Redefining The Role Of Schools And Education In The New Normal

A school is a home for students to learn their very first life lessons. Through their school days, many children might face hurdles, experience joy, accomplishments, missteps, and suffer setbacks, all of which have an enduring influence on their future. Over the years, there has been a transformation in the teaching-learning methods and the role of teachers and students has changed drastically. The pandemic last year has provided an acceleration to the hybrid school model, and to synchronous and asynchronous blended learning. 

Focusing on emotional and mental health is crucial 

The future of the world relies in the hands of an emotionally and physically powerful generation. During an uncertain situation like the Covid-19 pandemic, some children developed extreme effects of depression, anxiety, despair, or other behavioural problems. Such difficulties may occur in any child, but those children who have been through a traumatic experience or lost someone significant in their life are at a higher risk. Children who fall under this group require higher consistency with regards to sleep patterns, emotional assistance, and reassurance about the days ahead. They need to get the right assistance and comfort for their mental health and also need to be empowered to deal with this change by accepting it. It is thus crucial to teach them to navigate through stressful situations and inculcate positive perspectives. This will help them to be happy, optimistic, accepting and determined. By focusing on the emotional health and wellbeing of the students, we are helping build a resilient generation.

Increase in understanding the advantages of extra-curricular activities

Education has gone beyond the confines of classrooms and textbooks. There are countless opportunities for students to acquire new skills and ignite unique passions. Participation in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities offers students an opportunity to display their inherent creativity and showcase their ability in the areas of interest. These activities help develop skills such as problem solving and conflict resolution. They open up a plethora of avenues for children to become more self-confident, team players and better communicators. 

Implementation of personalized learning

Personalized learning is customizing the educational setting and curriculum that revolves around each student’s requirements and expertise. Teachers play one of the most important roles in an education system, but with a difference. Flipping a classroom is a great pedagogical strategy in the New School Model, where students gain first exposure to learning; the synthesizing, examining, and processing component of learning follows thereafter. This model prepares students to strengthen their research skills, which will support them to evolve into quick learners.

Learning with the help of digital technologies 

The challenge that the pandemic posed became one of the best opportunities to upscale technology in the classrooms. Integrating and combining technology with the teaching-learning process, using unique and innovative methods has now become the new normal and also the need of the hour. 

Digital programs such as VoiceThread, FlipGrid, NearPod, Edpuzzle, Coggle, Flippity, Peardeck, Kahoot, Quizizz, Edmodo, Padlet and Socrative among many other, make learning more engaging and fun. In the real world, adjusting to the practice of technology will be an essential part of our lives. Even for educators, technology has become a notable professional tool. Enabling the students to improve their technical skills will prepare them for a life in the real world.

Radhika Sinha

Guest Author The author is Principal, Aditya Birla World Academy