Covid 19 pandemic has been a bane for all of us, but it has proved detrimental to our children. Schools have been closed for almost two years now and prattles and whispers in and around the classrooms can no more be heard. Kids are cooped inside their homes instead of not only whetting their thirst for knowledge but also unable to explore the world and hone their extracurricular skills, be it sports, debates or theatre. Online teaching is not only unaffordable for poor kids but also can never be a substitute for classrooms.
Learning not unidimensional:
Learning is a two-way process where face-to-face interaction is essential for effective assimilation of knowledge. It's an exercise where the teacher continuously assesses the students' understanding and modifies the teaching as per the needs perceived. However, online teaching robs the kids of active participation and makes learning mechanical, difficult, even boring. A child finds it difficult to concentrate on the lesson and also misses the vibrancy of a buzzing, busy classroom. Slackness is observed both in the teacher and the student.
Psychological Impact:
The absence of regular school is having a major impact on the mental wellbeing of both young and adolescent kids. They don't feel any motivation to study since there's is no atmosphere of competitiveness among peers, as also the inner drive to impress their teachers is absent. Student-teacher relationship, an intrinsic part of school learning is missing. Hence there's no dedication from the mentors as well as the mentees.
Impact on young ones vs adolescents:
For young schoolgoers, the school is their second home and the teachers are their second parents. This concept of teachers as secondary caregivers in India is seeing a massive setback due to pandemic-induced limitations. Also, the kids miss the playgrounds and the different sports and cocurricular activities they used to run for in school. Adolescents who need informed guidance on their changing physical and social dynamics are suffering too. Teenage is a time when the kids need the company of their friends for longer durations to feel emotionally stable and evolve. That healthy peer environment they found in school is missing. As a result, children are feeling various degrees of sadness, withdrawal, aggressive behaviour, fear, anxiety and nervousness.
Ways to adapt to Pandemic:
In the face of the aforementioned concerns, schools, as well as parents, need to perform a two-fold role. Schools need to come up with a number of interactive tools to engage the wandering minds of students in order to ensure continued interest in online classes. Alongside, teachers should make extra efforts to have regular one-on-one interaction with the students to establish a good rapport with them. Hence, they need to put in some extra time to guide the kids individually. Parents on the other hand should provide extra love and care to their kids. Caregivers must encourage the children to talk more and share their thoughts on a daily basis. A healthy, happy environment at home should be created where parents play with kids, tell them stories, share jokes and assure them that this time will soon be over one day. An optimistic outlook is the best antidote to the Pandemic and school closure.