Parents acting as Tutors Complain in the New Normal Education

Josephine B. Yabut

“There is always a silver bullet to shoot educational gaps during the troubled times”

Learning has to be continued no matter how drastic the Covid-19 has brought to the educational system. There were a lot of pros and cons to the issue whether schooling has to progress in times of pandemic. Indeed, just this August 2020, Private colleges and state universities, even some private institutions have already opened virtual classes while public schools formally initiated the Learning Delivery Modalities just on the first Monday of October 2020.

One specific area that needs a careful attention in the new normal set-up is the participation of parents. This is particularly evident among the parents who belong to the marginalized sector. A lot of parents are really complaining because the burden is blazed on their shoulders as the immediate instructors of their children at home. After a few days since the opening of classes, some parents air their frustration over the conduct of distance learning using the DepEd learning modules.

Here are a bucket of lists among their complaints:

First, Mothers claim that teaching their children got in the way of their household work. Parents say that as soon as they arrive in their respective homes, they don’t immediately attend to the study period of the children as they still do the household chores. Cooking, doing the laundry, nursing babies really take so much of their time.

Second, some children tend to be uncooperative while on task. Most primers are having tantrums because their span of interest is somewhat limited. Other kids insist of asking for their real teachers to guide them in their lessons.

Third, some parents expressed that their capability to tutor their children is not as sharp as it was before. What more to those parents who have finished schooling only in the elementary level, worse to illiterate ones.

Fourth, learning modules are intended for the learners and should not be answered by the parents. Some parents could not move on to the idea that it is them who really absorb the challenge of learning and not their kids. Some claim that they are tempted to look for the answer keys if the questions are beyond their capability.

Fifth, Some parents’ comments also pointed out errors printed in the modules. Others complain about the time table given to answer the worksheets. There are also parents who say that they are having difficulty squeezing time out from their schedules as parents and now as mentors.

Sixth, other parents complain that the change of the sleeping schedule of their children is at stake since the latter are spending more time late in the evening as this is the only best time that the parents could monitor their children in their study period.

As stated above, there are always possible solutions to ease the problems in the new set -up of education.

Everybody needs to adjust and adapt. Parents this time need to realize that their children do need them during their formative years, so, work should be adjusted so they can do their responsibility to their children while learners also have to adjust, they need to focus on developing a study habit, discipline and mindful attention. If the parent is not capable of making the child understand, the parent may seek the help of the neighbors who are better off than the parent in terms of teaching capability. Or the parent may report the matter to the teacher in-charge.

The DepEd official explain that the distance learning method may be mainly modular but there are other modalities laid down such as the use of television, radio or some gadgets to deliver the lessons.

It just takes an open mind and a welcoming heart for the parents to embrace their new role as the parent-tutors in times of pandemic.

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The author is Teacher -II at Malauli Elementary School