COVID-19 brings extraordinary situations for world citizen.  Initially all the algorithms, artificial recognition, facial recognition, advanced research, health scientists, advanced technology or many more things fail to control the COVID-19. The world went for complete lock down. See the beauty of time! The people who talks more for lack of time, nowadays they talk how to spend time at house. COVID-19 brings setback, fear, astonishment, terror, anxiety, and distress for us. We were not thought about these situations except some of brilliant writers who mentioned the dreadfulness of an epidemic disease in novel and story. Educational institutions were not ready to take such challenges though we used to proclaim integration of technology, WIFI campus, smart classes and many more things. School manager, school leaders, principal, teacher, students, and parents were not prepared for this.

India is known for its vast cultural, ethnic, religious, linguistics and economical background. Students and parents are most important pillars of an educational institute. It was surprised setback for one and all.  “Ernest Hemingway is one of the most popular and widely acclaimed American writers of the 20th century stated in the “Old Man and the Sea”, Santiago says, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated. (Page 93)”, therefore COVID-19 can stop us for a moment but every time and every challenge makes world citizen strong and sensible. Online teaching is one of the best tools ever invented by 21st century technocrats. Online teaching becomes famous during COVID-19. Educational institutions were searching for alternative means of teaching beyond the classroom. A few schools have the facility for online teaching but it was almost unused. Most of the schools were merely beating the drum of Wi-FI enabled campus and smart classes but 99% schools were not ever thought to teach online. COVID -19 compelled one and all to think about alternative system of connecting with children and teaching students at home. To be frank, I would admit it that I could not thought for online teaching, although I am the principal of  a leading  international school , conducting several teacher training programme, counseling session, curriculum designing or many more thing.

A few schools had started online teaching through different video enabled apps but most of the schools were waiting for completion of 1st lock down. A number of Indian schools started online teaching. We were stuck at some points what to do, how to do whether we were teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders. We were compelled to start online teaching. We have to start therefore we started online teaching learning process. Hence we would like to ask several questions regarding online teaching?

  1. Were we ready for online teaching from school or at home?
  2. Was school management ready for online teaching?
  3. Was teacher ready to do online teaching?
  4. Were parents ready to face the challenges?
Parent Orientation Programme-Rajeev Ranjan
Parent Orientation Programme

Have we trained our teachers, students and parents before initiating online teaching? Initially teachers did not know “HOW” and parents did not know “WHAT. ”The answer is obvious “NO”. We started online teaching without considering teachers, students, and parents perspectives. Educationists and parents were loud on not giving smart phone, online access to child, but online teaching is demand of time, we need to introduce it and continue it too. I remember the day when I called one of my parents who could not register on an app for online teaching. I personally registered in his mobile.  I was interacting with students’ parent on the challenges and benefits of online teaching. We were interacted with each other over these issues. Their kids are students of class 1st and 2nd where each child’s age ranges from 6 years to 8 years. Parents shared their challenges and benefits very clearly and precisely. First, I would like to mention challenges –

  1. Children were feeling bore at home
  2. Children became hostile at home
  3. Children had left the habit of studying at home
  4. Parent were unable to register on prescribed app
  5. Low internet connectivity
  6. Blurred picture on the screen
  7. Unavailability of text books at home
  8. 2 children one smart phone at home
  9. Teacher’s unpreparedness and incomplete teaching
  10. Lack of proper communication i.e. vague instructions
  11. Lack of proper information by the teacher
  12. Background sound during the teaching from students home
  13. A few parent’s interaction and intervention during teaching
  14. Children’s short attention span
  15. Children’s naughtiness  during teaching

Parents were facing so many challenges, however online teaching brought new rays of hope during this COVID19 lockdown. Mr. Ashish told that it was good initiative. Now child has a time to study. She waits for online class. My daughter studies online for one hour and completes her homework timely. Several parents admitted that though we faced so many problems but my child started learning and studying various subjects. They stated that though online class may not replace real classroom teaching learning process but at least it is good alternative for classroom teaching.

We discussed several valid issues regarding online teaching i.e. safety and security of children during online teaching was one of the core issue, their mental and children’s emotional well-being and various academic, health related issues.  We were worried about the sensitive content of the smart phone and on laptop or desktop. Family has only one phone where child and parent use same smartphone. What we can do as a parent for avoiding embarrassment before child? Wise parent should follow these guidelines for safety and security of child during online teaching learning process. What we can do-

  1. Delete all the sensitive content from the smartphone before handing over it to your child i.e. bulgur jokes , sensitive tiktok videos, other abusive videos, non-veg jokes, pictures etc before giving our mobile to our kids
  2. Delete search history if parent visit on a sensitive website
  3. Let the child conduct online activity under parents’ minute observation and guidelines
  4. Avoid spending so much time continuously on screen, as it may lead to several health issues

COVID-19 created havoc on us. Nowadays we are living in tough time and space. Parent got golden time to spend with kids during these COVID-19 lock down. What we can do –

  1. Stay at home  
  2. Play with your child
  3. Play some traditional game with your child
  4. Talk to your child
  5. Spend time with your elders
  6. Read a book and ask your child to read book
  7. Sing with your child
  8. Laugh with your child
  9. Do acting with your child
  10. Do sketching and drawing with your child
  11. Compose a poem, story with your child
  12. Be a child with your child

 Our schools situated in a district headquarter. We have students and parents from remote villages and town area. Our parents are educated, farmers, businessman, officers, professionals from other various background.  We are facing various challenges during COVID-19. Our emotional well-being, physical well-being and mental well-being are more important and crucial for all of us. No need to worry too much about child’s study. Syllabus and curriculum will be covered in the classroom. Parents have golden moment to spend quality time with their family members. Live and enjoy every moment of life! Rest I always remember last 2 lines from ‘Ode to the West Wind’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley-  

‘If Winter Comes

Can Spring Be Far Behind!

Let us celebrate “COVID-19 Lock down Time” with our KIDS and family members at home –Let us thanks HIM—– We are really fortunate ———-Remain everything will be history…..Stay Safe—Stay at Home!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=external&v=233833047940447
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