Students’ mental health needs in the post-Covid-19 era will require the combined efforts of parents and teachers to help them overcome likely anxiety, loneliness and feelings of disconnection for months to come.
A leading expert in the field of education, who recently visited Bahrain, also believes that encouraging mindfulness and offering help with managing emotions would remain crucial for both pupils and teachers.
Heather Van Fleet, an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and mindfulness and well-being specialist from the US state of New Jersey, believes that there are challenging times ahead during the post-pandemic transition back to full time classroom learning.
She was in Bahrain for a two-day workshop titled ‘Well-being for Teachers’ held at the Isa Cultural Centre (ICC) in Juffair, as part of the American Embassy’s English Language Programme which brings top educational professionals to Bahrain to share their expertise.
“I was in the Australian outback when the pandemic hit,” she said. “It was a new situation with many changes seemingly overnight, and we had to do our best to support students,” she said.
She believes healthy, resilient individuals become better positioned to be leaders in the future. “Mindfulness is paying attention in the moment in a non-judgmental, curious and kind way,” she said during her workshop.
“Teachers and parents should note what is happening on the ‘inside’ – how students are feeling – and treat them with kindness and compassion.
“That is the message I hope to relay to all teachers in Bahrain.”
She has worked with teachers from several schools in Bahrain to help them understand the importance of well-being.
“Students’ well-being and mental health should be prioritised and needs our complete support following what have been unpredictable times,” she added.
She believes that students and teachers in countries like Bahrain, who have a more closely-knitted community than in other parts of the world, suffered a stronger feeling of disconnection following a long period of online learning.
“Not being able to see and connect with friends and loved ones for long periods created a sense of loneliness in both students and teachers, especially in places like Bahrain,” she said. “It is important to re-create that sense of community in school by interacting with students more to end any feeling of disconnect.”
She has gone on to praise the teaching staff she had met in Bahrain, saying she had been inspired by their dedication.
“It has been a great joy to work with the teachers here,” she said. “I could feel their enthusiasm and it is exciting to have a community of teachers that are open to learning new things and see the value in developing new skills such as being able to regulate their emotions and empathise with others.”
The GDN reported last month that a proposal was submitted by five MPs to make online tutoring available during the holy month of Ramadan which is expected to begin around March 23, subject to moon sighting.
This was met with mixed reactions, with some believing it could be beneficial to students who are fasting while others believe it would be detrimental to their education.
Ms Van Fleet has offered her advice to both teachers and parents in case students do end up temporarily transitioning back to online learning.
“Teachers should make the classes as interactive and as engaging as possible, comment on their work and ensure the students feel heard,” she said.
“Parents should show an interest in their child’s work and also engage with them whenever possible; putting them in an empty room with a laptop in front of them would be counterproductive.”
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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