Manila, Philippines – April 13, 2023 – Summer is finally here, but learning continues for students nationwide. This aligns with the new school calendar and activities for 2022-2023 of the Department of Education (DepEd) or the DepEd Order No. 34, s. 2022. The DepEd order is pursuant to Republic Act 11480, which is an act that amends the school calendar from 200 days to not more than 220 class days, formally making the school year start last August 22, 2022, and shall end on July 7, 2023. It consists of 203 school days and is subject to changes to accommodate unforeseen circumstances that may affect the school calendar. 

With the new schedule, students may feel the summer blues because they are missing out on the fun in summer. They may also feel unmotivated to continue learning because of the intense heat. That is why Quipper, one of the leading edtech and LMS platform in the Philippines, share some tips for parents on how to keep the fun in learning during what is supposed to be the vacation season.  

Make sure to provide your children with summer gear. Summer in the Philippines can be highly detrimental to the student’s health. In fact, last March 17, a heat index of 46 degrees Celsius was recorded in San Jose town in Occidental Mindoro. 

Extreme heat can hinder them from performing at their best in school, especially now that they are back in face-to-face classes. As a parent, you need to ensure they are equipped with summer gear to protect them from the summer heat. You must include a fan, umbrella, handkerchief, water bottle to keep them hydrated, and sunscreen on their school bag. 

Go on educational trips. Plan trips to museums, zoos, parks, or other educational attractions during their free time. These outings provide opportunities for children to learn about history, science, and the natural world in a fun and interactive way. Encourage them to ask questions, take notes, and take pictures. Afterward, discuss what they learned and how it connects to other things they know.  

These educational trips will also allow them to manage or minimize screen time. While it is a fact that learning can happen through the internet, a whole day of studying in front of a screen can be distressing and draining. You can also use this time to strengthen your bond with your children. 

Be with them in their learning journey. Parents must be hands-on and present to their child’s learning, especially when burnout hits. If your child shows signs of exhaustion or burnout, you must be there on their journey to recover and find their motivation. Lastly, you must support them if they are struggling and always understand their shortcomings. 

Gladly, Quipper has an app dedicated to parents called Quipper Parent’s app, which enables you to supervise and assist your child’s learning progress by monitoring their activities and deadlines.  

Encourage them to pause and rest. Summer is still about vacation and rest. It would be exhausting for them to continue learning because, pre-pandemic, they were used to having the entire summer season as a time to rest.  

As a parent, you can translate this exhaustion by at least allowing them to spend the weekends with their friends to hang out or treat them to a nice weekend getaway. All these will refresh their minds and help them conquer the summer blues. 

Indeed, there are many ways to encourage your child to continue learning and ease their summer blues. And beyond these strategies, it is also essential to remind yourself that as a parent, you can only do so much for your child. That is why Quipper is here to assist you and be part of their educational growth using the Parent’s App as one of the main tools to keep up with your child’s performance. 

With Quipper’s innovative teaching and learning technology that can adapt to the changing landscape of education, parents and students will achieve growth while keeping the fun in learning.  

To learn more about Quipper Philippines and its other programs and initiatives, visit https://www.quipper.com/ph/.

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