“We are all learning something new”

“As a parent myself, I think every experience we go through is a teachable moment” says Sundram Letchemee (Head Of Department ICT, Tanjong Katong Primary School) as he talks about why it’s important to discuss the COVID-19 crisis with students. He speaks to Marcus Wong.

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Q: What is it like in schools these days with the virus going on?

Mr Sundram: It’s a mixed feeling. Schools are safe, and I know we are taking care of the welfare of the staff and the students.

I won’t say I’m worried but now I try to keep up-to-date with how the situation unfolds on a daily basis. In the context of our primary school, I think just like all schools, we have routines like temperature-taking, wipe-down routines, and hand-washing routines.

Kids are quite familiar with that.

Q: How do the kids react to all these changes?

Mr Sundram: They are quite resilient, and they have been very receptive to all these new changes. Our school starts every day with a period where the co-form teacher and the form teacher are together with the kids. It gives us an avenue to talk about the current situation with COVID-19.

There are active discussions and engagement sessions as well. It’s a two-way communication with the kids. The more we involve them in that kind of conversations, I think we put their worries at ease. The kids naturally get used to the fact, and they don’t find it worrying, because we address issues on the spot.

Q: Has this also led to some teachable moments?

Mr Sundram: We’re making “thank you” notes for the front-line workers. We also have prepared a small booklet of teachable moments that the kids bring back and share with their parents and their family. So they can have a discussion about what they have learnt about COVID-19, the preventive measures and so on.

The lessons are not just for students. Teachers are learning, too. Recently, the staff had an online meeting. When the meeting started, everyone was very quiet, until one of our colleagues said, “Eh, hi.” Then, everyone started speaking at the same time.

It took us a bit of time to get used to the system, but I think it was a good takeaway. The COVID-19 situation affects everyone. We all learn something new. We take it in our stride.

Q: How about with your own children?

Mr Sundram: I do not face any issues with my own boys. They are quite comfortable going to school. The only issue they talked about is whether it will affect their coming exams.

They are very happy to go to school because that is where they meet their friends.

That’s where they get to play, that’s where they don’t see mummy and daddy all the time. So you know I think it’s a good break for them, to have the socialising environment.

Q: Do you know what their schools are doing in terms of precautionary measures? Do they talk about it?

Mr Sundram: Being in the fraternity, I think I also compare notes. So when we’re having our dinner conversations, it is always, “Oh, so you are doing this in your school.” Then I say, “That’s right, we are also doing that.”

A lot of the measures are very similar, because we have very strict guidelines for how we should be operating in schools. I’m comforted to know that nationwide we are all taking the same stand: putting the well-being of our kids first.

Q: What message would you want to share with a fellow parent?

Sundram: As a parent myself I think every experience we go through is a teachable moment. I take COVID-19 as a teachable moment. It’s to teach our kids a bit of resilience. You know when something comes out like this, we cannot be shutting ourselves away. We still need to continue life.

I think it’s a good time to teach our kids very powerful lessons. For me, it is empathy. To empathise with how other people are feeling, and show our appreciation as well. So these are moments we should turn into teachable moments for our kids.

Watch our interview with Mr Sundram Letchemee here.