Kindergarten Geography Classrooms: The Way Forward Amid COVID-19

Change can be for good as well as distressing. When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a deadly pandemic on March 11, 2020, trauma ensued across the world (Mishra, Gupta, and Shree 2020; Shekhar 2021). Children at home thought that they would return to school after a couple of weeks, but instead, many schools ended up shutting down for the entire year. The world switched to distance learning classes (Pandey et al. 2022). Out of fear of spreading disease, students were not allowed to socialize, interact, or experience their environment (Arshad, Afzal, and Hussain 2020). A recent survey by the American Educational Research Association indicated that a significant proportion of parents experienced a high level of stress due to their children’s struggles with distance learning (Dodd 2021). COVID-19 disrupted the education sector. It is a lost class altogether for a few students, whereas, for others, it is a testing time with distance learning issues, network issues, psychological well-being, and so on. The pandemic has affected student communities, families, and teachers. The question of how to offer value-added courses remotely that support the learning and psychological well-being of students, teachers, and parents is a significant concern even with the easing of restrictions (Daniel 2020). Going to school promotes the skills of kindergarten students. In-person schools are entertaining, boost social skills and consciousness, and increase brain capacity. Even a relatively short period in school offers opportunities for student growth, and even a short time of missed school will have far-reaching consequences on mental development (Park, Tiwari, and Neumann 2020). Kindergarten students sit before the screen during distance learning classes and listen to the teacher alone. Students hardly connect with their classmates (Lau and Lee 2021; Park, Tiwari, and Neumann 2020). Such instances will have adverse consequences on the mental well being on the students. Analysis of how COVID-19 has affected students will occupy researchers for years to come. Recognizing that many circumstances, from weather disasters to war, may cause disruption in students’ ability to learn in person, this review presents strategies and tools to teach geography to kindergartners remotely. What Makes an Excellent Distance Learning Kindergarten Teacher?