A Return to Class – How to help your child make the transition back into the classroom, and back to their best!

With communities phasing out of COVID-19 lockdowns, students are preparing to return to the classroom in a part-time or full capacity. While this has brought much jubilation to many households, it is recognised that parents and carers are starting to worry about the impact that being out of the classroom has had on their children.

So what can be done to ease this transition for parents and students alike?

Acceptance

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges the likes of which many have never dealt with before. In order to keep a positive environment for children (and themselves), parents should try to accept that the pandemic and its effects have been out of our control. Parents, students, teachers, administrators, friends and families have all done the best they could in the extreme situation forced upon the community. Lockdowns were put in place, including Home Based Learning, to keep members of the community safe. As a result, learning was disrupted and, depending upon the school and its resources, a form of Home Based Learning implemented.

Transitioning Back

Returning to the classroom may be a time of excitement for many students; however others, including the very young and students who have anxiety, learning disorders or behavioural challenges, may bring new adjustments for families. Below are some tips to help make the transition back to the classroom a positive one:

Set a routine: ensure all family members have a reasonable bed time, know how they are being transported to and from school, and have after-school activities (including homework) timetabled. Routines provide children with a sense of comfort and structure.
Communicate with teachers: letting teachers know that your child is struggling, or needs more support helps ease the transition back into the classroom. Teachers can prepare revision materials, and offer students extra time to complete tasks.
Hire a tutor: additional assistance outside of the classroom can help build your child’s confidence. Tutors can help students catch-up on missed work, as well as set new learning goals. Tutoring often involves learning games and activities (especially for younger students), so your child can be engaged in their work in a positive way.
Be patient: the transition back to the classroom will take time, it is important that parents show patience, care and support to help children be at ease during this time.

Look for the Positives

Many families have identified positives of the Home Based Learning experience. For some it was as simple as having more time at home as a family, for others it was engaging more with technology, helping their child with a science project, or even just having an extra half hour sleep in! Try to hang on to some of those positives where you can, ideas may include:

Setting aside an hour on the weekend for a family activity, this could be a board game or a simple walk at the park
Encouraging activities that involve learning, e.g. building LEGO models or arts and craft
Checking-in with your child about how school is going, find out what they’re working on in each subject and what they’re enjoying

Kate has a Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary Teaching), having previously completed a Bachelor of Science (Biological Science). Kate is currently a Science High School Teacher and also composes Year 11-12 Textbooks for Pearson Education

Kate’s role at Student Tutors is to manage and run the successful tutoring company. While overviewing all our staff and enquiries, Kate also runs our Distance Education Support Program run across Australia.