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9 Positives From School Closures; Part 3
Jane Stratton • Jul 08, 2020
Part 3; Three Positives For Pupils
There has been much negative debate regarding the education of children recently, but it has to be noted that despite the anxiety surrounding Covid-19 for many youngsters, their parents and teachers, the lockdown situation has also resulted in positives for learning. It is important, moving towards ‘normality’ that we acknowledge these, learn from them and try where possible to carry them forward to benefit education for the future. This is part three and will cover three such positives for pupils, although you will be able to think of many more I am sure.
There were very mixed feelings when schools were closed. Many were ecstatic, imagining a prolonged holiday from learning and much fun to be had. However, for others, this was terrifying; the immediate halting of familiar routines and separation from friends. For some came an immediate panic of exams looming and the end of school preparation. Pupils across the world had very mixed feelings indeed. Looking back however, pupils can be proud of their achievements and can hopefully acknowledge the following positives:
1. Independent Learners
Pupils have had no choice but to become more independent, choosing how long they study for…. meeting their own needs in terms of concentration, focus, processing speed and learning style. With permission to choose what to wear, where to study and when to take breaks, they have become self-motivated and able to supplement their learning with a choice of resources researched themselves or with family members. Is this not more like the world we are preparing them for? These life lessons will make them more capable of future learning and the associated increase in self-discipline, improved organisation and new time management skills will stand them in very good stead for future employment.
2. Pupil-teacher Communication
The last three months have necessitated direct communication with subject/class teachers using a safe, secure and private forum where they can be honest about any difficulties. This has allowed them to gain support without fear of what their peers might think. Ultimately, the situation will have facilitated the building of more honest and mutually respectful relationships between many teachers and pupils. Teachers have encouraged good engagement from youngsters by being creative when setting tasks and pupils have been able to see them as not only educators but as members of the community also sharing this unique, and at times difficult, experience.
3. Parental Collaboration
Children have been able to chat to parents about their learning; they have enjoyed gleaning new skills from family members and have a new appreciation of their parents’ abilities! They have collaborated, discussed and debated within the family and by incorporating learning into fun activities, youngsters have seen how memories can be created. The increased interest in learning has enabled youngsters to share their passions and challenges with parents and in doing so, have developed a mutual respect between the generations.
Moving forwards as schools open in the coming months and learning in its more traditional sense is resumed for children across the nation, let remember these positives and make education better! We all now have our part to play and working together will benefit schools now and in the future. Please comment below if you have other positives to add, and read about more positives in Part 1
and Part 2.
WOW!
JUST WOW!
Imagine me open-mouthed and lost for words! Quite difficult? That’s because it doesn’t happen often.
However, that was exactly what happened at the end of the most amazing workshop I attended yesterday at the ITAKOM conference.
Hands down, it was the most effective and informative session about neurodiversity I have ever attended (and I have attended quite a few).
The reason it was so good? It was delivered by a group of neurodiverse young adults from the Neuropoint Stakeholders Group from the Salvesen Mindroom.
It's hard to believe that I've been doing this for a year now. Sitting down at my computer a few times a week and getting to speak to unique, intelligent and wonderful young people who all want to push themselves that little bit further. In light of this, It feels only right to reflect on what I've learned myself in this time. Spoiler alert; it's far more than I thought I would. Expect the unexpected It's safe to say I didn't think I was going to end up doing this, and I think that's a big part of what has made the experience so special. Life is so unpredictable, and for someone who loves to plan, it's huge for me to even say those words. But, more often than not, unpredictability leads to where you were meant to go. Don't fear trying something new, you might like where it gets you. Be willing to ask for help The only reason I am where I am is through the support of others. Be it Jane , for helping me get started with the business, to my family supporting me through it, and even to my friends for reassuring me when I wasn't sure if I could do it. Asking and offering help is, as we have all learned in the past year and a half, one of the most essential parts of our humanity. We undeniably need each other, and shouldn't be afraid to admit it. Never Underestimate Young People This is the second biggest lesson I learned. Every single young person I had the joy of interacting with over this first year has disproven every stereotype the world puts out there. They are all bright, brilliant communicators, funny, unique and caring. There wasn't one session where they didn't also ask me how I was before we started. Each one of them proved to me that they didn't deserve to be underestimated in the slightest. Pulling their grades up through hard work, teaching me something I didn't know, creating masterful pieces of writing, and even proving to themselves that they knew what they were doing. We need to listen more to our teenagers This, for me, is the biggest lesson for everyone who may come across this post. I have always valued the voices of our young people. I believe they're fundamental to our developing society and our future. Unfortunately, I know many who would rather believe the contrary. The individuals that I worked with over this year proved that young people deserve a say in their lives, their future, and their education. Many of them are passionate to take a stand for their peers, they just need the support. I love doing this. At the end of the day, it's simple. I always thought I'd be working with young people in some capacity, and here I am. Three weeks out from beginning my teaching journey, and from tutoring beginning again. I honestly cannot wait. Being able to make a difference, no matter how small, means a lot to me. I fell in love with this role over the last year, and I can't wait to keep going. So, to the Kirkwood Tutoring Class of 2021, I wish you all the luck in the world. You all deserve it 10 times over. And thank YOU, for teaching me and trusting me. I hope the world is kinder to you all this year.
Currently in my forties, heading towards my fifties, I can look back and see just how perfect this career has been for me. All my children have additional support needs and have needed a hands-on mum to advocate on their behalf and negotiate what has been to them, a stressful and damaging education system. I have gained such a wealth of knowledge of child development, neurodiversity, education systems and learning styles, both in my personal life and in my career, that I am now able to offer so much to the families and youngsters with whom I work. I bring to my tutoring, not only knowledge learned from research and qualifications but more importantly from lived experience. It has given me a confidence in what I do too, and I have been able to adapt over the years from black and white books and paper posters through the introduction of coloured books and laminated adverts (!) to eBooks, social media marketing, websites, a plethora of digital resources and a physical in-house science lab for practical experiments and monthly tutorials. With the Covid-19 situation, I have seamlessly moved to online tutoring and am actually thoroughly enjoying being able to offer my services further afield, although I also look forward to the day when I am able to see some pupils again face-to-face. Education itself has seen numerous changes over the years, with the need once again for drastic change. I have learnt so much about adapting my tutoring style as curriculum changes have been introduced and assessments have been redesigned. Many have opposed these changes but as tutors, we have to constantly adapt if we are to successfully support today’s learners. Private tutoring, with its flexibility, personal approach and adaptability lends itself well to modern learning and I just love what I do! For so many people who have recently graduated, lost their job or whose family situation has changed, employment is looking bleak. All I can say is, if you are passionate about a subject, and would love to share it whilst also improve the prospects for the next generation, give tutoring a try ; it can truly change your life!
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