Learning online, especially at the preschool stage, is quite different from learning in a physical classroom. Considering the current situation, education for a child can definitely not be ignored, and online education is the best way forward in this troublesome pandemic period. A good thing here is that children are able to grab on to technology very easily. They are eager too, to learn about gadgets in general, and this helps them during online classes.
The literacy rate in India has been growing in India since many years, both in semi-urban and urban areas, which has led to the demand for online distance learning. However, the current pandemic has accelerated the need for online education, which starts as early as preschool or kindergarten. Even the tiny tots today can join preschool online classes and benefit from timely education. A lot of these classes are offered through education franchises across India.
Creative Learning
One major positive outcome of online learning at the preschool stage is that there is no more emphasis on rote learning. Education is being delivered online with the help of various creative ways. Here are examples of some creative ways that are used by instructors for the children:
- DIY– From turning old bottles into cars to making paper dolls, instructors can provide step-by-step instructions about these. It would certainly have been ideal if this was done in the traditional setting and not online, but this is the best alternative in the current situation.
- Role Plays– When kids are members of a single virtual classroom, they can always participate in role-play activities together and learn about real-life situations, or about seasonal events. This can easily be done in the presence of an instructor.
- Building EQ– The ability to understand, recognize, and interpret emotions is the EQ or Emotional Quotient of a person. Poor EQ may result in anxiety, depression, and aggression.
- Learning through information about the exterior environment– There will come a time when the chances of COVID-19 infection will reduce and eventually go away. Children should naturally not be outside in most cases. But that will not stop them from learning about field trips and nature online. It can be used to build excitement in them for the future.
Areas that Need Attention
A large number of schools are being run through franchises these days. There is no doubt that a franchise will always look for profitability. But it is important for the franchisor and the franchisee to keep children’s’ education as the priority all the time. To ensure that the children get the best preschool facilities, the following areas must be given attention:
- Development of Skills– This is the first stage of online education. This should thereby depend more on practical skills than on the regular curriculum. Children should be taught skills and be encouraged to participate in activities like singing, dancing, drawing, craftwork, and more. It is important for preschools to be able to recognize children’s talents early.
- The goal of Preschooling– Kids have to be brought into the mould of a school first after they enroll for preschool. This is not the time to start preparing them for the education that lies ahead. Different development needs and nuances must be recognized and understood. Teachers and parents need to set the right expectation here.
- More than play and caregiving– Preschool is the time when the foundation for a lifetime of education is laid. Preschool education has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. Today with the Internet it reached to remote areas as well. It is incorrect to say that children learn only caregiving and play here. They end up learning much more, especially through friendships. Preschool has been rightly declared as an independent formal segment by the Government of India.
For a long time, Indians have been blamed for gaining knowledge at schools that is of no use in the real world. With the advent of online education, schools have also started devising their curriculum in a way that they meet today’s education needs. For this, unless the start is made right at the kindergarten level, it becomes very difficult to condition individuals later.
Proper Curriculum
Entrepreneurs and companies which have established and are running the top kindergarten franchises in India are constantly reworking their educational models since they do not want children to lose out. Children these days are already under a lot of stress due to the environment. So, it doesn’t make sense to stress them out further by teaching irrelevant topics or subjects. The emphasis on creativity has been a blessing in disguise for many children. Of course, not every child has to necessarily be creative.
Children learning preschool online can imbibe knowledge at their own pace. Modern educational franchises allow them to mould their personalities in the ways they want.