Rajesh Bhatia shares some ways by which educators can counter the challenges posed by the pandemic

The education sector has been hit hard by the unexpected and unprecedented challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic. The biggest question has been how to address the absence of the chalk and talk model in education or do without the brick and mortar structures where young children once stepped in to experience the world outside their homes, for the first time? For preschoolers especially, not being able to step outside their homes to play and learn with peers has been hard because a big milestone from their lives has gone amiss in a blink.

As an educator, it is important to focus on the children. Here are some tips that helped teachers to transition from conventional teaching methods to virtual ones:

Involve the kids instead of turning them into passive onlookers

When the kids participate in activities, whether in real or virtual classrooms, they feel more connected with the learning process. When they are encouraged to become the characters they are learning about, they take ownership of a lesson.

It is important to keep preschool kids engaged in particular, because their attention spans are very small. With aids like sound effects, dance sets, music, interactive games that engage all their faculties, children enjoy their lessons far more.

Provide alternatives to screen time

When most of the education is being imparted virtually, it is important to give children a break from screen time. Giving them projects that involve creativity, the use of imagination, planting something, painting or building a scrapbook, completing a puzzle, learning a poem or a song, gives them the pleasure of exercising their faculties actively and energises them to come back to learn with renewed zest.

Teach teachers to adapt to the new normal

Teaching during the pandemic is not something any educator was prepared for and adds wherever possible, teachers should update their skills to adapt to the new normal; be it with animated and interactive PowerPoints or the delivery of concepts in a new way.

Enhance student-teacher interaction

What teachers and students miss the most is actual interaction with each other and this gap can be bridged innovatively with simultaneous experiments that teachers and students can conduct, apart from daily interactions.

We should encourage all students to answer questions in class and to approach teachers to solve their queries. It is absolutely important that all kids get opportunities to be heard, read aloud or recite a poem so that they develop confidence along with reading and speaking skills respectively.

Teachers must employ the scaffolding method where students are supported in such a way that they eventually learn to work independently, and this happens only with consistent communication.

Celebrate life together

In an increasingly virtual world, children miss being part of festivities, functions and connecting with peers and schools are learning to create alternatives to even such experiences. We should encourage  students and teachers to dress up, put up skits and share the essence of a festival together with music and dance.

(The author is an educator, as well as the founder and CEO of TreeHouse, a borderless online initiative for preschoolers.)