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Students, parents, and teachers I have talked with about the past school year say that it was – let us use the word ‘challenging’ though many used more colourful language. I have heard a few rumours that some students fared better with online learning than in-person learning because they were not distracted by other students or subjected to bullying, but I have not talked with any of those students or their parents.
Students
have been eager to see their friends and be reconnected with them as soon as
they can. Returning to school for most
students will provide the social connections they may not have had if they were
learning online. However, most are about as enthusiastic about school itself as
you would expect.
Parents
expressed a variety of views about the coming year. Those who had monitored
their children’s online experiences expressed relief about being freed from
that responsibility. Those who did it themselves or who entrusted to other
caregivers to supervise their children wondered how it was possible for teachers
to supervise more than two or three learners.
At
the end of the last school year, the Ottawa
Carleton District School Board of Ontario surveyed students and parents
about the 2020-2021 school year and the coming school year. Parents expressed apprehension about their
children’s mental health and well-being, their preparedness for the next grade
level, and their being able to adjust to academic expectations.
Looking
across the country, school boards are placing emphasis on providing a safe
return to school. Modifications are underway in some schools with questionable
ventilation systems. I expect that hand-sanitizer stations will be visibly
present.
In
print and online, ministries of education and school boards are indicating that
mental health will be a priority. School Mental
Health Ontario (SMHO) has been supporting students, schools, parents, and
teachers throughout the pandemic. SMHO has a framework
for the return to school incorporating many important supports including
action plans, focussed resources, and coordination of student access to
care. The framework addresses system
leaders, school leaders, support staff, and classroom staff.
SMHO
puts its material online without any apparent restrictions to its use. The
material is typically role-based and stresses evidence-informed practice. The
role-oriented material for teachers stresses the pivotal position of teachers
in creating mentally healthy classrooms, modelling, and noticing students who
may need support. SMHO is action-oriented, providing specific advice that
teachers can implement. Ontario teachers who are less confident and
knowledgeable will find self-paced course material they can access through the
school board that employs them. All the other material is NOT restricted. I
downloaded some of the detailed instructions for elementary teachers. Click here for an
overview.
In
addition to prioritizing student health and mental health, teachers are
planning for addressing key learning areas, especially literacy because it is
the foundation for learning in all areas. I know of teachers who are planning
activities to celebrate the return to school.
We
should all be celebrating the return to school. Not just the post pandemic
return to school, but every single year. Despite their defects, schools are
among the safest environments for children and youth. Where else would you
leave someone about whom you feel a strong emotional attachment in the care of someone
you barely know?
I
think the pandemic has given parents a better appreciation of how challenging
it is to teach and how important teachers are to the success of their children.
I also think the wider community has a better appreciation of the social and
economic benefits of schooling.