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For one semester (July-December 2019), the children of TK Santo Yusup 2 Bandung have started to get used to class discussion activities. They can begin to discuss how to carry out various kinds of daily life at school; from starting to welcome the day, discussing lessons, running pickets, organizing classes and closing the day. We all did not expect that in early 2020 a pandemic would hit. Since March 2020, all schools in Indonesia have implemented learning from home. 

For Kindergartens, this is not easy and really requires cooperation with parents. It is through parents that teachers convey information and subject matter as well as access to the digital equipment for online learning. By paying attention to the diversity of teachers and parents’ bustle, during the pandemic, TK Santo Yusup 2 Bandung focused on how to build relation between: 1) teacher-parents; 2) parent-child; and 3) among teachers and among parents. 

Through the relationships formed, the teachers then develop children's learning activities at home in the form of 'My Mission'. In this mission, children have 'home discussions' with their parents to plan, do and reflect on activities related to health, skills, preferences, independence and togetherness at home. Through home discussions, parents also learn about mindful and empathic listening and refrain from giving more space to children to express interests and ideas or to reflect, especially when children encounter difficulties or failures. 

During the pandemic, teachers and parents communicate using various applications. In delivering my Mission activities, teachers use social media applications to send themes and instructions about home discussions. Then, in the morning, parents invite children to plan activities according to the theme and then invite them to reflect in the afternoon. Between that time, teachers work with children through apps like Zoom. By applying the principle of class discussion, children listen to each other about their plans or reflections and also share roles to guide online class discussions – for example opening, leading or closing the discussion. 

When children are used to have class discussions, this makes it easier for them to have home discussions and online discussions. This helps teachers not only in developing activities such as My Mission, but also in strengthening relationships and reflective dialogue with parents from whom schools and homes work together in shaping and interpreting children's development, especially during a pandemic. 

Through My Mission activities, children will learn how to apply class discussions to home discussions and online discussions to discuss and reflect on the mission carried out at home regarding health, preferences, skills, independence and togetherness with parents, teachers and peers. 

Mission card for parents

Mission card for children

• Social media platform (WhatsApp, Telegram)

• Online learning platform (Zoom, Google Meet)

• Community engagement: Collaboration with parents

In developing My Mission activities during the pandemic, the teacher reminds children about the class discussion process and the importance of listening to and reflecting on each other. The teacher conveys the same thing to parents –see Figure 2, so that they can guide the dialogic home discussion.

In general, the teacher develops the theme of My Mission activities which aims to maintain health, channel interests, form life skills and create family togetherness. In its implementation, the teachers adapt the practice of Lesson Study and class discussion (Tokkatsu) as follows:

1. The previous day at noon, the teachers had a discussion on the planning of the My Mission activities, which were then delivered to parents –see Figure 2, via the WhatsApp group.
2. The previous afternoon, parents reflected with their children about My Mission that was carried out that day and then shared it in the Telegram group consisting of teachers and parents.
3. The next morning, the parents had a home discussion about planning their child's Mission.
4. During school hours, the teacher conducted online discussions with the children where they discussed the plans or the implementation of the mission for the day.
5. At noon, the teachers reflected and planned the following theme of My Mission.