Impact of Covid19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Both Teachers and Learners in New Normal Setting of Education
Ellen Grace T. Lagrada
Teachers' stress may have been exacerbated during the pandemic by distance education and a lack of social support, both of which take effect as a shield in feeling stressed. Teachers are stressed at a medium to high level, partly due to the transition of education to the virtual realm. However, it should be noted that the teachers' adaption to distant education was quite quick.
The issues stem primarily from a lack of knowledge and skills required for distance education, the time-consuming nature of the procedure, and the blurring of the lines between personal and professional life. Distance education necessitates collaboration among parents, teachers, and students; yet parents are not always able to be active in their student's education; as a result, they attempt to contact teachers outside of work hours, adding to the teachers' stress and aggravation. Teachers also report issues such as fatigue, isolation, and not getting compensated for extra work. Teachers may get minimal social support in such a setting. Staying at home with their family all the time may elicit negative communicative behaviors in the dyad, resulting in relationship degradation, a lack of satisfaction from the connection, and decreased psychological well-being. The stress of child-rearing might be exacerbated by melancholy, anxiety, and pressure caused by the pandemic.
Additionally, the dread and worry of getting the virus, the suspension of physical courses, the interruption of typical daily routines, and the decline in social support from schoolmates all add to the load on students' mental health. The transition to online classrooms places an additional strain on students' mental health. Excessive usage of these gadgets has been linked to developmental delays and disrupted sleep schedules. This predicament is exacerbated by the tight enforcement of student confinement at home. Students who already have mental health problems and live with a lot of people face even more difficult situations.
The author is Teacher
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I at Ipilan Central School, North Brooke's Point
District, Schools Division of Palawan, MIMAROPA Region