UNICEF's global head of education advises keeping children in school.
Outbreaks of coronavirus (Covid-19) have disrupted family life around the world. School closures, office work at home, physical distance protection - many of these negative things are now in front of parents. In this context, Robert Jenkins, UNICEF's Global Chief of Education, offers five suggestions for keeping children at home connected to education.
UNICEF
1. Discuss and plan the study schedule
Try to create a study schedule or routine to follow the age-based learning activities that are going on online, on television and on the radio. Set aside time for the child to study and play. You can also put educational things for children in daily work. If possible, plan with your children.
It is really difficult for children and adolescents to adhere to a specific schedule or structure. But explain the current situation and explain to them that they need to be more flexible now. Then start their study activities. If it seems, your child is not paying attention to online learning and he is angry; But start with something more effective and alternative. Don't forget, planning education together and involving them in the daily chores of the house is also an effective approach to the mental development of the child. But pay attention to their needs as much as possible.
2. Discuss openly
Ask the child questions on a variety of topics. In addition, encourage them to express their feelings to you. Remember, children may react differently to stress. So stay calm and try to understand them. Call the child and discuss Covid-19 or coronavirus. Try to understand how much they already know and what they say. Then discuss with them the habits of staying clean. Every day you can tell them about important things like hand washing. However, make sure to stay in a safe environment and let the child speak spontaneously. Drawing pictures, telling stories or any other work can help to start a study discussion.
Try to address the issues that children are concerned about. Respect their feelings and make sure that it is normal to be afraid of these things. Express in your expression the attention you pay to them. Make them think that they can talk to you or your teachers about anything they like. Warn them about fake news or information and encourage them to use information from trusted sources as directed by UNICEF. Remind yourself of the matter.
3. Take the necessary time
Start your child's study at home with short sessions. Then slowly enter the big session. If you aim to have a 30 minute or 40 minute session, start with a 10 minute session and then prepare them for the big session. Combine online and on-screen time and offline work or practice in the same session.
4. Online child protection
The digital platform has created an opportunity for us to keep children in school, participate in sports and keep in touch with their friends. But online facilities also pose a major risk to protecting a child's safety and privacy. So talk to your child about the Internet, so that they can learn how to work online, what they need to be careful about and what to do on this platform, such as video calls.
Set rules by discussing with your child how and when to use the Internet. Set parental controls on the devices they use to reduce the risk of online children, especially adolescents. Identify the right tools online to entertain together with children. For example, organizations like Common Sense Media recommend age-appropriate apps, games, and other online entertainment. If an incident of online harassment occurs or something offensive happens, report it to the school authorities and local administration. For this, keep the helpline and hotline numbers close at hand.
Remember, children or adolescents do not need to show their own pictures or personal information to others to study on digital platforms.
5. Keep in touch with the child's educational institution
Find out how to keep in touch with the school or educational institution if you need to talk to the child's teachers, get different information from the school, find out about any subject or need different instructions. Keeping in touch with parents or parent groups can also be a good solution when studying from home.
