Delay in physical opening of schools has turned the world upside down for parents who are working remotely due to corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic. Believe it or not, this has huge impact on children too, who were looking for playing and spending time with their friends after long vacation. The responsibility of keeping children occupied during this period has squarely fallen on the shoulders of parents. Preschool children will definitely need guidance from the adults around them to plan their day. Here we offer some tips for the parents to keep the children’s education on track without compromising your work.
Set the procedure in place.
Get the routine set around your work requirement. It is very important for parents to remain balanced during this time. During weekends introduce and go through new concepts as per the class which children are attending. Download related and appropriate worksheets for your children subject wise and keep it ready for the week. You can also include listening to music, learning some dance steps online, some play time and time for reading. You can also use everyday activities as learning opportunities for your children. You can make it fun by coming up with these plans together where possible. Do not undermine the joy of planning and doing house chores together which would be great for development of fine and gross motor functions.
Take it slow.
You may appreciate the fact that children tend to get bored by a single activity and they need some flexibility. Start with shorter learning sessions. Activities can include paper folding, scribbling, colouring, playing with clay, writing on dotted lines, reading picture stories, blocks, puzzles etc and see that you switch activities in between.
Inculcating Values
Take this opportunity to introduce some family traditions and values which we tend to neglect during our busy routines .In today’s world, we rely on schools and teachers for instilling values in children. And yes the early child educators and teachers at all levels are trained to do that. But now the onus lies with parents and adults around them. You can tell them your childhood stories, about your home, grandparents, place where you were brought up, how did you spend your childhood. Show them the albums etc. Encourage your children to ask questions. Find out how much they already know and follow their lead.
Stay in touch with your children’s school
Stay in touch with your children’s teacher or school to stay informed, ask questions and get more guidance. School can also help in creating lesson plans which goes with the prescribed book. Parent groups or community groups can also be a good way to support each other with your home schooling till the time the schools reopen.
About the author: Lt Col Bincy K Thomas (Retd) is the Co-founder and Director of Sakalya Wisdom Foundation, an organisation committed to design and offer meaningful educational services and activities. She is the Director of Sakalya Prep, The Holistic Preschool, Whitefield Bangalore. She is the Trainer and Pedagogy Expert in Sakalya Centre for Professional Development, training Centre for Teachers Professional Development, School Leaders Development Programs and Parenting Programs. She is researching into creating a dynamic holistic early childhood pedagogy. Presently She is pursuing Certificate in Early Education Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA. Other areas of her interests are world mythologies, philosophy, social, emotional and spiritual development, leadership, gardening etc.
Comments