Source: CNN
This year has been quite a memorable one for all of us. With the novel coronavirus outbreak, the world had to pause its regular fast-paced life. Businesses, vacations, travel agencies, schools, colleges, and entertainment came to a standstill. Gatherings of any kind were not allowed, affecting the wedding industry and concerts, music festivals, and other such gigs. During the peak of this pandemic, governments worldwide had imposed lockdowns that barred people from stepping out from the safety of their homes. After a break from daily life, schools and colleges commenced their regular classes via an online medium to ensure that students do not waste a whole academic year.
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Some kids were thrilled about this initially. Imagine not having to meet your bullies every day. You get to stay in the comfort of your home and attend classes. You can snack while you listen to your teachers and take a pee break any time you wish. Plus, for kids who have furry babies at home, you get to attend classes with them by your side! While it sounds like a treat, after a few months, it does get quite challenging. Jana Coombs, a mother of a 5-year-old, caught her son crying, trying to cope with distance learning. Read this article to know more.
What’s the Challenge?
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Jana Coombs is a mother of four children from Coweta County, Georgia. She recently shared a picture of her son struggling to cope with online classes, and the photo went viral. She captured an image of her son sitting at the computer and crying during his distance learning. Until then, Jana was all praises for the teachers and their efforts. She appreciated the extra efforts taken by the teachers to engage kids with distance learning. But then, she caught her son crying and wiping off his tears on his t-shirt. Seeing her son in distress broke her heart. She shared the photo of her son online, and it made waves on the internet.
Image: CNN
According to Jana Coombs, he was so frustrated trying to keep up with the distance learning that he put his head down and cried. Then he wiped his tears with his t-shirt. Jana took his photo just before he ran to her for a big hug and a good cry. She told one of the local news channels, “I took that picture because I wanted people to see reality”. She also said that education is essential for children, but it’s more than just two plus two equals four. In elementary school, socialization and hands-on experience are how kids learn best, and due to the current situation, they are being robbed of that experience.
The Other Challenges Of Online Classes
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Apart from the difficulties children face while dealing with distance learning, there are a bunch of challenges that parents and teachers face too. With elementary school, kids tend to get easily distracted and find it harder to concentrate through a screen. Parents have to maneuver through the technology, email teachers, learn to manage the apps and platforms through which assignments, exams, and classes happen while dealing with their cranky kids, all the while managing the household, and taking care of their jobs.
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Teachers, on the other hand, have to go above and beyond what’s necessary to try and keep their kids engaged. It is quite easy for kids to get distracted or doze off during a class. Hence, teachers have to find creative ways to keep children engaged, interested, and curious to learn the syllabus. Sure, it’s important to continue with the education for kids. But distance learning has quite many challenges that children, teachers, and parents have to overcome. It requires getting accustomed to and does not happen overnight. What are your thoughts on classes being conducted online? Comment below and let us know.
