The importance of School during Lockdowns

Regardless if Lockdowns are effective in the battle against COVID, it is a reality for students throughout the world.   A majority of schools have struggled to adapt, and after almost a year, schools are still adjusting this new reality.

Here in Slovakia, some of the younger students will be returning, while the older will remain learning from home. For those who remain, Schools doing as much as they can for students still affected by the lock down is important.

Teachers are “essential.”  During Covid that term has taken on a special meaning for those that need to or are allowed to work during lockdowns:  those who work in infrastructure, health care, grocery stores, etc. This cares for physical needs, however, the mental is just as important, and key to that for students is schools for the following reasons:

Continuing Education- the development of young people is constant and necessary.  Halting education during their formative years can be detrimental.  Pauses from time to time are necessary, but prolonged absence from formal learning can greatly affect a child’s development.  The world doesn’t stop during the lockdowns, and neither should education.

Routine – being stuck at home with nothing to do is detrimental to anyone’s mentality, especially students.  School provides the routine and structure necessary for effective student learning.  EISB’s Home Learning program during COVID recognized early on the inconsistency and uncertainty caused by the pandemic and decided to keep routines at home similar to being at school, thereby whenever the students return or if the lockdowns prolonged, there would be little difference in their daily schedules. It also recognizes the need for students to mentally remove themselves from being constantly at home (which is normally a “break” from school) to a proper learning environment.  Although doing this physically is restricted, creating a focused time of learning, can help.

Avoiding “Cabin Fever” – Confinement syndrome (a.k.a. Cabin Fever) is a term more common during lockdowns and something we at EISB will start addressing more often as our Academy students remain home.  Being in one place for a long time, adding to that the stress involved with the worldwide pandemic, is causing a noticeable effect on students.  Giving students routine, allows them to mentally escape from home into a world of study, development, and socialization that “can” help the mental effects that prolonged confinement can cause. 

Family Support – School while home, done correctly, also gives freedom for the rest of the family to go on with the things they need to do as they meet their own needs during lockdowns, which is also an important consideration in EISB’s Home Learning program.

If you’d like to learn more about EISB’s program or if you’re already involved and want to know how better use the program to support your student, please don’t hesitate to contact us.