Whether the discussion is about reduced budgets on education expenses, schools shutting down, lack of academic resources, or poor mentorship and guidance – the reason for all is somehow rooted in the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, you might say that the pandemic is already over, and the academic society is coming together again. And that is undoubtedly true! But the scale of the pandemic has left the education system in turmoil by keeping students in a resource crisis, away from teachers and peers – and most importantly – unhealthy habits in different societies.
Whether providing quality education remotely or approaching a hybrid model, educational institutions and teachers are responsible for facilitating a learning environment, personal growth and identifying students needing attention. Let’s discuss why healthy learning should be brought together for the betterment of students.
COVID-19 Has Transformed Traditional Learning Methodologies
Among the challenges brought by the pandemic, the shutting down of schools and educational institutions have abruptly impacted students – not just in the learning aspect but also in personal growth, sleep routine, and behavioural changes. Across a multitude of ages, students have responded to various circumstantial crises by:
1. Kindergarten students withdrew from social activities and were reluctant to attend a school or participate in community building. In addition, teachers have also observed a massive regression in their classroom activities in the form of fidgeting with pencils, thumb-sucking, inattentiveness, and even anxiety.
2. In some cases, anxiety levels in students become more apparent, with elementary students being aggressive, irritable, and clingy. These emotional conditions are often ignored and unresolved by parents, teachers, and even peers – resulting in harmful speech, lack of motivation, poor performance, and trying to avoid school.
Here’s how you can support a child with anxiety during school.
3. The emotional absence is even more traceable in high school and college students, who may display sleeping and eating disorders, delinquent behaviours, physical complaints, and increased peer conflicts. In addition, they get agitated more quickly and show clear inattentiveness to academic cultures.
How Can Schools Ensure Disruption-Free Learning Environments
Despite the academic challenges and distant learning barriers brought partly by COVID-19, the education system and its governing bodies can offer strategic lessons and good practices in almost any situation. Wherever education is disrupted for a protracted period, the three lessons mentioned below can actively ensure disruption-free learning:
1. Establishing a routine is essential for learning programs since children need flexibility. Switch up the activities if students seem restless, or flip to a more engaging option. But do not forget to plan academic chores to steadily develop fine and gross motor functions.
2. Open conversations will encourage students to express their feelings and ask questions to teachers and parents. What’s essential for teachers to understand is that different students show reactions to stress differently. Therefore, patience is the key to reinforcing healthy activities and the importance of daily habits.
3. Teachers must regularly stay in touch with parents and vice versa. Stay informed at any given moment, ask parents questions about how their kids perform and behave at home, and get further guidance. Parent-Teacher communities are essential as well, especially with remote and home-schooling.
Here’s How Schools Can Implement Distant Learning Solutions
Education should be personalized, intuitive, and fun! This is why online learning is the best way to education. It can benefit those who have experienced bullying and social anxieties in academic environments. One very important thing to address in this regard is the batch size; small class strengths taught by qualified teachers is a great way to start healthy learning:
1. The first approach should examine readiness and choose the most relevant remote learning tools. Academic institutions must consider uninterrupted electricity, internet, and other learning modules, with parents and teachers having certain digital skill sets to support students.
2. Planning the study schedule, even for distant learning programs, is vital, especially for examining the possible duration of academic courses. This helps in deciding whether distant learning should focus on teachings new content or enhancing existing ones – depending on how much has already been covered and other needs.
3. Developing distant learning methodologies and monitoring the process is an administrative approach that can design formative exercises to monitor each student’s learning progress. Additionally, using various tools to submit student feedback can avoid overloading parents within the parent-teacher community.
Looking Forward
Having small batches that experienced teachers oversee will bring an end to learning disruption. The second principal approach, “Intuitiveness,” can only be implemented if students can interact with their teachers. Even with the limited time in school, it will ensure that students receive the academic support they deserve.