Life for school children has looked very different over the last 18 months. School closures across the UK have meant that most children have has to adapt to an online learning model.
As the UK lifts more and more restrictions across the four nations, children are now moving back to classroom-based learning once more. Yet, with the anxieties and frustrations of the last year, some might be anxious about going back.
If your child or children are concerned about returning to school, they may need some additional support. We take a look at how to support your child return to school after a year of online learning.
Why might your child be concerned about returning to school?
There are many reasons your child might be hesitant about returning to the classroom. The last 18 months have been fraught with anxiety and concern for most of us. Children have had their daily routines upended, leaving them uncertain about what might happen next.
They might also be concerned about classroom hygiene. Having spent the last year or in the safety of their home, with constant news about a virus spreading around them, some children might find the additional human contact unnerving at first.
Your child, depending on their age or if you have moved home, might be starting a new school and will have their pandemic worries compounded with the fears of making new friends.
How can you support them?
Luckily, there are many ways you can support your child if they are feeling worried about returning to school after home learning.
Below are some of the top things you can do to make the transition easier for your child.
Continuing home learning
Taking the time to continue home learning activities can help your child more easily make the transition back to classroom-based learning. It might be worth talking to your child’s school about a blended model of working to help them adjust.
Discuss their feelings
Talking to your child about their concerns and getting them to vocalise their fears can help. You can then work with your child on coping strategies that can help them manage their anxieties when they are back in the classroom.
Celebrating their teachers
You could distract your child and help them funnel their anxieties into something positive. Celebrating their teachers with wonderful “thank you, teacher” gifts can help your child focus on the positives about being back in the classroom.
Extra-curricular tutoring
Additional tutoring can help your child catch up. It can also help them adjust to face-to-face learning in a smaller, safe environment before they return to the classroom full time.