How to make the children/students Stress Free during the Outbreak of Corona virus Disease

How to make the children/students Stress Free during the Outbreak of Corona virus Disease

The outbreak of corona virus disease 2020 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people especially for Students/Children. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions. Coping with stress will make our community, the people we care about, and us stronger. Students/children respond to stress differently. Some common changes in their behavior are like irritation, worry or sadness, unhealthy eating or sleeping habits, avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past, headaches or body pain etc. This stress affects children academic success as well as health.

ACADEMIC

Ø  Curricular

As the COVID-19 continues to spread, many school/colleges around the globe are shifting to online learning in an effort to slowdown the spread of the disease. Students are provided with e-contents, which is of two types i.e. Assembled e-contents and Created e-contents. Assembled E-Contents means assembled from several resources and books with due care.  On the another hand Created E-Content is that form which is developed by author based on various sources, as well as his/her own work. Various forms of contents are text, picture, sound, video, animation, simulation and presentations. It may Video classroom, Virtual classroom, E-lessons, online discussion, Mobile learning.

Ø  Non-curricular

To cope with the problem of students stress, teachers may start some online co-curricular practice/activities with students. For example

Fine Arts ·         Drawing ·         Collage making ·         Poster making ·         Card making ·         Paint on old Dias General Knowledge ·         Brainstorming ·         Debate ·         Quiz ·         Poetry

Music ·         Audio clip on topic ·         Dance Video on topic Fashion Designing ·         New look from recycling clothes ·         Embroidery on jeans ·         Dying fabric ·         Sewing from waste ·         Making rugs

Environment ·         Plant in useless bottles ·         Kitchen gardening in ports ·         Model building with waste Beauty ·         Nail art competition ·         Eyeliner completion ·         Hair style completion

There are some special things which are required to consider while online learning as well as activities. These ideas from educators from around the world, many of whom have already been teaching during corona virus lock-down are

1.      Consider digital reach and infrastructure unequal capacity-This is the major hurdle in preparation for online learning. Many out of us do not have smart devices to use. Most families don't have one computer per person. During the country lock-down, parents may also be working from home, meaning several people could be competing for one or two computers. Therefore, make sure all online apps work lock down on mobile devices in case a laptop is not available. Non-availability of internet/network connectivity and its regular recharge should also require considering. 

2.      Practice- Teachers should train themselves and their students on the apps and technology tools they may need to use in the event of lock-down. Must consider many of the skills learned during the online learning period will be equally beneficial in a regular classroom. Need is to continue same after the breakout of this period.

3.      Provide clear guidelines to staff and parents-During a lock-down, communication between administrators, staff, parents and students is more important than ever. The channels of communication need to be frequent and clear. There should be step by step detailed information of how the college will operate during a lockdown so staff and parents are on the same page/platform it may be a whats app group. It also includes where to find the daily assignments; a list of sites and tools the students will need, how to log in and what to do if the technology doesn’t work etc. Next, prepare a step-by-step guide on how to access and use online learning tools and curriculum. Make sure this information is in various formats including video and text and include screenshots and screen-casting tutorials.

4.      Establish daily schedules-Guidelines should be clear about when teachers and students need to be logged on. A full day in front of a screen is a lot for kids and teachers, especially for families who may be sharing one device. Many schools are choosing two check-in times – a morning meeting and an afternoon check-in – and then allowing families flexibility about how they organize the schedule.

5.      Provide robust learning-it is tempting for teachers to upload Quality E-contents for students otherwise students will suffer. Following things must consider:

o   It should be as per objectives of curriculum,

o   Clear expectation

o   Break learning into smaller chunks,

o   Immediate  feedback through online knowledge checks,

o   Comments on collaborative documents and

o   Chat to keep students motivated and moving forward,

o   Include virtual meetings, live chats or video tutorials to maintain a human connection.

o   Others.

6.      While it may seem fun to work from home, it can be challenging to keep to a regular schedule. Following things that can help include

o   Take regular breaks.

o   Making time to exercise.

o   Keep to a regular sleep schedule.

o   Limit distractions when possible (turn off social media notifications, for example).

o   Set daily and weekly goals.

o   Make time to socialize, even if it’s virtually.

7.      Choose the right tools and stick with them-There is variety of technology tools, many free, are available to help. With so much out there, it can be tempting to try to use everything. Instead, limit the number of tools, apps and platforms so students and their parents are not overwhelmed. Videoconferencing will take you and your students into each other's homes so it's important to consider privacy. Even consider the privacy issues of each and every technology tool.

NON-ACADEMIC

There are strategies and methods that can be utilize our daily time. Some methods/strategies to cope up with this problem are:

FITNESS ·         Exercise ·         Healthy food to eat ·         Yoga ·         Meditation ·         Practice Dance ·         Rest ·         Walk on Terrace ·         Play Games

FAMILY ·         Recall Memories ·         Play Games with family ·         Watch Music ·         Create Music ·         Cook ·         Clean and Organize ·         Re-arrange household items ·         Share knowledge and Experiences ·         Gardening ·         Pamper Pets

SELF ·         Think about your future ·         Create new fashion look ·         Reconnect with old friends ·         Explore artistic in you ·         Create (blogs) ·         Update your online profile ·         Read book ·         Online study time

The protection of students/children is very important. Precautions are necessary to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 in school/colleges. It is important to remember that COVID-19 does not differentiate between borders, ethnicity, disability status, age or gender. Education settings should continue to be welcoming, respectful, inclusive, and supportive environments to all. It is requested to follow following instructions/checklist to for healthy INDIA.

Checklist for parents

ü  Monitor your child’s health.

ü  Teach and model good hygiene practices.

a.       Wash your hands with soap and safe water frequently.

b.      If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

c.       Ensure that safe drinking water is available and toilets or latrines are clean.

d.      Ensure waste is safely collected, stored and disposed of.

e.       Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth, nose

ü  Encourage your children to ask questions and express their feelings with you and their teachers.

ü  Prevent stigma by using facts and reminding students to be considerate of one another.

ü  Coordinate with the colleges/schools to receive information and ask how you can support them in safety efforts (though parent-teacher committees etc.)

Checklist for students and children

ü  In a situation, it is normal to feel sad, worried, confused, scared or angry. Know that you are not alone and talk to someone you trust, like your parent or teachers

ü  Ask questions, educate yourself and get information from reliable sources.

ü  Protect yourself and others. Wash your hands frequently

ü  Tell your parents, another family member, or a caregiver if you feel sick, and ask to stay home.

ü  Be a leader in keeping yourself, your education institute, family and community healthy.

o   Share what you learn about preventing disease with your family and friends, especially with younger children.

o   Avoid sharing fake news, whats app and facebook messages.

o   Model good practices such as sneezing or coughing into your elbow and washing your hands, especially for younger family members.