Tag: effect of pandemic in Math

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Math During Pandemic

How Children Are Still Being Impacted By The Pandemic

How Children Are Still Being Impacted By The Pandemic

The pandemic is starting to feel like a distant memory for many people, but for children, the effects are still being felt. Although the pandemic is waning and schools are gradually reopening, the educational landscape has been irrevocably changed. For parents, it can be hard to know how to help their children make up for lost time and ensure they don’t fall behind. 

Pandemic Fatigue

Over the last two and half years, many adults have struggled with the ever-changing world. So, imagine how our children must be feeling. Overall, children are poorly equipped to deal with the uncertainties of the pandemic. They have lacked the developmental stimulation of their peers, teachers, neighbours, and extra-curricular activities. They do not have the emotional experience to grapple with changing rules, vaccination mandates, and constraints, much less the politically charged messages that are front and center of every newspaper and program. The result of all this upheaval and uncertainty is pandemic fatigue. Pandemic fatigue can include lethargy, lack of focus, foggy-headedness, and general malaise, all of which are causing children to struggle in school. 

Working Independently

Now that children are back in classrooms and ready to learn, teachers are starting to notice some effects lingering from the pandemic. For one, the effects of at-home learning through virtual classes are becoming more apparent. Children need to learn how to work on tasks independently, but they have become too relaxed in their education since missing classes over the past couple of years. Many educators are finding it challenging to keep students’ attention for long periods of time. 

While students were learning at home, they had a lot of time to learn independently, but many of them who were not supervised didn’t use the time wisely. This means they have learned to become easily distracted and relaxed while working towards a task independently. This has become apparent in their academic performance now they are back in the classroom. It is becoming evident that this distractive behaviour is becoming a possible stumbling block on the way to getting educated. Children need to learn how to work independently but in a structured environment where they learn to stay on task.

Mental Health

As uncertainty spread across the globe with cases of COVID-19 rapidly rising, children were suddenly thrust into a scary world. They would hear parents and teachers talk about the pandemic, and they could no longer get together with friends for playtime. 

The mental health effects of the pandemic have been well reported in the adult population. However, many people forget that children were also heavily impacted by the pandemic. Not only were they trying to navigate their new world in the pandemic, but they were also suffering the downstream effect of their parents’ strain during this time. This effect on their mental health has become apparent as counsellors report more children than ever reaching out for mental health support. 

As stated in Psychology Today, “Parental and school involvement is critical in addressing the crisis of children’s mental health head-on.” This means that it is the responsibility of every school board to create an environment for children who may be struggling to get the help they need. The government has recently set up Ontario’s Learning Recovery Action Plan to help students caught in the midst of the global disruption. 

Confidence

It is well known that confidence is key in nearly every aspect of life. We see confident people succeed in their careers, make friends easily and overall, just enjoy life more. It’s no wonder that parents want their children to be confident. Unfortunately, the pandemic has affected the way children build their confidence.  

Interacting with other children is a great way for kids to learn social skills and develop confidence. Playing games, joining clubs or even just talking to other kids at school helps them build self-esteem and learn how to interact with the world around them. Through the pandemic, many children could not see their friends, which led to fewer opportunities to meet and mingle with their peers. This lack of interaction has affected many children and left them feeling less confident. 

Education is another important factor in building confidence. As children learn more about themselves and the world around them, they become more comfortable in their own skin. Again, with limited in-person classes, children had less opportunities to build their confidence through group work, praise from teachers, and peer interaction. 

The Impact on Mathematics

Through just these few examples, it is easy to see that this challenging time for students has left a mark on their well-being and education. As far as education goes, mathematics has been found to be the most affected than any other subject over the past couple of years. Many students have slipped backward, losing the skill or knowledge they once had. They have also simply learned less than they would in previous years, which has led to unfinished learning. 

Compared to reading, declines in math have been found to be more significant and seen more in younger grades. Early learning experts are sounding the alarm that the youngest learners are the most affected, and there is a need for help to fill in those learning gaps they may be experiencing. 

