The last two years have been different and brought big changes to our lives. Courtesy: COVID19 pandemic. Among the many changes that became the new normal in the past two years, online classes and online examinations were one of them. Schools remained mostly closed and children got used to staying at home for an extended period of time. Now, with the receding third wave, schools are on their way to reopen and children will have to get back to the old ways once again. And, although it’s an exciting prospect for them to get back with their friends and classmates again, experts believe that they will take their time to be able to re-adjust to the school atmosphere. They may also be susceptible to anxiety and detrimental mental health.
While students anticipate mingling with their peers and playing in the schoolyard, things may not be as they once were because they will now be required to adhere to social distancing rules, such as not sharing chairs or tiffins. While schools may be attempting to close the academic gap by accelerating their studies, experts advise that they take it slowly until the children have re-acclimated to their new environments after such a long gap.
Instead of getting into academics at once, it is advisable to spend the first week familiarising the children with the environment of the school once again. To assist the young students to reconnect with their friends and regaining their sense of safety at school, more emphasis should be placed on group activities, extracurriculars, and sports. To begin with, fun quizzes rather than traditional assessments may assist children in gradually adjusting to their academics.
It has definitely not been easy for children the last two years. Confined at home without outdoor activities, they only had their mobile or laptop screens to look forward to. They may have missed their friends. Apart from that, it is also probable that they may have lost a family member to the pandemic. Teachers can foster a healthy peer-to-peer support system among students by having open discussions about these experiences in group sessions.
It is also important to keep in mind that the pandemic is not over yet and schools should always encourage COVID appropriate behaviour. Teachers should be the ones students look up to for such ideals.
