How Future Ready Schools Are Taking Up the Challenge Of A Lockdown?

Is this the VUCA world we were preparing for?

Though we had certainly believed that the future will be volatile and uncertain, we were certainly not ready to be overwhelmed by an unseen deadly virus. The coronavirus pandemic has forced educators, parents, and students to think critically, problem solves, be creative, collaborate, communicate and be adaptive. The Educators needed to come up with alternate solutions to meet the requirement of the times.

With social distancing and the entire country being under lockdown, the only thing that keeps us going is the universal mantra that this too shall pass, and we shall overcome!

With the sudden school closures in mid-March, planned project exhibitions and examinations in ‘Future Ready’ schools were cancelled. Vega a ZQ endorsed school took up the challenge head-on and excelled in their efforts.

Learners were emailed task sheets on different subjects daily. They were given a link of the subject matter on a YouTube channel. The worksheets were shared on google drive and students were required to submit their answers on the sheet and share it with their respective teachers. The virtual classes were held in the morning for two hours daily. Students could clear their doubts during that session.

The benefit which was gained was that not only the students revised the concepts, they also became technology savvy. Learners aged 6 – 8-year olds have now learned how to make a copy of the google doc, name it and share the file with their teacher. This is the best example of a student development program. The idea of distance learning sessions is to maintain the connection between the Learners, Learning Leaders, and friends.

The parent-teacher meeting and the Orientation Session for the next grade will also be held as a Virtual Session. Students will not only be introduced to their new teachers of the next grade but also get to know -any new friends who have joined the school from this April session.

Other insights were shared by the school on how to enable deeper learning at home. The little learners are to be encouraged to think big, analyse and reflect on their learnings. This leads to experiential learning and enhances their grasp of concepts. These soft skills are critical to survive in an uncertain world. Virtual learning is enhancing the time management skills of the students as well.

A concrete example shared with the parents was to give a Rs 10 note to a child and then encourage him or her to ask as many questions she or he has looked at that note. The child will observe a range of things that can be segregated independently by him/her into science, picture, history depending on the age. They can do the same thing looking at any picture and this too can be converted into mini project-based learning at home.

With all these developments one can say safely that future ready schools are doing all they can to ensure that the learning process goes on.

 Aarul Malaviya, Founder of MASH Virtual & Zamit