Addressing The Problems

With the lasting effects of the pandemic on our children, it is vital to start addressing these problems. Here at Dropkick Math, we understand the constraints that have been put on our children over the past two and half years. We are a team of Ontario-certified teachers who are committed to students’ success in achieving competency in mathematics. 

As one of the fastest-growing programs in Ontario aimed at addressing the education gap experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dropkick Math addresses deficiencies while correcting any underlying misconceptions about mathematics. We have developed math programs that use centred research-based techniques and strategies designed to complement existing lessons to facilitate students reaching their highest potential in mastering mathematics.

Our math learning techniques involve fun, engaging games that create a “math playground” that will entice any child to want to join in. We have also developed our programs to involve the parent or caregiver. This helps to foster a relationship between child and parent to help boost confidence and set a foundation for more learning at home. 

For more information about our programs or to start your child with our FREE assessment, visit our website today!

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Math During Pandemic

How COVID Changed Your Child’s Math Education

How COVID Changed Your Child’s Math Education

How COVID Changed Your Child’s Math Education

How COVID Changed Your Child's Math Education

It’s now been two years since the pandemic started, and schools made the switch to online learning. For parents, this has meant helping their children with schoolwork from home. And for many, this has brought on new challenges – especially when it comes to math. In this blog post, we’ll explore how COVID has changed your child’s math education and what type of math tutoring you can do to help them at home.

Disrupted Education

It’s no secret that the COVID pandemic has disrupted education in unprecedented ways. According to estimates, students have fallen behind by four to five months on average, and the gap between high- and low-achieving students is widening. 

Math and reading have been the most affected areas of education through the pandemic, and COVID has even changed the way children are learning these subjects. They have been forced to take in more information virtually instead of learning in groups surrounded by their peers. 

Learning Online

With schools closed and parents working remotely, more and more students are using technology for their education. This can be a great opportunity for your child to explore new interests or delve deeper into topics that they are passionate about.

But online learning is not without its challenges. It can be difficult for students to stay focused and motivated in a virtual classroom, and there is a greater risk of distraction from friends or siblings. If your child is enrolled in an online course, be sure to establish rules and expectations for how they will complete their work. 

COVID has also changed the way children learn by social distancing. When students could no longer gather in person, schools started turning to online platforms like Google Hangouts and Zoom to allow for virtual collaboration. While this was an excellent way for your child to stay connected with their classmates, it often means that they are no longer getting one-on-one attention from their teacher. During virtual learning, educators can no longer go over to a student with a hand raised who has asked for help. And forget calling a small group to a back table for extra support. Simply put, without well-developed one-on-one teaching, young children will struggle with basic math concepts. 

Limitations Of Teachers

With the new virtual classrooms, teachers were expected to interact with students at a distance and provide feedback in a virtual world. Many teachers felt frustrated at the technology itself and the change in the learning environment. Unfortunately, it was the students who were suffering the most as the educators tried to navigate the new virtual teaching world.

After the first year of virtual classrooms, some teachers were able to move forward and use tools to help them teach their students. Some used Google Slides as a presentation platform and incorporated the use of virtual manipulatives, the zoom annotation tool, online games, and Google Docs. But, many younger students still found this way of learning exceptionally difficult.

How To Help Your Child

Learning math takes a lot of concentration and trial and error. But when students are trying to learn mathematics virtually, there may be an endless amount of distractions in their home to divert their attention. Many students have been left frustrated over the past couple of years which has caused a great educational gap in math learning.

If you are concerned about your child’s math education, there are a number of steps you can take to help them stay on track. First, be sure to talk to your child’s teacher about their progress. They may be able to provide you with specific resources or guidance on how to help your child succeed. You can also find online math tutoring and programs that are tailored to your child’s needs, such as Dropkick Math Academy. And finally, don’t forget to encourage your child to stay positive and motivated – things could be a lot worse!

If your child is exhibiting signs of falling behind in math, don’t panic, but do take it seriously. There can be any number of reasons why a child might be performing poorly. It could be pandemic related, or it could be that they are having a health issue. Whatever has cropped up, it is important to get them the help they need. 

At Dropkick Math, we understand that COVID has put students in unusual situations, which may have caused a gap in their learning. We offer math programs that focus on the four pillars of math, through fun and engaging programs that can help your child understand math fundamentals. By the end of the program, your child will be able to persevere through challenging math concepts, ask questions for clarification, and learn from valuable mistakes.

