COVID-19 has kept children out of schools, and classes have gone virtual around the globe. At the onset of the global pandemic last year, teachers found themselves struggling with the basics of teaching online. They are now slowly learning to navigate working from home, supporting children to learn online, as well as managing their own personal lives. A lot has changed now—a year and a half later—thanks to the government’s mass vaccination campaign. Lockdown has eased and parents have been able to go back to work. However, children in most parts of Nepal continue to learn online, and parents are still struggling to monitor their children at home and keep track of their progress in school. In this article, I will share my experience as a teacher and try to outline some tools to cope.
1. Communicate with the teachers
I cannot stress enough how important it is for parents to communicate with the teachers regularly. One of my students struggled to attend classes regularly and every time we messaged the parent, the child would reply with an excuse for not attending the classes which we only found out later when we met the parent.
With learning taking place online, teachers in most schools have made themselves available online for communication with the parents. Some schools have their own apps for this purpose, while others use popular chatting apps like Facebook Messenger, Viber, WhatsApp, etc.
Find out the best way to reach out to your child’s teachers, introduce yourself, and arrange a time to call or message. Ask questions about your child and be willing to listen. Share any concerns you have, and don’t forget to follow up later. And most importantly, try not to miss events organised by the school. If you have to, make sure to let the teacher know and follow up on what happened during the event.
2. Keep track of assignments and assessments
Make use of the school calendar, curriculum, class routine, and anything else that the school has provided, to keep track of your child’s assignments. Make printouts if possible as this helps make all the information easily accessible to you. Find out where and when your child is supposed to submit their assignments and spend some time every day keeping track of their progress. Some schools have their own app that the students use to submit their assignments while others use apps like Google Classroom. Download and make use of these apps to make it easier for you to keep track of your child’s assignments.
3. Provide opportunities for social interaction
I often come across parents who are worried about how their children are learning online. As a teacher, I am more worried about how my students are spending their leisure time. They spend a lot of time on screen and I am afraid they are missing out on opportunities for social interactions with their friends, cousins, and relatives.
These days there are a lot of programs online that teach students about topics not covered in their regular school classes. 3Di School Nepal, Chatterbox Nepal and Sushila Arts Academy are some of the organisations which offer short-term courses for children.
These courses help children gain new skills and also provide a space to make new friends and have social interaction. Make a point to communicate with other parents and know what they are up to. Host casual Zoom sessions with cousins and relatives and provide whatever opportunity you can for social interaction.
4. Monitor your child’s online activities
Talk to your child about the simple ways to stay safe on the internet and, if possible, have some parental control over what they can or cannot download. Depending on the age of your child, always be aware of the different accounts that your child might have on social media sites, the types of content they share, and the influencers they follow. Have an open conversation about the types of issues and content they follow online. Be open and ready to listen to their point of view and, if necessary, to change your perspective about certain topics.
Parents should understand that, just like adults, children are struggling in their own ways due to the pandemic. We must be willing to listen and support them in whatever ways we can. Being proactive and present is very crucial in the current situation. As we find different ways to keep ourselves and our children safe from the disease, let’s also make deliberate efforts to keep them emotionally and mentally safe at home. Let’s be present for them.
Writer details:
Elisha Shrestha is a Teacher/ Coordinator at Kaasthamandap Vidhyalaya. She has a Master’s Degree in Education (Leadership and Management) from Kathmandu University. She has been working in the education sector for nine years and is a mother to a 28-month toddler. Her Instagram handle is @elsawrites2021 and also writes blogs on motherhood.
