Everyday school life
“Repeating a class is not always a good idea”
Parents should now be particularly understanding with their children.
© Volurol / Shutterstock.com
Back in face-to-face lessons, there will be changes for the students, but also for parents and teachers. Manon Sander gives tips in the interview.
In June, schools in large parts of Germany will return to face-to-face teaching. Due to the pandemic, homeschooling and alternating classes were recently announced for another six months. For children, parents and teachers there are now changes “and a strict work rhythm is required again”, says Manon Sander, elementary school teacher and author of “Langinach Banga”, the news agency spot on news. In the interview, the expert gives tips on how to make it easier for students to return to their daily routine.
Everyday school life is slowly returning to normal in many places over the next few weeks. What changes are in store for parents and children now?
Manon Sander: In fact, I now know a lot of children who are looking forward to going back to school. In the beginning it was definitely nice not to have a real lesson for a while. But after a while it became very monotonous and lonely for most of the children and young people. There will certainly be changes. You have to get up early every morning. In wind and weather, the way to school has to be mastered and a strict work rhythm is required again. The topic of homework will also have a completely different meaning. This is not only a change for the students, but also for the parents. Even the food, which was previously largely provided from domestic supplies, now has to be taken back to school with you.
Can I have difficulty returning to the old routine?
Sander: For some children and young people it may have been pleasant to study at home and school is an uncomfortable place in the first place. It may also be that some students show changed behavior through the long period of absence, which can be from listless to aggressive. Friendships that existed before suddenly fall apart and the relationship with teachers can also be different. In addition, the school opening after a few days is no longer viewed as positive at all and the wish for a new closure is quickly expressed. School and home are both challenged here!
How can parents make it easier for their children to get back into their daily routine?
Sander: Communication in all directions is an important part. Difficulties should be talked about. Changes are not easy for everyone, neither for adults nor for children. Parents should approach their children proactively and perhaps tell them about their fears and problems that they have / had with returning to everyday work from the home office. They can also tell about their difficulties with starting school again.
These can be everyday things, like getting up early or the flood of clothes that comes back. But it should also be conveyed that a lot is now becoming easier again, because the professionals now explain the subject matter and the parents no longer have to sweat and laboriously search for terms such as metaphors and distributive law on the Internet. In order to be able to practice the routine better, especially with younger children, a plan that you draw up together helps.
Can we expect a reduction in performance and possibly also poorer grades for students?
Sander: Individual assessments are required here and the schools have to create support concepts that enable everyone to achieve a certain standard. Above all, parents should be understanding, no matter how bad grades are. Together with the school, solutions must be found that can range from additional lessons for everyone to individual support for individuals.
Repeating a class, something that many parents might think of as a way out right now, isn’t always a good idea. The students are torn from their familiar environment, which they are finally allowed to visit again, and also have to settle in again. It may not be because of the material at all, but because the students simply forgot how to learn in school. Parents should therefore not act hastily, but rather coordinate with the school. Perhaps learning groups can be set up that are led by parents, older students, or paid tutoring.
What changes could there be in the classroom?
Sander: Even if large parts of the schools are now reopening, that doesn’t mean that completely normal classes can take place here again. The pandemic has not yet been overcome. Schools could also be closed again quickly should a new outbreak occur. One will try to prevent this as much as possible and take measures that can be creative. This can range from having windows open to teaching outdoors. There will probably be less partner and group work where you have to put your heads together. Nevertheless, you have to be able to work together. Perhaps larger rooms, such as corridors and gyms, are used to widen the distance between students.
It is important that everyone is now looking for solutions together instead of dealing with problems. The way forward is more important than looking back. All students need access to education. This can and must be guaranteed. The shape must be individually adapted here. The schools have to review their individual options. In other countries, for example, some of the students are connected via the Internet – this is not ideal, but it can reduce the size of the class.
Parents, teachers and students should jointly emphasize that it is not about grades or comparisons with one another, but rather that every student can get the best possible learning growth.