Children who would be returning to school and the children who will be enrolling afresh in rural schools need support – psychological and emotional – to enable them to get back into the rhythm of learning. Nandita Choudhry, an important voice in the area of child development, reminds us that some children may have experienced the illness or death of a family member, some may have lived with the reality or threat of displacement, and some have travelled hundreds of miles from cities from where they were rudely evicted. Even for those who may not have experienced any direct trauma or abuse, the lurking fear of the pandemic must have had a significant impact. Without the capacity to fully grasp the situation and its outcomes, children have been impacted in direct and inconspicuous ways. Learning to live with fear and uncertainty and watching news reports with scenes beyond their comprehension, will have an impact on children of all ages. These are all issues that schools will need to handle as children leave their homes to return to school. It is the responsibility of school teachers and administrators to enact strategies to support children. Therefore, schools need to plan for structured activities and interactions with children, ideally in small groups, to let them talk and express their pent up emotions and feelings. For this to happen, teachers need to be sensitised and trained to refrain from rushing into completing the curriculum or jumping straight into formal teaching. A considerable amount of time may have to be set aside consciously to heal and to help each other, both the student and the teachers.
Children who would be returning to school and the children who will be enrolling afresh in rural schools need support – psychological and emotional – to enable them to get back into the rhythm of learning. Nandita Choudhry, an important voice in the area of child development, reminds us that some children may have experienced the illness or death of a family member, some may have lived with the reality or threat of displacement, and some have travelled hundreds of miles from cities from where they were rudely evicted. Even for those who may not have experienced any direct trauma or abuse, the lurking fear of the pandemic must have had a significant impact. Without the capacity to fully grasp the situation and its outcomes, children have been impacted in direct and inconspicuous ways. Learning to live with fear and uncertainty and watching news reports with scenes beyond their comprehension, will have an impact on children of all ages. These are all issues that schools will need to handle as children leave their homes to return to school. It is the responsibility of school teachers and administrators to enact strategies to support children. Therefore, schools need to plan for structured activities and interactions with children, ideally in small groups, to let them talk and express their pent up emotions and feelings. For this to happen, teachers need to be sensitised and trained to refrain from rushing into completing the curriculum or jumping straight into formal teaching. A considerable amount of time may have to be set aside consciously to heal and to help each other, both the student and the teachers.
Enter the code you received on your mobile number
Add a Password to make your account more secure. You will be able to login on the platform using password or OTP received on the registered movbile number.
N/A
