Learning is a Lifelong Skill, not a Sprint

POST PANDEMIC LEARNING

LEARNING IS A LIFELONG SKILL,

As a £1.4bn package has recently been announced for the post-pandemic education programme, the focus seems to be all about how quickly our children can ‘catch-up’. Some are feeling immense pressure to get back on track. The Gazette takes an educational pit stop, because it is time to remember that sometimes the tortoise can win the race.

Many suggest the Government’s figure (which is less than other countries are providing) will fall short of what is needed, particularly as the emphasis on the ‘catch up’ of lost learning seems to be stronger than the support for children in other ways, too. Undoubtedly, isolation, contact restrictions and economic shutdown have impacted the mental health of children and adolescents. And for those with special needs or disadvantages, such as disabilities, trauma experiences, already existing mental health problems, migrant background and low socioeconomic status, this has been a particularly challenging time.

To be able to help, we must surely understand, as comprehensively as possible, which children have suffered the most from the pandemic and in what ways. Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said that is crucial that the impact of catch-up arrangements is monitored, particularly on disadvantaged children, and acts on the results. This was echoed by David Laws, Executive chairman of the Education Policy Institute (EPI), who said: “If the pandemic is not to scar this generation of young people, the prime minister needs to put in place an ambitious education recovery plan, based on sound evidence and sufficient funding.” There are things we can do to minimise the effect of lockdown on our children. However, it’s important to recognise that everybody’s time and home situation will be different.

Some parents may simply not have been able to work with and help their children as much as they would have liked to. Pupils’ experiences of the pandemic, and circumstances throughout it, will be very varied. Some, despite restrictions, will feel safe and mostly enjoy their time. For others, it will be challenging or even traumatic. Schools and teachers are used to supporting their pupils through challenges that they face in life – but the current situation will amplify those situations many times over.

The British Psychological Society suggests that this ‘catch up’ narrative is unhelpful and places unnecessary psychological pressure on children and young people. So, the key here is to do our best, without exacerbating stress levels. Louise Livingston of the Maria Montessori Institute asks whether we should we really be telling our children they are ‘behind’ and need to ‘catch up’? “Politicians are talking of children ‘falling behind’, or not reaching ‘school readiness’ and suggesting a more is more approach with longer hours, holiday schools and intensive academic support. Yet many teachers – and parents – realise that children are not an industrial product and speeding up the factory production line is not appropriate or helpful.” We are in unchartered territory, and only time will tell whether the support we collectively offer and are guided by, will be effective. So, for the time being, we can only turn to available research to help us to see what often happens in situations that have similarities in their impact. Importantly, while the lockdown may have made certain aspects of development more difficult, this enforced period of limited activity has quite possibly resulted in some positive developmental changes too. My own school journey was interrupted by large gaps in my education. I might have missed lessons, and I later mostly caught up academically, yet in dealing with transience and troubles, I was not missing out on learning, and many of those experiences gave me invaluable advantages later in life. This is echoed by Dr Sharie Coombes, Child Psychologist, who observes: “We know from studies that children who have had really deprived early lives - way beyond anything that coronavirus has done - can catch up with their development.” While the current situation may be unprecedented, there are studies that demonstrate that most children bounce back incredibly well after a setback. Life is full of twists, turns, surprises and disappointments but there isn’t just one way to reach a goal or destination. In the words of Oscar Wilde:

“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth learning can be taught.” Perhaps, therefore, we all need to be cautious with the given notion that children are now extremely ‘behind’ in development and learning.

“Children may benefit from learning how to deal with boredom and some level of isolation” explains Coombes, “so it’s possible that children may become more resilient in the longer term.” For instance, children are often provoked into thinking more imaginatively in unexpected times. Many people assume that creativity is an inborn talent that their kids either do or do not have. But actually, it is more skill than inborn talent, and is a key to success in nearly everything we do, being a key component of health and happiness. Creativity is not limited to artistic and musical expression, it is also essential for science, maths, and even social and emotional intelligence. Creative people are more flexible and better problem solvers, which makes them more able to adapt to technological advances and deal with change, as well as take advantage of new opportunities.

Pupils’ experiences of the pandemic, and circumstances throughout it, will be very varied. Some, despite restrictions, will feel safe and mostly enjoy their time. For others, it will be challenging or even traumatic. Importantly, while the lockdown may have made certain aspects of development more difficult, this enforced period of limited activity has quite possibly resulted in some positive developmental changes too.

Days in lockdown were an opportunity for many children to reinvent ways of play and learning, exploring their immediate environment and making the most of what they had available.