Indonesia Expat
Education Featured

Welcome Back to (Online) School

back to school

Returning to Jakarta and to school after the summer break feels like Groundhog Day – again. 

Students at international schools and their families left the city in early summer with the good feeling that the new school year would bring back a little more normality and open schools. The COVID-19 situation seemed to be moving in the right direction in Spring of this year. Schools, students and parents started to prepare for open classrooms after the summer break. But then the Delta variant hit in. Jakarta, and all of Indonesia, has been devastated by the COVID-19 Delta variant. Thankfully, the lockdown regulations seem to be moving the number of new infections in the right direction and the vaccination rate all over the archipelago is also growing. 

But not for the first time our hope for more normality in schools is disappointed. International, as well as local schools, will mainly start completely remote learning again in the new academic year. No question; these are not the best conditions for a good start – neither for students nor for parents or teachers. It is all the more important that we motivate ourselves and our children in this situation and not lose hope. Students may have deficits due to the long phase of remote schooling, both in terms of education and social development. But our children could also benefit in some areas through online learning. We should not forget this – as motivation for ourselves and our children.

Becoming Tech-savvy

Due to online classes, children had to learn how to actually use the technology. Starting their computer or tablet, logging into their classes, submitting assignments online – that was all new at the beginning of the pandemic and now children handle these things more or less without thinking.

Even more important is they learned how to solve technical problems themselves. What can I do if the camera or printer doesn’t work? How do I find a file or an assignment again if I have not saved it correctly? Many children have learned to solve small technical problems themselves during the last months, and that’s good learning. Their technology savviness might help them in the future as it will most likely play a big role in their lives.

Thinking Out of the Box

The pandemic and the different stages of lockdowns have made it sometimes very difficult to pursue hobbies, have playdates, celebrate parties, or hang out with peers. Tutors at A for Effort are in contact with students of all ages during their personalised Math and Science tutoring sessions. We have observed that students do not let themselves get down and that they always find ways to make the most out of their virtual world. If they can’t meet their friends in person, they find ways to catch up socially online using the technology they were introduced to during online schooling such as Zoom, group chats, hangouts and so on.

Valuing the Offline World

The pandemic has pushed us hard to embrace virtual space, not only when it comes to school and work. Naturally, most parents are apprehensive about it. On one hand, we are trying to reduce screen time and on the other, we are encouraging it. Our impression as professional Math and Science tutors is that the pandemic has helped students appreciate any kind of offline interaction more than ever before. Would you ever have dreamed that your child would say, “I can’t wait to finally go back to school?” Let’s not lose our hope that this will be the case soon.

Are you looking for support for your child during remote schooling? Get Professional Support from a Tutor

Any student can benefit from the support of a professional tutor, whether online or offline. A tutor can help to advance personal learning experiences, develop better study skills, and create a passion for learning. 

During the pandemic, one-on-one tutoring sessions can be extremely helpful for students who miss the direct and personal interaction with their teachers, and of course, it also helps parents who often feel obliged to take over the role of a teacher during the current times.

A for Effort Math and Science Tutoring offers three lesson options: Online Zoom sessions, private classroom sessions at A for Effort’s classrooms, and home visits. Find more about our tutoring services.  

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