TEACHERS ARE LEARNING HOW TO E-TEACH – CHILDREN MUST LEARN HOW TO E-LEARN and PARENTS MUST LEARN E-PARENTING!
The quarantine has been both a boon and a curse. For some, like me, it has been an opportunity to catch up with family as well as with pending aspirations and tasks. This blog has been a work in progress for many years – quarantine made it see the light of day!
Many others, are feeling the heat. Especially parents who are now in close proximity with their children and in fact in a 24 x 7 closed loop of activity. The first thing such parents must realise is that this is not an opportunity to offload previous guilt of not spending time with them, by being overbearing. Instead, try to follow the same routine as before. It will help retain a balance and will add structure to your day. You too will benefit by a routine and will gain productivity. Use the time that children are ‘at school’ to relax, do stuff that you could not do earlier! As a famous quote goes – What use is immortality to one who cannot use each moment fully!
CHALLENGES FOR CHILDREN – THE LOCKDOWN CRACKDOWN
The lockdown / quarantine is the time where many parents are using their new found time to make up for lost time with their children. Yes, we need to use this time to bond with our children, however being regulatory and over policing them, just because you have nothing better to do – is a sure shot way of creating even more stress for your child and for yourselves. Please desist from this. It is not helping your children.
Children are stressed too!
Children too are stressed. They do not know what is happening. Their way of life has been rudely interrupted. They can see that their parents are stressed and concerned. It does affect them. Use this time to win their hearts and to build bonds. Here are the 3 secrets that we need to implement for our children, so as to make their online learning experiences irrestible, as also to get them to love us more and more.
SECRET # 1 – CREATE A HOMESCHOOL ZONE
Get your children excited! With the younger ones, create a ‘school area’. Let it be as realistic and if possible, similar in some way to their class rooms or school environment. For example, children going to a playschool could be given an environment that is similar – say like stuffed animals, some toys, etc. Yes, it is a challenge in the lockdown, so lets improvise!
For children who are a bit older, you could get them to create a similar zone using posters, maybe a set of lights, add some colours, etc. The important thing is to establish this space as the ‘school zone’. It has to have sanctity. Parents are not supposed to be there. Children must be given the same ‘space’ that they would get at school. The space is their school – this rule, immediately puts the child into a mindset and helps concentration and allows them to detach from the home. To add more realism, consider giving them their tiffn and waterbottles. Most important, do not interefere with them during their school time. Trust me – they will be happier, more interested in studying and will feel very happy when you come to ‘pick’ them up from their school zone!
SECRET # 2 – MUSIC IS GREAT
Remember lullabies? Music helps us relax – age is no discriminator.
Believe it or not – music is great for studies. Science has proved that music activates both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, enabling learning and memory functions.
Dear Teachers – do play peppy music during breaks! Watch your children get happier!
For small children, some soft classical or instrumental music could be played in the background. This would have a calming effect on them. Older children could be allowed headsets and their choices of music. If possible, (this is a tip for online teachers) play some upbeat foot tapping music during breaks and get children to clap along!
SECRET # 3 ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN
lets face it – we all are getting wonderful times with our children. Use this time well. Do fun activities and if possible create a scrap book or a blog or an album! These memories will be priceless – even beyond your wildest dreams!
That’s it dear parents, 3 simple easy secrets. Enjoy the quarantine/ lockdown, while giving your children the best that is possible and all that they need.