Its been a week already since class started for public schools here in our country. Due to the pandemic, everyone was affected even on covid-free areas that face-to-face class is impossible.
Instantly, parents like me with early school graders became teachers to their own children. It's a parents responsibility to teach their children for home is where children first learn but to teach academics is a different story. It's a whole adjustment to both parent and child alike. Rather than prepping our kids for school, we need to make time for their modules instead.
It was a tough week for me, as though am a single parent juggling from one task to the other. Last week, my 3year-old daughter had been suffering inexplicable fever though I had her for a check-up. It had been like that which made another check-up badly needed. That I brought her to the hospital last Monday-the day when modules were released for the first week.
With my daughter being ill, I was not able to start her kuya's (older brother) module on the given time. I was like a zombie, staying up all night to check my girl's body temperature. Giving her sponge bath when her fever rises. Making her drink paracetamol every four hours. Thank goodness she became better the following day.Yet, I had to wake up early to prepare breakfast and do some house chores even after sleepless nights.
During the day, I need to put the baby first to sleep so that he won't disturb us when we start my eldest's module. The module has some time frame written on it,one subject can be done in 3 hours. But boy, a whole day would not be enough to finish one subject which has 20 pages or more which consist mostly of activity sheets. Yes, I asked my son to read the topic, the instructions and the questionnaire. It took time for a second grader to read a sentence. After he's done reading, I read it again then explain the topic adding some real life events we had experienced or done. Answering the activity is also a struggle as I let him spell out the words which he answered in vernacular and was translated by me either in filipino or english language.
It sounds exhausting, right? It absolutely was. Imagine 7 subjects with 1 subject (MAPEH) having 4 components that made the modules a total of 10 with each subject having to be done 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon so that it is to be submitted when Friday comes. The subjects topic which were usually tackled 45minutes to one hour daily were now being compiled and taken in just half a day.
In my case, we were only able to finish 1 subject on Tuesday afternoon. One also on Wedsnesday afternoon for I had to do the mountain of laundry in the morning which I was not able to get it done.2 subjects done with 8 still remaining when we only have Thursday and friday to finish it all up. You can't force a child to do it during the night because you expect him/her to feel sleepy when it comes to school works, right? Unless if he's already in secondary school like xzeon's daughter and others are doing, they do group study which I can see is helpful to them that they do brainstorming sometimes.
I had to stay up late on Wednesday evening to get my laundry done and wash a mountain of dishes also. Thursday and Friday was a hell day for both me and my son, should time be stopped I could have done it. Our house was also not a study-friendly environment; barking dogs, squeeling pigs, cackling chicken, the noise from power tools from house construction nearby were all the distractions that made my son unfocused. One more thing was my youngest, a 16 month old baby who wants to be cuddled and played with, he intentionally disturbs his kuya, and who could demand to go out through his gestures and babbles that he would turn irritable and cry out loud if not obeyed.
Numerous times, I lose my temper that I shouted at my kids both my eldest and the baby. Am not to justify but having all those pressures and stresses plus no one to help me with house chores were too overwhelming. I pity my son who cried when I shouted at him. I felt guilty. Took a little break and contemplate a whilel trying to put myself on my son's shoes. I said sorry when we resumed.
Friday evening came and we were not done yet with the last subject. Grateful I am that my son's teacher sent the modules for next week to one of Xzeon's girls telling that the previous module can be pass on Monday.
My experience was just one among those other proofs that modular class is impossible to parents with little kids and babies specially when only one parent is helping the child. Beginning from Kinder to grade 3 level they need constant assistance because they need you to help them read and write and to help them understand the lesson.
For now, am dividing the pages of the modules of each subject for each day so that my son won't get bored of grinding one subject to the last part.
This was the reason also why I have been a little active in here. Any parent on a situation like mine can relate.
You might have tips you want to share with us regarding teaching kids in this current situation..
z_graeden
They have their own modules too but atleast they help a bit🤣. If a parent is having trouble with one or two kids, how much more with more than two😁