“Learning goes beyond the subjects children study at school,” says Nikki Udo, a researcher at the Netherlands Youth Institute (NJi). “When we think of learning, we quickly think of cognitive learning: school subjects such as reading, arithmetic and topography. But children also learn continuously outside school, especially during the coronavirus period. Children may have learned more than usual about themselves, their family and the world.”
What did children learn in recent months?
“For example, how to interact with one another. How to arrange and plan things themselves, because their parents could not be disturbed due to work. Some children also find everything that is happening quite frightening. As a result, they learn how to deal with their feelings, but also how to talk about them with their parents or friends. Many children have come to know themselves better over the past few weeks. Consciously or unconsciously, they have a better understanding of who they are and what they enjoy. And that is also part of learning and development.”
“Learning happens through practising and doing things. Many children and young people learned to cook in recent weeks because their parents had to work from home so much. More household tasks were done together. And everyone had to entertain themselves. Children learned all of that.”
But do children now have a learning delay?
“We prefer not to speak of a learning delay. The coronavirus period is a new situation for everyone. Everyone had to adapt. So we cannot expect children to behave and develop exactly as they did before the coronavirus period. Children are resilient and adapt easily.”
“We see that, in most cases, home education went well for parents. Children may have learned for fewer hours a day than they did in the classroom, but they completed many assignments at home. At the same time, we know that some children were unable to keep up with home education because the circumstances at home were not optimal. The needs of these children will be carefully assessed in the coming period.”
“At school, children are now getting back to subjects such as arithmetic and language. That is of course important, but let us not forget how many other skills children learned during this period. That is also very valuable.”
How can you find out what children have learned?
“It would be good if every parent, teacher or head teacher talked with children. What do children themselves think they have learned about themselves and the world? What new things have they learned, different from what they would ‘normally’ learn in such a short time? By having this conversation together, you help children see the positive side of the past period. You also help them reflect on the past few months.”
Watch Nikki Udo on Jeugdjournaal from 7:31 onward, broadcast on 5 June 2020.