You probably never imagined that you’d ever actually miss school, but it’s perfectly normal to yearn for the routine, the lessons, your classmates, and, yes, even your teachers…
For almost a year now, we’ve faced multiple lockdowns which have closed our schools and forced us to learn from home. We’ve had to learn a whole new way of working so it’s no wonder we miss our ‘old’ lives so much. Thankfully, there are ways to put some normality back into your school day. Give these a try!
Missing Routine?
You might be missing the organised structure of the school day. The good thing about having a daily routine is that we know exactly what to expect from the day and can plan our time efficiently. It’s a great idea to give your home-schooling days a set routine and try to stick to it. You can decide to work for a set number of hours and schedule in plenty of breaks for a snack or some downtime. Your body, brain and general mood will thank you for it!
Missing Lessons?
While you’re probably doing some lessons on Zoom or working from worksheets on Teams, it’s definitely not the kind of lesson you’re used to. You’ve had to adjust how you study and are having to rely a lot more on your own motivation and dedication to complete the set work, something that can be extremely difficult, especially during a pandemic.
It’s not surprising you miss the normality of a classroom setting – rows of desks, the background chatter, a teacher sat at the front of the room… Yes, a Zoom meeting or Google classroom link isn’t quite the same thing but try to attend as many as you can. It can be reassuring and comfortable to see your classmates and teachers’ faces. It’s as close to a ‘real’ classroom as we can get, for now, so let’s make the most of it.
Missing Classmates?
This is the biggie. You’re probably missing your schoolmates the most and your siblings or parents don’t really cut it as great classmates. You may even miss the journey to and from school, especially if you travelled or walked with friends. We’re restricted to who we can and can’t meet at the moment, but we can still meet up online.
Why not ask if any of your classmates want to get together for a Zoom call (minus the teacher) to catch-up and have a giggle? You could also start a group chat with your class, or, depending on restrictions, see if anyone fancies going for a walk outdoors.
Missing Teachers?
OK, so most of you might not miss your teachers. Many of you will definitely have some sort of opinion, good or bad, about your new substitute teacher – your Mum, Dad, step-parent, an older relative or a guardian. There’s no doubt this has been a massive adjustment, for you and for them.
There have probably been arguments or tension at some point. If you start to feel frustrated, give yourself space and take time to calm down. If your parent doesn’t understand something or doesn’t teach you in the same way as you’re used to, don’t be too hard on them. You can always ask your teacher to explain anything that you’re unsure of. We’re all in this together and hopefully (fingers crossed!), we’ll all get back to our ‘normal’ day-to-day lives very soon.
For more help on home-schooling:
