PHYSIOLOGICAL researchers say children need school to develop cognitive and communication skills, and mental and physical health – so how many of these key areas are they missing out on during online teaching?
Traditionally, many young teens have thought of school as the ‘worst experience of their lives’ – but lockdown learning seems to have turned that on its head, with many children itching to get back in the classroom.
Samuel, 14, told SR News: “I cannot wait to go back. I miss my friends and the lunchtime breaks but, oddly, I’ve realised how much I miss my teachers and the physical classroom learning.”
Not just missing out on seeing friends every day, young students like Samuel are unable to find the motivation to wake up every morning just to sit at home, in an office study.
He described online learning as “a long bad movie that never ends” and fears this may continue for the rest of his school life.
Meanwhile, the confinement of the home study room is also removing physical development for kids and the simple joy of running round free.
Many parents and children worry this will go on for the rest of the academic year and feel that, if so, questions need to be asked of the Government and schools about how they can make the overall online learning experience better for every child.