Learn more about Dropkick Math’s programs and how they can help your child advance in mathematics.  Contact us today to get started on determining your child’s needs with our free early indicators quiz.

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Math During Pandemic

Balancing Screen Time During The Pandemic

Balancing Screen Time During The Pandemic

Balancing Screen Time During The Pandemic

Balancing Screen Time During The Pandemic

The COVID pandemic has changed the way students live, learn, and visit with their friends. They have logged online to attend school, played online games, and visited with grandparents over video chat. This is the first generation of children to be so reliant on screen time and for students to show a gap in learning due to a pandemic. Dropkick Math understands the strategies that children need to overcome any educational gaps they may have missed during the time they were involved in online learning. Our programs offer math help services that can provide you with the tools to support your child in math moving forward.  

An Increase In Screen Time

Unsurprisingly, children worldwide were reported to have increased screen time during the pandemic. But these stay-at-home orders that prompted children to turn to the screens have had many educators and parents debating how much screen time is appropriate for children. These COVID-19 safety measures shifted the ideals around children and screen time so much that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) even updated its guidance on-screen use. They now suggest, “Screen usage has likely increased for children, but parents should ensure media use is positive and helps the family and community.”

How Can We Balance Screen Time Effectively?

Although screen time is being used for education and socializing, it can come with consequences. But why is balancing time on screen important?

It is more important than ever to put schedules and structure into daily life for children to ensure a healthy balanced lifestyle. If no measures are taken, screen time, video games, and social media can really creep in and take over.

Through the pandemic, many parents and educators have been reporting that the more screen time young people have, toddlers in particular, the more behaviour problems they may exhibit and the more learning problems they experience in their development. Children need to interact with the real world before venturing into the virtual world.

But these cautions are not limited to very young children. Parents of children of all ages need to be mindful of the impact that increased screen time may have. This increased screen time has been found to affect:

Sleep – Essential for mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Physical Activity – Exercise and movement can help young bodies develop and prevent obesity. 

Socializing – Interacting with others can promote communication and help to build empathy. 

Family Time – Connecting with family members can help to establish bonds, trust, and openness. 

Diet and Nutrition – Whole, healthy foods can provide essential vitamins and nutrients that are essential for good health. 

Personal Responsibilities – School assignments and housework can foster discipline, helping to form structure and responsibilities.

How many hours of screen time is healthy? While there is no definitive answer to this question, it is vital to keep a healthy balance. Screen time can affect everyone differently, so parents should be on the lookout for behavioural signs in their children are over engaging with screens. Kids that have severe tantrums need to turn off their games. Teens who stay up late at night, stop socializing, or spend time with family also need to cut screen time. Some children have stopped grooming and failed to meet their responsibilities at school, which could eventually cause school failures.

How Do You Balance Screen Time And Offline Time?

Talking with your children about their screen time can help keep parents engaged and knowledgeable about their child’s online activities. Parents should also encourage their children to share online experiences and discuss them. Starting a conversation can help normalize similar discussions about content as they get older. Simply talking to kids about their media can be incredibly powerful.

How Parents Can Manage Screen Time

As the pandemic has required children to use their computers and phones more often, it can be tricky for parents to try and limit their screen time. Therefore, balancing screen time may mean changing the way kids use electronic devices. Instead of simply playing games, use the opportunity for your child to play an educational game that can help them understand key skills focused on a specific subject. These games can also teach adults about their child’s cognitive learning development. If you notice your child likes playing games focused on mathematical equations and scores, that child may enjoy working more on complex math problems. At Dropkick Math, we use math intervention programs disguised as fun and engaging games to help foster your child’s confidence in mathematics.

Children can also use their screen time to watch interactive videos about topics that interest them, such as animals. This can help introduce them to different educational concepts. Older children may find content that can help build their skills more tactilely. For example, they can learn a new skill such as cooking or sewing.

