{"id":59661,"date":"2021-10-08T04:01:23","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T08:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=59661"},"modified":"2021-10-08T04:01:23","modified_gmt":"2021-10-08T08:01:23","slug":"parents-studies-show-most-kids-have-done-just-fine-in-remote-schooling-heres-how-to-survive-the-home-stretch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/parents-studies-show-most-kids-have-done-just-fine-in-remote-schooling-heres-how-to-survive-the-home-stretch\/","title":{"rendered":"Parents, studies show most kids have done just fine in remote schooling. Here\u2019s how to survive the home stretch"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nWith nearly half of Australia\u2019s population in lockdown, a lot of children and young people are still not attending face-to-face school.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Melbourne<\/a>\u00a0students in year 12 go back to the classroom this week, and there are staggered return plans for the rest of the year levels. Preps and grades 1 and 2 will return part time in the following weeks. All students will return to the classroom full-time by November 5.<\/p>\n

Regional\u00a0Victorian students<\/a>\u00a0have a different schedule with all students back in the classroom full-time by October 26.<\/p>\n

In New South Wales, students are set to\u00a0return to class earlier than expected<\/a>. Kindergarten, year 1 and year 12 students will return on October 18; years 2, 6 and 11 will return on October 25 and all other grades will resume on November 1.<\/p>\n

But even with staggered return plans, many kids will still be learning from home if only part of the time.<\/p>\n

Parents can be understandably worried about their children\u2019s learning when at home. After a year and a half of COVID and lockdowns, many students and\u00a0parents are feeling tired, burnt out<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0sick of online school<\/a>. Some\u00a0have disengaged<\/a>\u00a0from what the school is providing.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re overwhelmed, and your child is disengaged, have no fear. Your child likely still continued to learn, and will continue to do so, just in a different way.<\/p>\n

What we know from last year<\/strong><\/h4>\n

During the lockdowns last year, many experts and parents were\u00a0concerned children\u2019s education would suffer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the majority of Australian students have done just fine. For instance, there has been\u00a0little change<\/a>\u00a0in the NAPLAN average results in 2021 compared to 2019 in all states and territories, including Victoria, which had the longest period of remote schooling in 2020. This doesn\u2019t mean every group succeeded, and there is evidence the\u00a0learning of disadvantaged students suffered<\/a>\u00a0but perhaps less than would have been expected.<\/p>\n

Some children\u2019s mental health and well-being may have suffered due to extended uncertainty and lack of face-to-face contact with friends. This is especially so for senior students who have missed out on\u00a0important events like school formals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But we also know some children, including children with autism, reported being happier because they experienced\u00a0less bullying<\/a>\u00a0and their learning needs were better met at home. And a report on\u00a0children with disability<\/a>\u00a0found learning improved for many, to the extent some parents were thinking of doing it long term.<\/p>\n

There are several explanations for remote learning being more successful than expected. Some schools have\u00a0changed, perhaps permanently<\/a>\u00a0to accommodate different teaching and learning approaches.<\/p>\n

Learning at home also meant many parents\u00a0knew more about how their children were doing<\/a>\u00a0so were better able to support them. Parents being more involved in their children\u2019s education is a marker of\u00a0success in schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Home learning during lockdowns improved students\u2019\u00a0autonomy in many cases<\/a>. Some students\u00a0said they valued the flexibility<\/a>\u00a0of being able to work at their own pace.<\/p>\n

This may have\u00a0implications<\/a>\u00a0for how schools continue. It may also reflect how learning can happen, even when children are not actively being taught.<\/p>\n

How children learn<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In 1985, psychologists\u00a0Edward Deci and Richard Ryan<\/a>\u00a0introduced what is now known as self-determination theory in their book\u00a0Self-Determination and Intrinsic Motivation in Human Behavior<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The theory holds that learning happens when children find meaning in what they are learning about, learn collaboratively with others and have some relationships with the content and the people they are learning with. Deci and Ryan called these\u00a0motivations to learn<\/a><\/p>\n