Students, who continue their education remotely due to the busy pandemic period, start their new education period with the end of the summer vacation. Indicating that children who have been away from school for months due to the pandemic may experience adaptation problems, experts also point out that emotions such as anger, anxiety and unhappiness can be seen.
Üsküdar University NP Feneryolu Medical Center Clinical Psychologist Duygu Barlas stated that students who cannot go to school for a long time due to the pandemic may experience adjustment problems and emotional changes after the summer break.
Change in class environment can create adaptation problems
With the statement made by the Ministry of National Education, Duygu Barlas reminded that face-to-face education will begin on September 21, and said that opening schools after a long time may bring various adaptation problems in children. “First of all, the child who has been away from the formal education system for months can be expected to experience difficulties in adapting to the classroom environment, as the classroom participation environment will change. Difficulties may arise in the process of the child who gets used to listening to lessons in front of the computer at home, in the process of returning to the classroom environment and class rules ”.
It may take time to adapt
Duygu Barlas said, "If the distance between the child's school and home is too long, the child will be faced with a long distance to reach the school again," said Duygu Barlas.
“Therefore, the child who has reached education via computer for a while may have to deal with a stressor like traffic again. In addition, as the distance between school and home disappeared during the pandemic process, the child's waking time for education also changed. It will take time for the child, who is expected to wake up earlier than now, to adapt in this regard. Third, the problem of adapting to long school hours can be mentioned. "
Can be angry, anxious and unhappy
Stating that there may be complexity in the emotions of children with various adaptation problems, Barlas said, “Emotions such as anger, anxiety, and unhappiness can be seen. At younger ages, sleep problems, irritability and crying spells may also occur. In children trying to adapt to a new situation again, these feelings and behaviors can be considered natural at first. However, over time, it is expected that adaptation occurs and negative affect and negative behaviors decrease. "When there is no reduction, it is recommended to get professional help."
Children should be asked what they feel
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Duygu Barlas said that parents who strive for their children to adapt to distance education during the pandemic process should now support their children to adapt to school again.
Barlas listed his advice to parents as follows:
- They should accept that the feelings and behaviors their children experience when adjusting to a new situation are natural in the beginning,
- They should talk to their children about this issue at least 1 week before school starts,
- When talking about the topic, they should definitely ask how their children feel and show them that they accept their feelings.
- While discussing the opening of schools with their children, they should also discuss the possible difficulties and how they can be solved,
- They should discuss minor changes in order for their children to adapt to their new order before the school is opened and they should put it into practice before schools are opened,
- They should definitely start the transition to the new order with minor changes,
- When talking about the new order, children's ideas will increase child-parent cooperation and facilitate the adaptation process,
- If possible, their teachers should be contacted to adapt to the classroom.
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