The first week at school is, for most parents, a test of their sanity. The experience can be even more stressful for mommies and daddies who are doing this for the first time. If you’re sending off your little girl to school, then you’ll want to make sure she has everything she needs. Here are some of the things that teachers want parents like you to know before you get ready for this milestone.
● Schools are Reopening
In Japan, many of the schools started opening by June. That’s likely the case for the international schools in Tokyo that you picked for your child. That means your child will start attending classes with everyone else. Many parents are afraid, those fears are unjustified. However, that doesn’t mean that the government doesn’t recognize the possibility that the schools might become vectors of the virus. For now, though, with schools taking measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic, it is safe for students to go back to school.
● Doing Monitoring Duties
COVID-19 has forced schools all over the world to change many of their practices. For instance, when you start sending your child to school, you are going to need to fill up a health report with your child’s temperature. That file is then submitted by the child to the teachers at school. The new monitoring duty that you will need to perform is just part of the new reality in the wake of the pandemic. It is a glimpse into how schools are remaking themselves and trying to restart education for the kids.
● Silence Lunches
The kids are no longer encouraged to eat at the cafeteria. Instead, they eat at their desks, with silence encouraged. It has made it difficult for a lot of the students who are used to talking to and spending lunch time hanging out with their friends. Some of the kids, too, report that they miss talking to their friends or having their friends beside them. However, they understand fully the reasons behind the social distancing measures and are keen to comply with them.
● Everyone with Masks
Both teachers and students at school will wear masks. However, it can get hot and annoying with the mask on, with many of the kids tempted to remove them. Remind your little one never to remove the mask. Impress upon them the importance of keeping that mask on. It’s better to be careful, cautious, and safe.
● Social Distancing in Classes
There are major changes in the way your kid’s classes will proceed. Physical Education classes, for instance, now design modules or activities that prevent any contact between the kids. It is a huge relief for the parents. That’s not all. Music classes don’t allow singing activities at school yet since it might encourage the growth or distribution of virus particles. With schools being careful, you know your child is in good hands.
● Alternate Schedules
Some schools implement a schedule wherein the kids attend in-person classes on alternate days. That means only half of the chairs are occupied, ensuring that social distancing rules are followed. The kids also go home early. Those are just some of the details that you’ll need to be aware of before you send your child off to school.
● Meeting and Making Friends
Some of the students find it hard to make friends as they are trained and reminded that they need to keep their distance from each other. Some of the kids, though, forget about that as they lose themselves in the conversation and enjoyment of finding themselves in the presence of their friends and classmates again. Some of the students are worried about not being able to make friends. Still, these are just some of the situations that your child will likely encounter too.
● Fears and Anxiety
You’ll also get to hear from students who are afraid or anxious about catching the virus. That going to school every day makes them fear that possibility. However, as soon as they step through the doors of the school, and they see the safety precautions that the management, teachers, and staff are all taking-they see the lengths to which the adults entrusted with their care go to—and the sight reassures them and puts them at ease.
● Better Study Space
Other students, too, express relief at coming back to school. Some of them have a hard time studying at home, especially those with siblings since their younger sisters or brothers might finish their classes earlier, which means frequent interruptions. Some of them say, too, that being at home tends to be crowded as their parents are also working from home. That’s why they’re happier to go back to school, as it provides them with a better learning environment. They are able to work with ease, concentrate on their lessons better, and do well in their classes.
● Tired Kids
If your kids are coming back to school, make sure you take the time to prepare them. If your children have a late bedtime and are going to start waking up early for school, then it’s best if you adjust their bedtimes a week or so before school starts. That way, the first day and the first week wouldn’t be such a shock to them.
● Hungry Students
Hungry students aren’t going to be good students. You’ll want them to be recharged and ready for their lessons. Don’t send them hungry to school. Make sure they have something to eat. However, talk to your kids about the food they want to eat. Staff and teachers have caught countless students who throw their lunch away. They throw the packed lunches because they know they’d get into trouble at home for not eating the food. By having a conversation with your kids about the food they want to eat, you can prevent this from happening. That way, they’ll be full and they’ll have the energy to power through the rest of the afternoon.
● Learning is Hard
Any time your kids don’t understand anything, it’s all right for them to reach out to their teachers for help and assistance. Encourage that interaction. Hold off on contacting the teacher yourself and give your children the chance to advocate for themselves. That will help them develop their communication skills even further and give them a whole new appreciation for their lessons.
● The Teachers Care
Your children’s teachers are also afraid. They have fears and worries, too. They don’t want to get sick, but at the same time, they are dedicated to their jobs. They want to stay at home with their families but know that the kids in their classes need them, too. Knowing all that they sacrifice just to help your kids, be patient with the teachers. They’re winging this, too. But they’re here, willing to learn with the rest of the class, because they care about their students.
As teachers, we want the best for each child, and we are all about looking after students who might be struggling with the lessons. We want to give more attention to individual children. So, while we are willing to help your child, you also need to prepare and plan for the first week of school, after months at home!
