Transitioning back to childhood programs or school— or welcoming a fresh start for the first time can lead to extra challenge post pandemic. In this blog, we'll understand what initiatives parents, teachers, and toddlers can do to make a successful transition to in-person learning and care.
Reopening – An Emblem of Many Fresh Starts
Many skills development and education programs remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver tender care and support to young minds. But for many houses, the pandemic meant staying at home with their children. With enormous programs and schools opening up post pandemic for in-person learning, children will be back to school after a long break. And many young ones who were born just before or during the COVID-19 pandemic may have been at their home rather than starting an early care and education program. For these students and their parents, including caregivers who have a significant role in a child's life, an early care and education program will be a brand-new experience.
Transition - is a time of physical distancing, masks, and extra stress is a little complicated.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been necessary to keep a physical distance from each other. Education programs and schools have had to stop many visitors and change drop-off and pick-up services to stop the spread of the contact virus. The use of masks and facial expressions, which are among the most important means of communication of feelings and reassurance, also made students' lives a little stressful. For children who return to school after their online learning classes, changes to the space and routines might also make them a little uncomfortable and uncertain, as things might look different. Further, children are aware of the risks of COVID-19 also might face trouble with people around them and may worry about getting sick. Being flexible and adaptive about children's excellent gestures and strategies to protect children's health may make transitions to new scenarios and new people easy.
Tips for Students Returning to School After COVID-19
At Little Wonder's Convent School, our experts and staff members have wowed with new levels of tenacity, positivity, and willingness to embrace the unexpected. We're sure that our students will thrive with the coming changes as they prepare to return to school after coronavirus. Here are some simple tips that will help our students tackle our new normal.
Getting Back In A Schedule — Including Breaks As Needed
Routines and Schedules give us the structure that many of us craved in times of uncertainty. Even in a pre-pandemic world, routines were integral to making each student excel. Now, having a well-planned back-to-school schedule is more important than ever.
From wakeup habits and nutritious breakfast treats to study zones and regular bedtime routines, stick with a schedule that helps you feel your best. Getting back to daily habits through the summer will ease the students to cope with school. Always build in time for games and hobbies. Plan proper breaks to relax, too.
Share Your Concerns, Problems, And Worries With A Teacher Or Counselor
The faculty at Little Wonders Convent School are there to give you all the care and support you need to face the transition time. If any student faces anxiety or has any concerns as they come back to school, trust your teachers and counsellors for your help. Whether you're struggling with your workload or simply feeling anxious about readjusting to school life, you can share your feelings honestly with your teachers.
Stay Flexible
We believe that flexibility is better said than done! However, we're all sailing the same boat. Everyone is learning and working back again to adapt to the change and create a safe, supportive space for our society. Have trust that things may be back on track quickly, and make a positive and flexible mindset your greatest asset.
Connect With Friends
While safety should always be the priority for all of us, there are many options to connect with your friends in a physically-distanced manner. As we prepare to come back to our school, we must always seek and create better opportunities for connection.
Good Hygiene Habits
Now it's the correct time to develop good hygiene habits that will feel like second nature when the fall semester starts. While we'll have strict measures to ensure safety and sanitization, you can help the institute by playing your role and practicing washing your hands and avoiding touching your face.
Tips For Teachers To Support Mental Health Of The Students Post The Pandemic
As a well-trained expert staff, we all have diverse mindsets and perspectives on coping with stressful scenarios. For children, it is no different. Some children will feel well with restrictions and school closures due to COVID-19 pandemic. For others, it is challenging to face all the changes and uncertainty. Some children will return to school with a bit of stress, anxiety, isolation, and grief. School teachers and management are essential in supporting children's transition to in-person classroom learning, especially after an extended time of school closure. In addition to continuing to adopt various techniques teachers have been using to ensure their students' learning and emotional well-being. At the same time, schools were shut; the following advice might be a good help when schools reopen:
Listen To Children's Concerns
COVID-19 and school closures have immensely impacted and hindered many children and toddlers' mental health and well-being. As teachers, it is crucial to listen to the concerns and demonstrate understanding and empathy to the students. Offer your class the opportunity to have a one-to-one communication to reconnect and discuss any issues that might have been there when their school was shut.
Provide Children With Proper Data And Information On Covid-19
As students return from transition to their school, they may have different imaginations, worries, confusion, and questions about COVID-19. Children should have accurate and factual information. Use child-friendly and age-appropriate techniques available to you based on scientific factual data to reply to children's questions about COVID-19 properly.
Take Suggestions From Children On How To Make A Welcoming, Safe And Comfortable Classroom
Try to make your student feel comfortable and relaxed by making the classroom and study space more welcoming, safe, and comfortable. With this, try to ensure that you follow and obey all the school safety procedures and use relevant resources. Try for alternatives like decorating the classroom walls with colourful and welcoming charts and making small groups interact so that children can support each other in learning. Try to appreciate students for their efforts. Teachers can foster the experience of safety and security by interacting and creating a positive atmosphere with every student and using routines during the day to help children feel secure.
Analyse Any Warning Signs Of Child Behaviour
Be aware and try to analyse any alarming changes in children's behaviours. If you tend to see any major challenge or problem in a student's behaviour and this continues over time, or if it is visible in the classroom while studying or playing, try to follow school protocol and/ or seek additional help and guidance. Teachers can also seek additional support with moral support and refer children to child protection services, primary care physicians, or mental health professionals if they think that the child needs specialist help.
Tips for Parents to Help Their Child Coming Back to School Post the Pandemic!
The role of the parents is to help your child transition to come back to school and return to work, which may be a process that will need a lot of time and planning. To make the separation easy and less difficult for your child, here are some of the easy tips.
Listen To Your Child
Try to take some time to listen to the worries and problems of your child seriously and talk to them about their challenges. You can also try to spare some time to play-act to understand their perspective with younger children.
Help Them In Preparing For The Transition
Try to teach new ways to make them comfortable with the new rules of returning to school. Talk to your child about how they feel in school and what is their opinion on returning to school, and ensure you speak to their teacher concerned about if they have any significant challenges.
Keep Calm
Always remember that a child will reciprocate adults' behavioural cues. To help your child stay calm and feel safe, shaping your calm behaviour is crucial.
Goodbye Plan
Make your goodbyes less difficult for children by following simple steps:
Be positive.
Inform that you're leaving.
Ensure that you remind your child that you will come back for them.
Do not hesitate when leaving.
Follow a routine as you leave or drop off your child.
If you have any queries or concerns about going back to school after COVID-19, we would love to help! Feel free to reach our team to learn more.