Indore: Anxious about the future of your child and studies? Don’t be! With every challenge comes an innovative solution. Indore Sahodaya Complex of CBSE schools has decided to cut down the syllabus by 20 per cent for this academic session and modify the learning process to become more interactive. Further, another major announcement made by the complex is limiting online classes to 2 to 2.5 hours maximum in a day.
However, we cannot deny that the reformed education system with online classes would require parents to play a major role in helping and teaching the child.
Discussing how CBSE schools are planning the academic session 2020-21, chairman of Indore Sahodaya UK Jha said, “Until now, in the online learning sessions, it has become clear that senior students can cope and understand studying online.”
However, pre-primary, primary and middle school students are having trouble in even communicating via the screen to their teachers. “In the case of junior students, the communication and interaction with the teacher has to be lead one-way only by the teacher, students cannot take charge of the conversation and technology as such,” Jha said.
From connecting their devices to online classes to interacting with the teacher online, junior students require assistance in every step. “Here, parents will have to take on an extra role and even have to attend the classes with their child if convenient to ensure interaction and learning in virtual classrooms,” Jha said.
Further, he answered questions and shared details about the new way of teaching that commonly worries parents:
Teaching Junior Students in Virtual Classes
“In the case of teaching junior students, we need more active and interaction from teachers,” Jha said. Hence, the process of teaching has been subdivided.
“For at least the first week, junior school teachers will not be focusing on teaching or syllabus, rather they will be interacting with students asking about their experiences and feelings,” Jha said. This would ease students into the concept of virtual classes and help them adapt to their school routine at home.
Timing & Learning Pattern in Online Learning
“We have decided to limit online classes to a maximum of 2.5 hours so that students do not suffer in any way due to screen time,” Jha said. Further, it has been decided that there would be a break every 1 hour.
“Generally, there would be two classes, each of 30 minutes and then students will be given a break,” Jha said. Parents are suggested to involve the child in physical activity during the break time.
Further, the timing has been allotted for 2.5 hours considering that there might be clashes in timing for virtual classes among siblings. “We don’t want kids to study on mobile phones as it would affect their eyes much more, also there is an issue of data usage,” Jha said.
Syllabus cut by 20 percent
“We have decided to cut down the yearly syllabus by 20 per cent for all the classes, as it is not practically possible to complete it in time,” Jha said. He added that the pace of teaching and learning will be slower in virtual classes.
“There is no point in pressuring the child with an excessive burden in such hard times, so we want to involve them and help them learn in a comfortable environment,” Jha said.
What will be the new way to learn?
The new way of learning will involve students to become more independent and active learners, as shared by former chairperson of Indore Sahodaya Reena Khurana. There would be more emphasis on experiential learning and assignments including the following:
· Project-based assignments
· Research work
· Topic-wise or subject-wise regular worksheets
· Self-study
