It is going to be hard but things will work out in the long run says Bethesa Jacob Principal, United International School

It has been more than two months since schools reopened, and I am thrilled. To see my teachers and

students come in every morning and head to class reminds me that the situation is slowly but surely

getting back to normal. The threat of covid is still a clear and present danger but we must learn to deal

with this and carry on forward.

The 2-year break from normal offline classes has had an impact on my students. My teachers have

noticed basic changes in them that was not visible before the lockdown. No doubt online classes kept

students in tune with their studies, this did make them forget the basics of being in a classroom

environment.

We knew students would have to reconnect with others before settling down and this took time. We

mentally prepared ourselves for the worst, but thing turned out much better than what we expected.

Most of the students were eager to come back to school and made sure they were regular in attending

classes. However, sitting for 40 minutes at a stretch was difficult for some students who would get

restless and start fidgeting. They also wanted washroom breaks quite frequently. We have instructed

our teachers to allow them to take these breaks till they adjust to the new normal once again.

When it came to completing their homework, we have noticed that they come back the next day with

work not done. This was new to us as well since before the lockdown, students had a set pattern on

school days that they complete their homework. Their writing and reading skill have taken a hit and so

are their spellings.

I strongly believe that to get my students back to normal, they must go through the grind. Like they say,

to be kind, you must be cruel. We need to get them back on track by making them go through a set

routine each day.

Sometime back, a parent met me requesting that head back to hybrid classes. She wanted it to be 2 days

at school and 1 day at home. But I personally believe this will be a setback for my students. The best way

is to make them come to school from Monday to Friday and follow the set timings. After following this

pattern in the month of June, we have seen remarkable improvements. Students are now getting into

shape.

When it comes to comprehending and grasping skills, we have not seen that much of a difference since

online classes kept them on their toes. But social skills have gone for a toss in many cases. My teachers

have noticed that students can easily get into squabbles from a friendly chatter. We are now teaching

our students to keep their hands to themselves. Even younger students in their excitement to see each

other, use their hands and push each other. We are now teaching them to play and have fun without

being rough.

I have seen that when it comes to maintaining discipline, the lack of that is more visible amongst older

students. For instance, when the bell rings, these students do not head to their classes but are seen

wasting time in the school premises. Many are also lazy. This has set in primarily because parents

allowed them to take it easy while they sat at home for 2 years.

I have read news reports about social media addiction faced by students. Here, we have not yet received

any complaints from teachers nor have students come up to us with these problems. We as a school,

always welcome students to come forward and speak to us in case they face any difficulties.

My only suggestion at this point of time is that schools should continue to follow their daily schedule

and not make any changes. Day-in and day-out they need to go about their normal activities, and

everything will settle down. It is going to be hard, but things will work out in the long run.