COVID BREAKS THE RULES OF PARENTING
More than one and a half billion children are affected by school closures
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, 191 countries have implemented countrywide school closures, affecting 1.6 billion learners worldwide (1). In Finland, one of the leading educational countries, and the happiest country in the world, no teaching related mass events will be organized, social distancing rules will be observed, and people are advised to avoid contact (2).
A majority of parents find homeschooling “stressful and challenging” during the pandemic
With children currently not able to study in classrooms, the importance of learning at home is amplified and the task of supporting children’s learning has fallen on parents at a much larger rate. This is a significant burden for parents. Many parents say that they lack the skills to effectively teach and supervise their children.
Can COVID-19 lead to something good?
Children tend to be adaptable. Quarantine itself is not necessarily causing harm or depriving kids of what they need. There is much to be gained from interactions with parents, siblings and even pets. Time alone is valuable, too.
The new situation has invited new thinking and solutions in Finland, the country famed for excellence in education and being the happiest country in the world. (3,4)
In many cases, parents have been overwhelmed with remote learning requirements in Finland, too. Two education solution companies, Futurecode and TinyApp (www.tinyapp.biz), decided to take action and address these global challenges through creating a new practical online course to support and guide parents.
Pia Solatie, one of the founders of “Positive Parenting from Finland” explains: ”Transversal skills have for quite some time had a major role in curriculums for both early childhood and primary schools. Now, during COVID-19 pandemic, we see the shift in the responsibility of teaching these crucial future skills from professionals at kindergartens and schools to parents at home.”
Marjo Paappanen, a Helsinki school teacher, and pedagogical expert in the team behind the course says: “In Finland we feel that now is not necessarily the time for lectures about the importance of social skills, but instead it is time for playful learning moments”.
Parents across the world can now learn what Finns do differently. Which are the secrets that make their children happy and show outstanding academic results on a global scale? 30 online audio course chapters bring light to the topics of emotional wellbeing, social skills, friendship, cooperation and creativity.
Futurecode
Futurecode is a Helsinki based education technology company, which operates in the fields of education and entertainment, emphasizing pedagogy from Finland. Our passion is to inspire and empower children to embrace their creativity, grow into empathetic persons with strong self-esteem and great social skills, to face the all new challenges future will bring to them. www.futurecode.fi
TinyApp
TinyApp is a digital tool for teachers to create inspiring education journeys. Designed with child’s individuality in mind, TinyApp Teaching Assistant is recommended by Finnish ECEC experts as the Finland’s #1 tool for daily planning, pedagogical documentation, and parent interaction. www.tinyapp.biz
Contact
Mrs. Pia Solatie, Creative Director, Futurecode
www.futurecode.fi
email: pia.solatie@futurecode.fi
tel. +358-40-551-8053
Address: Futurecode Ltd, Metallimiehenkuja 10, 02150 Espoo, Finland
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SOURCES
(1) https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/1091-parental-engagement-in-childrens-learning.html
(2) https://teaching.helsinki.fi/instructions/article/effect-coronavirus-teaching
(3) https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2020/
(4) https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/02/how-does-finland-s-top-ranking-education-system-work