The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most disruptive events for humanity. Since January 2020, people have to stop performing traditional routines involving their outdoor activities and responsibilities. They had to perform nearly all from home, shop for essentials online, and avoid traveling in and out of the city or country. However, the biggest difference involves work and education. Adults have to work from home, creating remote work setups to be productive with their career tasks.
Fortunately, they already know how to adjust to unexpected situations. Children, however, do not. They require a seamless routine for development, and schools provide those growth opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the learning environment to online classes, opening parents into eye-opening realizations.
Here are some of them:
Parents Must be More Engaged
Parents have plenty of things to worry about, especially with all the adjustments necessary to keep the household safe. As a result, paying attention to children’s online classes might fall below the priority list. However, it might only take a few minutes of watching their kids study to check how they might struggle through the activity.
Children, especially younger ones, might not be tech-savvy yet. They might not know how to set up a computer, use microphones and headsets, figure out computer programs necessary for their classes, and troubleshoot internet connectivity issues. As a result, the online class experience could end up being unpleasant for children. Parents must take on the responsibility, even if it is just teaching the kid how to set up the study space.
However, there is also a chance where children might not receive the education they need because of distractions. They will be in front of the computer, which means gaming and surfing the web are one click away. Parents must ensure that their kids pay attention to the online class, engaging in the activity more than the face-to-face environment. It could be an additional responsibility, but it is necessary for children’s education.
Schools can be Unnecessarily Expensive
Removing children from the face-to-face environment might not be ideal. However, it is for their health and safety. Families have no choice but to pursue online classes for kids. Fortunately, your child’s existing school might have the option to provide the online setup. However, another element in play during the pandemic could make children’s education more challenging.
Many adults lost their jobs to the pandemic, putting them in a financially struggling situation. They have to budget everything, with groceries and medicine being the primary priorities. Children’s education will also be among the top choices, but even reduced tuition fees might remain too expensive.
There might not be a substantial difference after moving classes to the digital environment, which means little to no use of campus equipment and resources. If that is the case, moving to a less costly school might be ideal. It could even mean better chances of financial recovery, ensuring survival in a challenging time for everyone.
Homeschooling is the More Preferred Approach
Despite the arrival of online classes, it can be challenging for children to grow and develop using that educational approach. They will be in front of a computer screen, which is distracting enough as it is. Internet connection and lack of resources might also be problematic, with children not getting a chunk of a teacher’s lessons because of uncontrollable factors. Children might also respond better to classes when they are face-to-face with the teacher.
Online classes can be ineffective since it would be challenging for teachers to focus on each student’s development. As a result, parents might feel that online classes are a waste of money. Fortunately, homeschooling is available, providing a more focused approach to education. Educators can visit the home and teach kids in a safe and healthy environment. They will go through the sanitation protocols and maintain social distancing, ensuring that their interaction with the kids is non-threatening.
The focused and personal approach ensures that kids can get the most out of every session, making the investment worth it. Having a teacher visit the home is much safer than forcing kids to stay inside a room with 30 or more rowdy students. However, the setup might be too expensive for average families. If homeschooling is not within your reach, you might find it better to take home school courses or programs along with the traditional educational classes they have.
The pandemic continues to give people a challenging time, but we must find ways to adjust and move forward. Among the changes we need to make is how to keep children on a path towards education and development, and these realizations can help you find the best route.
