Page 52 - EW FEB 2022

Teacher-2-Teacher

Smoothing the return to

on-campus schooling

ALLAN ANDERSEN

HEN STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL It’s vital for school managements
following the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown,
the focus of institutional managements to devise well-defined procedures
Wshouldn’t just be on academics. They will to protect their students’ social and
also need to help children with the transition back to
in-person classes while supporting their mental health emotional wellness when they return to
and well-being. According to several authoritative studies, normative schooling
anxiety and unhappiness rose among youngsters through-
out the pandemic. Hence, it’s vital for school manage-
ments to devise well-defined procedures to protect their Completion of lessons can be secondary. After re-
students’ social and emotional wellness when they return turn to in-person classes, students may exhibit disruptive
to normative schooling. This is especially important behaviour if they don’t acclimatise quickly. Children and
during the transition period when students migrate from teens who have suffered grief such as the death or pro-
online learning to in-class schooling. longed illness of a loved one will have focus difficulties.
Students have differing emotional responses. Teachers need to make allowance for this, giving them
Learning loss apart, your students will have endured time to manage their experiences before they get back on
a range of losses during the prolonged period when the academic track. Moreover, it’s also vital for teachers
schools were under lockdown. Therefore, back on campus to acknowledge that certain students, particularly those
children and teenagers will react to difficult situations in approaching school-leaving exams, may be impatient to
differing ways. It’s critical to address every student’s emo- get back into the classroom and make up for missed time.
tional needs in a personal way after she returns to school. While it’s expected that students will initially find les-
Create a safe environment for students. As children sons stressful as they have to focus on learning while the
return to on-campus schooling, the institution must pro- epidemic continues, it is equally essential to note that free
vide a secure environment within which to communicate time during school hours (lunch breaks and time before
their anxieties and experiences. This is critical for their and after school) may be challenging for certain students.
emotional well-being and personal development. In our chool managements must realise that the past 18
school, we have launched a Mentoring Initiative which Smonths have been difficult for all students and that
recognises that children returning after a lengthy absence this will impact their academic performance. All students
from classrooms will bring a baggage of problems. across grades will initially experience adjustment prob-
A mentor is a grown-up ‘buddy’ for youngsters, form- lems while shifting from online to offline study. We must
ing a link between teachers and pupils that extends be prepared for these problems, even though students are
beyond classrooms. Students can express any problem excited about returning to school. Academic stress could
they are encountering with the mentor/facilitator. Not be compounded by accelerated teaching-learning. We
only will the child be able to express herself in a non- must first determine where each child is right now, and
judgemental space, she will also be reassured that she then establish a good and reasonable pace for academic
has a friend she can rely on. In this programme, the role advancement.
of teachers and facilitators must not be confused. The Modelling coping behaviour. Teachers can — and
teacher still remains an authoritative figure — one who should — provide good modelling behaviour for students.
instructs and guides. But the teacher who assumes the Children will observe you and replicate the coping be-
role of a facilitator/mentor must be an individual who haviour you employ to deal with difficult circumstances.
doesn’t give direct instruction to the child. For instance, Maintain a positive attitude for children by remaining
senior school teachers could mentor students of junior calm, honest, and compassionate.
classes. Lastly, it’s important to accept that the transition
This programme is the outcome of the school’s objec- from home and online instruction to on-campus in-class
tive to nurture leaders who are emotionally stable and learning will be difficult for children. It can feel like a new
capable of dealing with the problems that life throws at experience. At this point, it’s critical to establish a support
them. Several professional development workshops were system for students. The next several weeks will be critical
held prior to the programme’s commencement to train fa- for parents and teachers to monitor children and identify
cilitators for this position. Facilitators received extensive changes in their behaviour when schools reopen around
training on how to become enabling listeners to diagnose the country. The measures listed above will help to make
students’ problems and create a meaningful environment the change less stressful.
for every child. Despite the fact that the connection is
informal, it has a serious goal. (Allan Andersen is director, Chaman Bhartiya School, Bengaluru)

52 EDUCATIONWORLD FEBRUARY 2022