As schools opened their doors, society overall is welcoming the new academic year. It is time for children to load up their backpack, dress in new uniforms and head back to their schools. It is truly encouraging and inspiring, sometimes to see students are resuming their studies, classrooms are full, textbooks are glossy and smell fresh and pencils are sharp. Going to school is just another challenge children experience in their lifespan, and hope it instils love of learning in them from the beginning.
This year’s back to school feelings are extremely different due to exceptional year. With the previous online learning experience over the past 3 semesters, students have missed the traditional way of commuting to school. Undoubtedly, the usual was even more interesting and thrilling to students and teachers alike. However, the Covid-19 pandemic had its impact on many aspects of life, including education and learning process in general.
Probably, the online learning was a distinct rewarding experience to all, students, teachers and parents as well. Each one has spared enough time and effort to deal with such first-of-its-kind experience. The past year with the online learning marked an insightful journey through which all have undergone an exceptional educational experience unlike the traditional one. Though it started in a very challenging way, it could easily be adapted by students, teachers and parents. Hence, it enabled all to cope with technological advances and have flexible learning options, especially students.
However, this year is somehow different with the partial opening of schools. Students are attending classes in rotation every other week. However, students will enjoy return to school season and would be looking forward to meeting their teachers and friends. The almost 2-years gap was so hard for them to be away from the school ambiance and separation from friends and classmates. Other than that, the grade one students have missed their firsthand experience of school from the very beginning of their educational journey.
Regardless of all concerns, students have been impatiently longing to the old days of school. Their feelings are still mixed of excitement to go back to school and reluctance due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic. It could be very normal as they have been stopped from reporting to school as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of coronavirus. This had possibly instilled fear among children. Therefore, their feelings could be probably uncertain, but it will change as they observe the gradual back to normal life at school. It will take time to get their mindset changed and adapt to school days.
On the other hand, we all know that it could be a hard switch for children going from a very long relaxing holiday to being a full-time student. During the online learning, students were studying at certain flexible times and having a less number of classes compared to usual school days. Thus, students need to be given sometime to get used to return to physical school. They will take time to perceive the new routine and mingle with classmates. Possibly, this would be harder for students of early grades, who should be given special attention to get a better first impression!
Those students might feel nervous and little scared on the first days because of all the new things they observe. Having new teachers, new friends and maybe a new learning atmosphere, unlike last year, could be frightening to them, but all these new concerns only remain for some days until students get used to the situation and people around them. That is not an abnormal feeling as getting nervous can be common among people, especially while being in a new learning or work environment.
Welcome back to the old days of cool school dear teachers and students.
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