The key is to monitor and moderate screen time. There are a few steps that can be taken to help children achieve a healthy balance of screen usage, including:

  • Creating a daily schedule with breaks to relax and unplug for mobile devices
  • Communicating with teachers to recommend online and offline educational activities for children
  • Making use of social media and video chats to help children avoid isolation
  • Being selective about content to help ensure your child is only looking at trusted sources for positive informational and useful content
  • Using media together with your child so you can monitor what they’re viewing and what they are learning

The primary key to remember when balancing your child’s screen time is to provide them with a break from screens. By stepping away from laptops or iPads, children can participate in a variety of other activities.

More To Education

At Dropkick Math we understand there is more to your child’s education than simply staring at the screen. We are not an online math tutor; we are much more. We help children understand their identified mathematical stumbling blocks through fun and engaging game-based learning. By approaching math in a fun and engaging way, we can provide you and your child with the tools to move forward in math. Contact us today for more information about our programs.

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Math During Pandemic

How Virtual Learning Has Affected Your Child’s Education

How Virtual Learning Has Affected Your Child’s Education

How Virtual Learning Has Affected Your Child’s Education

How Virtual Learning Has Affected Your Child's Education

As COVID-19 rapidly spread across the country, schools shut their doors and classes were moved online in order to slow the spread. The transition to online learning has been hard for teachers who need to change their courses and for students who are left to adapt to the new learning environment. The biggest group of students affected by virtual learning has been elementary grades, with educators and parents noticing a lack in education in this younger demographic.

While online courses do offer a chance for students to miss fewer classes during the pandemic, the learning disadvantages outweigh the positives.

The Challenges Of Online Learning

Online learning for many children can be extremely difficult. Students must be organized, self-motivated, and have a high level of time management to do well in an online program. These online learning methods can be an effective alternative educational medium for mature and self-disciplined pupils, but this type of learning environment is unsuitable for younger children.

The challenges of online learning have impacted children to a great extent. They have shown loss of motivation, self-discipline, and many have lost the will to study. In many homes in Ontario, students are left struggling when trying to understand concepts taught, and as online learning causes social isolation, pupils have not developed the necessary communication skills.

A Great Loss For Students

Let’s face it, nothing beats being in a classroom. The pandemic has resulted in a significant learning loss for students, both academically and from a social-emotional standpoint. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have suggested that virtual learning “might present more risks than in-person instruction related to child and parental health and emotional health and some health-supporting behaviors.”

More than 97% of educators have reported seeing some learning loss in their students over the past year when compared with children in previous years. 57% estimated their students are behind by more than three months in their social-emotional progress, and 1/3 of them expect more students to need individual education plans (IEPs). 

Lack Of Motivation

Being at home is a different pace for kids. Motivation to complete assignments and stay engaged in the class can be extremely challenging. Helping students with time management and creating structure can be helpful, but because the in-class accountability is missing, assignment deadlines often get overlooked.

With virtual learning, students are also lacking group success. Unless there is a collaboration tool in place for small groups to interact together, students can feel frustrated as they are not receiving the same valuable social knowledge as their in-person peers. Lack of interaction has been found to hinder children’s development and cause social withdrawal.

Hard On Teachers

Virtual learning hasn’t been easy on teachers either, as it was overwhelming if they were not adequately trained with new technology. Teachers were expected to become experts in IT, develop and implement virtual friendly assignments, and keep up with their usual workload. Many teachers were left with questions and no support throughout the pandemic, and it proved to be very frustrating for all parties involved.

Make Up For Lost Learning

Educators have hinted at several ways students can make up for lost time once the pandemic ends. Some recommend including 50 hours of targeted instruction over two weeks or high-intensity tutoring equaling 50 minutes of daily tutoring for a year. However, both of these could come at a steep financial cost.

At Dropkick Math we understand the gap in learning that has resulted from virtual learning. Our programs are aimed at students who may be struggling with mathematical concepts or those who need more personalized learning tools. Our programs focus on the four pillars of math and use child-centered, research based techniques and strategies. 

We believe in building the parent or caregiver’s capacity of mathematics to adequately support a child’s journey in math. Through building relationships, we help build a child’s confidence and help to fill in any learning gaps they may have from virtual learning. 

Contact us today for more information on our math tutor programs or to enroll your child today!

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