Bengaluru: Teachers brace for hiccups as children set to return – Times of India

“Is anyone else’s class really struggling? Simple things like following instructions, listening to others without interrupting, being independent learners and playing nicely with each other. Is this the result of the pandemic? Please tell me I’m not the only one…” The tweet went viral with teachers across the globe agreeing with her sentiments.

With children in grades 1-5 set to return to campuses on Monday — after a gap of 18 months — it’s now the turn of teachers in Bengaluru.

Class 1 and two children were still in kindergarten when they last went to school and primary grade teachers are gearing up with excitement as well as some trepidation.

“There is a lot of excitement among children to return to campuses. Human beings are innately social, and schools provide this lifeline. The challenges will unfurl as the days progress,” said Preet Benjamin Aarons, head of school, primary and pre-primary, Inventure Academy.

Aarons expects some separation anxiety and shyness. “We are thinking of a quiet zone for those who initially cannot adjust to the loud noise. It will be just like the first day of school for many,” she said.

Shanthi Raghunath, primary head, Neev Academy concurred saying: “The pandemic has left students with losses and gains. The limited loss in literacy, and numeracy skills we see is balanced by soft skills like time-management, independence and immense resilience. We are working on leveraging these gains to overcome losses. The inconsistency of routines and habits, while being exposed to scary news also leaves children feeling uncertain, unsafe, and unsure.”

Rakesh Singh, academic implementation head, Orchids The International School, said, “They will take some time to adjust and we expect some of them will have behavioural issues like loneliness, sudden outbursts, etc. We have a team of counsellors in place on every campus and they will keep a close watch on students.”

Teachers point out that children will have to adjust to working in a social space from individual space they had at home, learn social rules, how to play with others, sit for long hours in class and listen to others without interrupting.

“The big challenge is building writing stamina students have lost,” said Aarons. “To get back to routine will also be challenging. The body clock will have to adjust as children will have to wake up earlier and many may have a long commute. Some may also have emotional scars from the pandemic. We have to be really patient and sensitive.”

Schools say another challenge is to understand learning gaps. “All this while, parents or grandparents were sitting next to them in online classes helping them with answers. We do not know how much a child actually knows,” said Tejaswi Ballari, principal, Poornaprajna Education Centre, Srikrishna Nagar.

The concern is also about little children having to travel some distance in Bengaluru’s notorious traffic with the prospect of a long day ahead. However, teachers believe children are extremely resilient and adaptive and will adjust to school days quickly.

The most vital preparation for teachers, especially those in primary sections, will be welcoming children back to school and socialising with them. In the first two weeks, they should focus on getting to know every child and helping them get to know each other through sharing sessions, games and team activities. Next would be to assess every child’s learning levels, one-on-one. It will be an extremely exhausting time for teachers and school managements must be mindful of their well-being.

Maya Menon, founder-director, Teacher Foundation