How the coronavirus changed teaching in Swindon

The coronavirus pandemic has caused many changes worldwide and one area that has been drastically affected is education.

There has been a large mental health impact and the pandemic forced teachers to find new ways to educate. Most students in Swindon have been engaging in online learning on and off over the past year. Even with students returning to a physical classroom, the changes caused by this virus have changed the way of teaching.

Not only have teachers had to find a new way of delivering educational content due to the pandemic, but students have to learn how to learn without social interactions. Interacting with peers is equally important when it comes to early development and learning. Remote learning is not an easy task and many students have had difficulty adapting to this new form of education.

The Formatting of Distance Learning

The pandemic has been a huge challenge in terms of education. Back in March 2020, Swindon entered its first lockdown, forcing school closures. Students were thrown into a world of distance learning, which was entirely foreign. Initially, there were many complications. Schools and teachers were not ready for such a drastic change and the government was slow in offering assistance.

Many students did not have laptops or technology required to engage in remote learning. In the past year, the Department of Education has worked with local governments to provide students with laptops.

Unfortunately, laptops were distributed among older pupils and primary school kids were left out. Since education is one of the important parts of a child’s life, the government responded and over the last year, 987,000 laptops have been offered to disadvantaged students across England.

This educational change was unexpected and had a profound effect. Teachers and students had to quickly figure out how they could continue their educational paths while the country battled an outbreak. Before this pandemic, classroom learning provides all of the tools and resources needed. It also allowed for engagement with others, which is one of the most important factors of education.

The struggle was in finding ways to adhere to curriculums and keep students involved in the learning process. Many suffered greatly and could not adapt to a new way of learning. Higher education students turned to online writing services that could help them with assignments. With services like SupremeStudy.com, individuals were able to get help when needed and assistance in adapting to a new way of learning.

Returning to Classroom Teaching

For the first time since December 2020, classrooms started opening and students are learning how to return to a normal form of education. Pupils began going back to school in early March with many restrictions still in place. Masks are required when indoors and social distancing will be maintained. Any pupils at secondary schools will be tested for the virus twice weekly. Testing will be one of the main rules in place for everyone returning, but there are other restrictions and rules. Once schools fully reopen, there will be mandatory attendance. If children do not return, penalty fines will be levied.

Virtual teaching has been quite a challenge for educators. Having face-to-face interaction enhances a learning experience, so most teachers, parents, and students are glad to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Remote learning has been effective, but it has also deprived students. Teaching and learning online is a completely different experience that lacks social interaction and any hands-on learning techniques.

This change is also having an effect on parents who work from home. They have increased anxiety about children being exposed and are concerned about the restrictions in place. With the last lockdown finally lifted, having children return to schools is a huge step in the right direction. However, many parents have constant fears about physical interactions that will take place in school settings.

Teaching Has Been Changed Forever

Due to the pandemic, the role of an educator has drastically changed over the past year. Classroom teaching came to an abrupt halt, forcing remote learning in every school. For educators, new delivery methods were required and technology played a new role. While remote teaching has been effective, the human aspect of educating is still needed. Students who have trouble motivating themselves or have learning disabilities were severely affected.

As doors reopen and classrooms start filling up, teachers will continue to adapt to new learning methods. Many educators will take on a role of a facilitator to encourage collaboration among peers and self-learning. The use of technology will continue being used on a daily basis, allowing students an opportunity to develop new skills while still receiving a solid education in person.

This is an adjustment period for everyone involved and classrooms will not be as they were before this pandemic. Flexible learning environments will be required. There will also be many hybrid models evolving, allowing students to use a combination of remote and in-class learning.