SIMPLE STUDENT SUPPORT ACTIONS
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we felt the learning crisis in our country and as teachers, we knew that as time went on that our students could not return to formal schooling, it could have more negative effects. on their own.
We have already seen what happened in Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak where studies were suspended for one academic year. With the reopening of their schools, more and more people are not able to continue their education due to child labor, teenage pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, health and family economic problems. According to international studies, even during a normal two-month vacation, 20-50% of the learned skills may be lost or forgotten by the student. It will also be more difficult to monitor the nutrition, and physical, mental and emotional health of children if the schools are closed for a year.
We must also take into consideration that not all of our students will be happy if the reopening of schools is finally stopped this year. And because we are more preoccupied with being critical of the decisions our government is making, we may have missed paying attention to hearing the voices of our constituents - the little ones who are quietly watching our actions. They are left hanging in doubt and fear of spreading disease and how to prioritize their right to education.
But there are steps we can take to show concern for the children who look up and trust us. Here are five suggestions:
1. Providing emotional support.
A simple text or personal post on social media is an effective way for students to feel that they are in the mind of their teacher. Giving assurance that their teacher is focused on their emotional needs can greatly help them to be inspired to cope with current problems.
There are resources such as counseling reading materials on self-care activities and mental health management in our SDOs that we may require to share with our students.
2. Providing practical learning tips.
This is to help children adjust to online learning or modular modality or whatever modality is appropriate for your school.
3. Share posts about updates about your school.
Official DepEd press releases are more appreciated by children and their families if they are read directly or heard from their trusted teacher. You can also share the plans discussed at your school meeting regarding school safety preparations and the multi-modal approach to be implemented at the reopening of the school.
4. Gather suggestions especially to student leaders on what co-curricular programs should be canceled, postponed or reformed to feel that they are part of the important sector in the development and implementation of programs.
5. Be an instrument in disseminating correct information and appropriate behavior on social media.
Some of our friends on social media are our students and their parents. We are modeled and looked up to as the shapers of their children's minds. It helps if we do not see hate speech, swearing, and negative journalism. Continuing our name is being a teacher wherever we go. Beware of shared posts has long-term consequences not only on our personal reputation but also on our school and the entire department.
Continuing education in the midst of the pandemic is a very important decision not only in the Philippines but in all countries around the world. This will happen even without physical attendance at schools through various learning modalities. Enrollment is voluntary and not mandatory.
Most importantly, we remain prepared this year to serve families who trust that children's continuing education should be protected. As we stand, there are many effective ways to deliver education to children, especially to the unfortunate who need it most at the present time.
