Parents are finding unique ways to overcome the struggles of online schooling, with some learning from their experiences with during covid
From wearing uniforms to doing physical activities, UAE parents are going the extra mile to ensure that their children are getting the best benefit of online schooling. For some, it is a repeat of their Covid experience while for others it is a whole new ball game.
Abu Dhabi resident Aisha Azeem’s daughter Noura is five and is in kindergarten. She said she has started making her daughter wear uniform at home to get her into the mood of learning.
“The first few days we both struggled to get out of bed and log into class,” she admitted. “She was cranky and it was very difficult. So, I tried getting her into the school uniform and it worked! We wake up about 15 minutes before class, get ready and have a bite before logging in. It has made a world of difference.”
Students in the UAE switched to online education on Monday, March 2, following Iran’s attack on Gulf states including the UAE, during the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. After an early spring break, students resumed online school on March 23. The measure, which was initially supposed to last till April 6, has now been extended until April 17.
As the online schooling continues, parents have come up with their own hacks to make the process more fun for their children. Dubai mother and SVP at Ruder Finn Atteline, Samar Saliba, said that she breaks up the screen time with physical activity.
“I make sure my son walks around the block, if possible, gets some fresh air while the weather is nice and just steps away from the computer as it can be a lot of screen time,” she said.
Another mother, Heba, said that she keeps cut up fruits and vegetables handy. “Online school seems to induce hunger more frequently, especially from boredom,” she noted.
The online schooling sessions have also thrown up some funny incidents. “I could hear FS1 students asking aloud when the class will be over, halfway during the online session,” Heba said.
For many mothers, the biggest challenge was keeping their children motivated to work independently. “It is hard,” said Ninu Hyder, whose seven-year-old son is doing Year 2 online now, while her elder one studies in Year 10.
“During Covid, my elder son did online learning. But he was older. My younger one really thrives on peer engagement and the one-on-one setting, so the quality of his work is really poor now. Sometimes, he refuses to do some work saying that he is tired. I don’t try to force him.”
Aisha said that it was a challenge to get her daughter to concentrate in class. “She is only in KG2,” she said. “Online schooling feels longer because she is not meeting her friends or having any socialization. From morning till about 2pm, she is busy with her schoolwork, and after that she feels tired. If it was school, it would have been more fun and would have got over with the flow.”
Asma Ahmed is the Education Director and Founder of education center The Learning Tree. She explained some of the hurdles. “Online learning is a challenge, especially for children under the age of 13, because they need human connection,” she said.
“We focus on offering one-to-one support to anyone who may be feel overwhelmed in larger classes. We make sure the teachers and students are prepared, and we always plan ahead. But beyond that, we need to manage expectations and avoid setting unrealistic targets. Sometimes, not everything will be achieved and that is perfectly fine.”
According to Aisha, the support of teachers has made online learning a little easier for the family. “The teachers have a proper plan, and they send us the links and worksheets to be printed the previous night,” she said. “They have an excel sheet with the timings and what class will be taken. They give enough break after each class.”
Samar echoed the sentiment. “I appreciate the efforts that the teachers are putting forward to make the sessions interesting — I can’t even imagine how difficult it must be from them too,” she said. “My son’s teacher gets all the kids on their feet every morning and they sing a morning song, always cheers him up.”
For parents and teachers alike, the return to online learning has been challenging. However, with a little bit of flexibility, patience, and small moments of connection, they have been working hard to make the best of the situation.
© Khaleej Times
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