It is now the turn of teachers in Bengaluru – after a gap of 18 months – to return to campuses on Monday with children of classes 1-5.
The children of classes 1 and 2 were still in kindergarten when they last went to school and the primary grade teachers are gearing up with excitement as well as some nervousness.
“There is a lot of enthusiasm among the children to return to the campus. Humans are naturally social, and schools provide this lifeline. As the day progresses, challenges will emerge,” said Preet Benjamin Aaron, Head of School, Primary and Pre-Primary, Inventor Academy.
Aaron expects some separation anxiety and shyness. “We are looking at a quiet area for those who cannot adjust to the loud noises initially. It will be like the first day of school for many people,” she said.
Shanti Raghunath, primary head of Neev Academy, said: “The pandemic has left students with losses and gains. The limited losses we see in literacy, and numerical skills, are balanced by soft skills such as time-management, independence, and extreme flexibility. We are working on leveraging these benefits to overcome the deficit. The inconsistency of routines and habits, along with exposure to scary news, makes children feel uncertain, insecure and uncertain. ”
Rakesh Singh, Head of Academic Implementation, Orchid The International School said, “It will take some time for them to adjust and we expect some of them to have behavioral issues like loneliness, sudden outbursts etc. We have a team of mentors everywhere campus and they will keep a close watch on the students.”
Teachers explain that children will have to adjust to work in a social space from a different location in their home, learn social rules, how to play with others, sit for long periods of time in class and without interruption. Others have to listen.
“The big challenge is to build up the writing stamina the students have lost,” Aaron said. “Going back to routine will also be challenging. The body clock will have to be adjusted as children will have to get up earlier and many may have to travel long distances. Some may even have the emotional scars of an epidemic. We have to be really patient and sensitive.”
Schools say another challenge is understanding the learning gap. “All this while, parents or grandparents were sitting next to them in online classes and helping them to answer. We don’t know how much a child really knows,” said Tejashwi Ballari, principal of Poornapragya Education Center in Sri Krishna Nagar.
There is also concern that young children have to cover some distance in the notorious traffic of Bengaluru with the prospect of a long day ahead. However, teachers believe that children are extremely flexible and adaptable and quickly adjust to the school day.
The most important preparation for teachers, especially in the primary classes, will be to welcome and socialize children back to school. In the first two weeks, they should focus on getting to know each child and helping them get to know each other through sharing sessions, games and team activities. Thereafter, the learning level of each child will be assessed one by one. It will be a very tiring time for the teachers and the school management should be mindful of their well being.
Maya Menon, Founder-Director, Teacher Foundation
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