Mumbai, June 8: In view of the rising coronavirus numbers in the country, schools across the country are closed and are currently taking online classes. It is not only the senior students who are made to sit in front of the computers for their lessons but kids below the age of 5 years studying in playgroup,  nursery and kindergarten are also having their online classes amid the lockdown.

In fact, there are a set of dos and don'ts for parents and they have been entrusted to see that kids follow the schedule and they don't miss their online lessons. In some of these primary schools, kids are expected to wear their school uniforms during their class timings. These stringent rules have come as a burden to many working parents who do not have any help at the moment because of the lockdown.

Online Class Schedule For kids:

There are usually more than 10 kids who are logged in at the same time for their online classes. Most of these schools share the week's timetable once a week with details on what will be taught on each day. There is also a list of props or some other household items mentioned in the list which parents need to arrange so that teacher can impart lessons about concept learning. At the end of the day, diary notes, snippets of lessons taught and worksheets are shared with parents.

Challenges Faced by Parents:

The working environment across most of the sectors is very tense at the moment. From job losses, furloughs to salary deductions, parents are already burdened saving their employment. Other than office work, there are also household chores with most people choosing not to let part-time domestic workers work, and then looking after the kid. Also, most kids below 5 years of age would require assistance to attend their classes which usually take place during office hours. Parents are therefore requesting for laxations in the rules and urging schools not to put undue pressure on the little ones.

Screentime:

The online classes can range from anywhere between 30 minutes and 3.5 hours for students below five years of age. If the classes are of longer durations, then breaks are given. There has been a lot of debate between parents and schools on whether it is safe for kids to be exposed to electronic devices for longer durations.

In 2019, the World Health Organization said that children between the ages of 2 and 4 years should not have more than one hour of “sedentary screen time” each day. The UN body had further said that limiting and in some cases eliminating screentime for children under the age of five, would result in healthier kids. Schools, however, in their defence have said that the classes have been planned in such a way so that it doesn't put a strain on kids. Majority of these schools have added activities like singing, dancing, cooking and meditation to lighten the moods of these young kids.

Dr B N Gangadhar, Director of National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) says that children below the age of six years should not be exposed to online schooling. According to reports, the Department of Primary Education in Karnataka has consulted NIMHANS for their expert opinion on whether online classes can be held for children below six.

Kids Miss Bonding With Teachers & Classmates:

The transition from offline to online is difficult for pre-schoolers as kids below 5 years constantly yearn for physical contact and love. In these online classes, there is no bonding with the teachers or their classmates. In addition to this, a child's attention span is also quite limited and not enough to sit through long classes.

Parents have also complained that teachers are in a hurry to finish their syllabus and it has been quite a task to make their kids attend online classes. Ever since the e-classes have started, Seema Srivastava, mother of two boys has been struggling. Her elder one is a class four student, while the younger one is in the nursery. She said, "My younger one hates his online classes and it is a real challenge to make him sit in front of the computer." However, her elder son seems to enjoy the online lessons and looks forward to attending them."

Zoom Classes:

On one hand, when there has been a lot of questions about the security issue of Zoom app, most of these schools are still having their online classes via Zoom. On being asked about the security concern, a school in Bhandup replied that they have purchased the subscription model, so the app is absolutely safe to use.

Schools Are Trying to Cope With This New Teaching Technique:

If students are finding it difficult to attend the classes, it is equally challenging for the teachers. They are also trying to come up with innovative teaching methods which can be used to grasp the attention of their little students. A Santacruz based reputed primary school said that there have not been many admissions to new classes as parents are sceptical about online teaching for their little ones. A few centres across the city have also closed down as it has become impossible for them to pay the high rent for their premises.

It is thus a struggle for everyone, be it kids, teachers or parents, everyone is sailing in the same boat. In order to make this process smoother, there should be more dialogue between parents and teachers. It is very important for parents to also stay calm in this situation and be a little more patient towards teachers. Coordination between teachers and parents will work for the betterment of kids, who are at a very delicate stage in their life. A proper strategy by keeping kids in the focus will surely help in solving the problem to some extent.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2020 05:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).