In the last month LGEG-C successfully facilitated a full online transition for over 300 teachers and 2000 of students worldwide. The process involved close communication with parents, who are also facing unprecedented challenges. LGEG-C Managing Director Dr Alex Desatnik reflects on the role of parents in the process of adapting learning to new formats.
Parents’ involvement in their children’s education has always been a double-edged sword. Several studies have shown that on average a parent will be less patient teaching their own child than they will be in other interactions. This is perfectly understandable given how much we care about the performance and future success of our children, and how close to heart we take their successes and shortcomings.
However, with the outbreak of COVID-19 all parents, willing or not, have found themselves in the position of either teachers or at the very least facilitators of learning. Since schools shut in the UK and across Europe, I have received multiple queries from parents asking how they can support their child’s education but reduce conflicts and minimize friction.
Here are a few suggestions that may help parents strike the right balance.
1. The lock down situation is not to be confused with a holiday or extended weekend. It is very important for both children and adults alike to establish a clear daily and weekly routine. It is also important to have and enjoy weekends; possibly even consider a short holiday in your own home.
2. Accessing the curriculum is of great importance and our children will have to go back to school, sit exams and continue their education sooner or later. However, we all know that under stress and at times of uncertainty we simply can not perform as well as we normally do. The quality of the parent-child relationship is already strained by being stuck inside and we hardly want to add conflict. Therefore, it is not the time to expect your children to put more into studies, but it is important to agree on a minimal necessary output and stick to it. When the lock down ends there will be plenty of time to catch up.
3. Many parents have very strong feelings about screen time for their children and rightly so. However, in the current situation screens become a crucial tool for our children to receive education, socialisation and entertainment. It is important to learn and follow the guidelines for varied screen use as well as appropriate screen positioning and “screen breaks”, however a more lenient approach to screen time is inevitable.
The pandemic will end, however the family and its meaningful relationships will remain. We need to pay special attention to the psychological well-being of all the family members. A kind and helpful attitude as well as clear rules, structures and routines are more important than ever before.