Parents and Teachers as First Responders During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Parents and Teachers as First Responders During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The following is an excerpt from the full paper, “Parents and Teachers as First Responders During the COVID-19 Pandemic”. Download the full paper (.PDF) below.
By Denny Taylor
Children’s future lives depend on how we – their parents and teachers – support them during the pandemic. Parents are asking “What can I do to support my family right now?” “How should I talk to my children about the virus?” And, “I’m struggling with their school work. It makes no sense to me so how can I teach them?”
COVID-19 is a catastrophe like no other. A hurricane, flood or fire happens quickly – often gone after a few days, or a week – and then we focus on recovery – months and often years of building back. But COVID-19 has no end and what happens next is uncertain.
The impact of the pandemic was magnified by most governments around the world being caught off-guard with little understanding of the short or long-term consequences of the virus. The response of presidents and prime ministers has been fragmented, and recommendations have been contradictory and sometimes dangerous.
Almost overnight families became more vulnerable. Life changed, jobs lost, loved ones sick and many dying. Schools closed, and parents were made responsible for the education of their children. Irrationally, “school work” (much of it commercial and test-driven) was expected to be done by kids at home.
Put bluntly, policy makers, educators and society must stop raising the anxiety level of parents and children by constantly harping on students “falling behind”. It is irrational, irresponsible and deleterious to the health and well being of children, as well as their academic development.
The Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel writes that following extremely stressful events, reminders of the initial trauma often trigger recurrent episodes of fear. He writes, “the memory of the traumatic experience remains powerful for decades and is readily reactivated by a variety of stressful circumstances”.
There is a significant body of medical research which supports the proposition that children who have adverse life experiences can be become more resilient if: (1) their families are supported; (2) their schools and communities are quickly restored; and (3) they have the opportunity to regain a sense of hope, through joyful learning experiences.
Exemplary of the medical research that supports this position is the work of the psychiatrist Bessel Van der Kolk (2005), who emphasizes the importance of “establishing safety and competence for children who have experienced complex traumas. He writes:
Complexly traumatized children need to be helped to engage their attention in pursuits that do not remind them of trauma-related triggers and that give them a sense of pleasure and mastery. Safety, predictability, and “fun” are essential for the establishment of the capacity to observe what is going on, put it into a larger context, and initiate physiological and motoric self-regulation.
Before addressing anything else, these children need to be helped how to react differently from their habitual fight/flight/freeze reactions. Only after children develop the capacity to focus on pleasurable activities without becoming disorganized do they have a chance to develop the capacity to play with other children, engage in simple group activities and deal with more complex issues (p.7) (Emphasis added).
To foster resilience in children it is important that we do everything we can to create schools as safe, joyful, playful places before catastrophic events take place. If children are to have the maximum opportunity to recover from potentially traumatizing experiences, every effort should be made to:
Establish schools as safe, joyful places for children and teachers
Ensure that schools are nurturing and fun environments in which play is central to the curriculum
Recognize the importance of the languages children speak and respect their heritage and national identity
Promote children’s health and well-being by providing them with opportunities to sing, dance and play musical instruments
Enhance academic learning through literacy activities, art and science projects, and other meaning making practices
Welcome families and encourage parents and caregivers to actively participate in the life of the school through events that incorporate music, theater, dance, science and literature
To reestablish schools after a catastrophic event, as learning environments that care for the health and well-being of children, as well as their academic development, there is much that can be done before such events take place. If children are to be prepared for life’s uncertainties, including catastrophes, both large and small, they will need much more than the current unhealthy practices now prevalent in our schools to prepare children for so many tests. Download the full paper.
Download Parents and Teachers as First Responders During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Download the “Parents and Teachers as First Responders During the COVID-19 Pandemic” full paper here.
COVID-19 and Introduction
First Responses in Shelters When Catastrophic Events Take Place
First Responses in Schools Learning from Teachers who were First Responders in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Trans-System Emergency Preparedness in Schools for Educators and Public Health Providers
An abbreviated list of the recommendations of LaCour’s report
Bibliography