and meet their friends at a global international school in Singapore just like before.
Addressing the Challenges in Gaining Quality Education
Keep in mind that not everyone is privileged to access quality education during the pandemic. Many parents are already struggling to provide quality education to their kids even before the COVID-19 crisis. Now, more families are experiencing the struggles of helping their children cope with the new normal in education. Most of them don’t even have an idea of how they can assist their kids in continuing with their studies. Some of them are unsure how to move forward while dealing with all the challenges brought by the coronavirus crisis.
Educational challenges have only revealed that the pandemic has brought massive adverse changes in society. Fortunately, many schools and teachers are continuously trying their best to assist students and parents in making adjustments. Hopefully, the global crisis in education will be adequately addressed. This way, children in different parts of the world will have equal opportunities to gain skills, knowledge, and experiences. With this, children will be more than capable, which they can use to achieve success, especially when they become adults.
Preparing Students for School Reopening
The thought that students can now go back to school may scare parents and even students. However, you need to stay open-minded and stop worrying too much about your child’s safety. Keep in mind that learning facilities, teachers, and other authorities are doing their best to ensure that education will go back to normal as soon as possible. Despite these, they will never compromise anyone’s safety. Remember, lives are at risk, so they will never decide to reopen classes in school if they believe it’s still unsafe for kids and even teachers.
Some schools even decided to reopen classes already. However, they are strict when it comes to implementing health protocols. For instance, schools have adapted new strategies such as dividing classes to avoid crowding in classrooms. Wearing masks, practising proper hygiene, and social distancing are imposed. Some schools even designed outdoor classrooms, a better alternative than indoor classrooms amidst the pandemic. Also, parents, students, and teachers are trained before they officially reopen schools for classes. This way, everyone will be ready to adapt to the new changes needed to continue gaining access to quality education. The pandemic doesn’t have to be an obstacle to achieving knowledge.
The coronavirus pandemic has definitely brought huge and negative impacts on education. It has also left people wondering and worrying about their future, including their kids’ education. Indeed, dealing with all the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 crisis may continue to disrupt people’s lives. However, you need to learn how to adapt to changes and remind yourself, especially children, that things will get better. Methods of learning and teaching may have changed, but kids will still have the opportunity to experience a brighter future.
