Here’s an interesting fact for you.
During the
Great Plague of London in 1665, the students at Cambridge univrsity were sent
home to continue with their studies themselves as a means of reducing the
spread of that pandemic. Social distancing in 2021, nearly four hundred years
later, is not a new concept. The lack of contact with other people can be
positive or negative, depending on the situation that you find yourself in. For
some of our gifted students, the time to focus on their own interests is a
valuable commodity because it is the chance to think, work or rest without
being disturbed. As one of those students sent home, Isaac Newton was able to
set and follow his own goals for study and creativity and the results of his
work still are relevant in math, engineering and science today.
Although relaxing and engaging in passive
experiences can be enjoyable, our best moments usually occur when our bodies or
minds are being stretched to attain something that involves challenge,
resulting in a feeling of accomplishment. The pandemic Lockdown has made it
hard for many because technology often makes us feel like we need to be
connected 24/7 and we want to spend more time around people but can’t.
Interesting people help us to learn new things and we miss the interaction. Being
alone is not the same as being lonely. Some are more resilient than others and
are content with the solitude, while others find it an impediment to maintaining
good mental health.
Well… being back in school is not going to be the same. What has been positive solitude for some, has been loneliness and mental anguish for others. Teachers will be faced with finding ways to help students manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty in a time where they are facing the same issues for themselves. With that in mind I would like to offer a handful of strategies to help (and it wouldn’t hurt to put them into action in the staffroom as well)
“They may forget what you said, but they will not forget how you made them feel.”
o
Create opportunities for students to build up
their relationships with others through having some activities that focus on
team building and taking advantage of each others’ skills and abilities. Start
with directed group discussions using random assignment of participants. (byrdseed.com has some great ideas)
Or try one of my challenges to give
your students a workout for their critical thinking skills.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Chemistry-Escape-Room-Challenge-6737929
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-Psychology-Experiment-5320379
(Why not click on the follow me tab while you are visiting to be first to find
out about new products?)
o
Cultivate positive thinking. Turn the focus on to
the positive things about being able to be back at school. There is plenty of research to back up the
hypothesis that a positive outlook has important health benefits. Viewing
negative events as isolated incidents that are beyond your control teaches
students to start being more optimistic.
(Develop a set of classroom affirmations together
and display them. Do something nice for a classmate without their knowing.
Focus on the job at hand. Be an example to others)
For a student who needs a bit more help then https://positivepsychology.com offers
some simple exercises to do with students.
o Cut some slack for both you and your students and find opportunities to laugh more. Have each student create a smile a while page with quotations and things that make them smile. Share with others and make them smile too. Here is mine…
o Map out a plan together. Set aside regular times to allow students to reflect so that they can see where they are headed and be proactive learners. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day before dismissing the students, for the class to reflect on anything that has gone well and record/ display them. This has the added advantage of providing aims for the following day. Accept that for some students, just coping one day at a time is fine if that is as much as they can do, and work towards increasing the focus little by little. Accept that It takes a while to break the habits that have built up over prolonged isolation, and encourage others to give themselves credit for small advances. Better to try and not succeed at first than to give up and not try at all!
o Set out clear expectations. (Involve everyone in setting this up so that there is student ‘buy in’ for compliance and clear, realistic consequences for non compliance that will be acted on.) This can result in some interesting discussions about how your students peceive fairness and unfairness !
o Provide choice wherever you can to make the learning meaningful for each student. There are times when it is necessary to assign particular work to your students because it will move them forward with key concepts, but it is not helpful for advanced learners to do more of what they already know. (or for any learners!) The goal of differentiation is not to make individual lesson plans, but rather to set a balance between teacher choice and student choice so that students learn about making wise choices within a safe environment.
SaSave yourself some precious teacher time with these activities for your literacy centre.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/October-Literacy-Bundle-7290039
Set routines and maintain them as far as possible to reduce anxiety.
o Know that you are not alone!
When the going gets tough, then seek help from your
colleagues. Everyone is in this
together. Wise words from the American novelist, Ann Lamott…
‘Almost everything will work again if
you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.’
