For many children, everyday school life is now returning. Expert Manon Sander explains what this will mean for families and teachers.
The spread of the corona virus kept the doors of German schools closed for many weeks. Homeschooling has been a huge change for both child and parent. These times are now over for the students: Despite the pandemic, face-to-face classes will be held again after the summer holidays. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, Manon Sander, elementary school teacher and author of "Newcomers – new to the teaching job" explains the problems that families and teachers are now facing.
What difficulties can arise when returning to school?
Manon Sander: The school closings a few months ago acted like a brake and pulled the children out of their normal everyday life. In most cases, school was only treated as a minor matter and many children suddenly had to do less for school than they had learned, worked on and prepared at home during normal school hours. After this long break, there are several perspectives from the children. Some are really looking forward to going to school again. School is part of their social life and they missed that. But then there are those children who were happy that there was no or very little school for so long, they may not be interested in class or even not interested in meeting their classmates again.
Getting up early could cause difficulties for many children, as most of them have definitely slept longer than when they were in school and stayed up longer in the evenings. Perhaps one or the other school supplies have disappeared somewhere in the nursery during this long time and become unusable. There are certainly some children who find it difficult to organize themselves after this long break and who also find it difficult to complete these tasks in a reasonable time.
How can parents and children address these issues?
Sander: It is important to adjust to different and unfamiliar situations in life. Parents should therefore encourage their children to adapt and help them do so. School trips can be made with younger children. In addition to the "normal" dangers on the way to school, the fact that there is still a risk of infection is an aggravating factor. This can happen not only in the classroom, but also on the way to school. Therefore it makes sense to think about how children (even older ones) get to school. In larger cities in particular, many children have to take public transport to school. Parents should think about alternatives, for example carpooling with neighbors. Parents should also talk to older children about the use of buses and trains. Again, masks are necessary and hand washing is absolutely important.
The possibly shifted daily rhythm should be adjusted slowly: always go to bed a little earlier in the evening to get up earlier in the morning. That is certainly difficult at the beginning. However, activities such as a bike tour or breakfast together can provide some inspiration.
The day must gradually get a structure again. This can begin with parents and children planning the coming days together. What else has to be done? It is important to rearrange or possibly supplement your clothes and to organize aids such as calculators, electronics and sports equipment. These are things that children need that they know. In the last days before school you can pack your schoolbag – even if that sounds banal, it is precisely the banal things that lead back to normality.
If you want to prepare for the lesson, you can look again at what was last done. But this should not be done by force. When the children are still younger, parts of the subject matter can be incorporated into everyday life. Instead of asking the multiplication tables, you can solve real-life problems, put cents as a pattern and then work out the result. This also works with stones on the terrace. Geography can be supported with Google Maps on the computer, scientific phenomena can be read and viewed – and a film can also be viewed in English with German subtitles. It not only helps to integrate the material into everyday life now, but always.
How does such a long break affect the bond between teacher and student?
Sander: The bond with the teacher is important for primary school students. You can be a little strange at first. However, educators should be able to handle this when individual students have problems. One or two tears may flow. The behavior can also be different than before. Students need to regain confidence. Here, too, it is important that the adults approach the children and make it easier for them to get back to work. This includes storytelling, familiar songs, the book that was read out in the spring and rituals – which may now have to be modified because some things are not yet possible, like a handshake to greet you. You can replace it with a kick, for example.
The topic of mask compulsory in school is currently particularly present in the media. What problems can arise when teachers and students wear mouth and nose protection?
Sander: When teachers wear a mask, you have to differentiate between several scenarios: Older students can make fun of masks. This equates to clothing that children do not like. Teachers who are sensitive should choose the motives well and prefer something neutral. It can happen that people cannot be clearly understood through the masks. This can lead to difficulties, especially in languages. Teachers have to get creative, for example recording texts or filming and playing them in front of the class.
Another problem can arise in elementary school: the masks can frighten the pupils and make recognition difficult. This can scare some students. It is therefore important that parents also show their children that you can change with a mask. The children can test it for themselves in front of the mirror. It's a bit like dressing up. In addition, communication problems on the part of the students cannot be ruled out. Teachers have to be very patient here.
What changes will the students expect in the classroom?
Sander: The lessons will no longer be as varied as the children are used to. There will likely be less partner and group work and less touch activities. Instead, the lesson becomes more frontal. The children's attention span is strained. On the one hand the teachers have to show a lot of understanding, on the other hand it is also important that parents explain the situation. Nobody has these difficulties alone, everyone has to deal with them and therefore it is very important to work together on the problems. Parents and teachers share the common goal of making lessons run as smoothly as possible. Therefore problems should be discussed and solved in partnership.