Back to school during a pandemic

SINCE March 2020 when the first COVID-19 case was confirmed here in Jamaica the year has been anything but normal, leading to a change in routines and ‘life as we knew it’ indefinitely, including what ‘back-to-school’ looked like for parents.

Majority of schools, at all levels, are now operating online and delivering lessons virtually, which has come with its own set of challenges. Below, moms of children of varying age groups share how they prepared for back-to-school and how they are balancing the demands of their careers with ensuring the smooth transition of online learning for their children. We asked the career women, who work at Sagicor Group Jamaica, the following questions: How did you prepare for back to school this year? How do you balance the new paradigm of your children learning virtually from home, with you working from home and/or going into office? What coping advice would you give to other parents?

Jodi-Kaye Ennis, corporate strategy manager and mother of three-year-old Josiah:

With so much uncertainty this year, back-to-school preparation was a little different as I delayed purchasing school books and instead stocked up on stationery and craft material.

Managing this new paradigm for me has been challenging, as some days it gets overwhelming, but I do my best to ensure he is settled and that I balance my workday. Overseeing a three-year-old doing online classes is not ideal as he misses being able to play with his friends — a key component of learning development at his age. Despite the challenges faced sometimes, I am also grateful that I work with a company that facilitates me working from home, which has been such a blessing during this time as it provides the added emotional support for Josiah.

What I found has helped me, and what I would advise career mothers to do, is to take it one day at a time, reach out to other mothers, and most importantly, seek support from family, friends and other persons in your circle.

Shelly-Ann Morgan, manager, investment client services, and mother of 15-year old Trey’den:

Back-to-school preparation this year was certainly different; instead of shopping at the usual bookstores, I bought the books from my son’s school at Kingston College to avoid crowded spaces and limit my exposure to the virus. To assist with the homeschool learning environment, I purchased a whiteboard and a laptop for Trey’den. I also did not purchase new uniforms, which helped in redistributing funds to other priority areas.

As a client-facing team member at Sagicor, I go to office every day; this means I have had to get creative in monitoring my son’s online schooling. We developed a system where I have a copy of his timetable synced with the calendar on my phone that alerts me whenever he has a break so I can call and check in with him. His assignments are placed in the WhatsApp class group for parents, which I ensure he checks every evening when I get home so he doesn’t miss out.

My advice to other moms is to try making more family time doing various activities like playing games, going for drives and preparing meals together, ensuring to incorporate physical activity for your children, and, where possible, encourage them to read and help to develop their cognitive skills by engaging them in various thought-provoking conversations.

Jacqueline Donaldson, vice president, group corporate services, and mother of 16-year-old Hunter:

To prepare for back-to-school this year I purchased a laptop, computer desk and an ergonomic chair to facilitate online classes. I also had to create a routine to transition Hunter from the usual face-to-face learning to online learning. This preparation included revising his timetable to include a set bedtime and a morning routine.

My recommendation to other parents would be to monitor your children. Develop a structure and routine for them to follow, provide opportunities for them to contact their friends virtually — either through games nights or simple check-ins — check on them during the course of the day to ensure that they are adhering to the schedule and to find out whether they are having any challenges, and most importantly, do weekly check-ins with your children to determine their mental state.

Sandra Clarke Francis, financial advisor, and mother of nine-year-old Khalil:

Preparation for back-to-school this year was much different as it did not involve the usual purchase of uniforms and bags, but instead the purchase of a tablet and wireless keyboard that enhanced the online learning experience for Khalil.

During this period my husband and I have had to put extra emphasis on teamwork and aligning our schedules as much as possible to ensure that Khalil has the support he needs. I am grateful to be able to work from home and spend more time with my family. In this time, I get to see how Khalil functions in class and I’m able to give him feedback after class and reward him when I see that he did well. I am also better able to recognise his areas of growth.

Natalee Wedderburn, business development manager, and mother of Mikayla (16), O’Mari (14) and Maleah (11):

With the ever-increasing cases of COVID-19, I was apprehensive about sending my children back to school, especially the youngest. My experience with distance learning before back-to-school in the months prior caused me to realise that two of my children would require close monitoring based on the approach taken by their schools, so I decided to enrol Maleah in a smaller school that accommodated five children in a face-to-face setting. My older children have been learning through a blended approach — a combination of virtual and face-to-face learning.

In preparing for this academic year, we stressed the importance of them adhering to the safety precautions when at school as well as implemented some mandatory protocols to be taken at home when they return from school. Outside of the caution instilled, back-to-school preparation also included an investment in laptops and ensuring that they had data available in case the Wi-Fi service fails. I have also scheduled at least one day each week to work from home to assist my husband with keeping them on track.

My advice to other parents would be to ensure your children get some amount of physical activity into their schedule; have fun with your kids; talk with them and engage in various bonding activities as a family.