There's this movie that came out a few years ago called the Quiet Place. In it there’s a family that nee
ds to learn how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world by staying silent. Their new world is inhabited by blood-thirsty creatures with a keen sense of hearing. The family learns to survive by using gestures and sign language to communicate. Well, this movie is very relevant today in our post-distance learning schooling. I have noticed a pervasive silence in the classroom as we return from our Covid lockdown. After a year and a half of remote learning, students have become accustomed to staying on “mute” and turning off their “cameras”. Teachers are having a hard time getting students to interact with each other and with the materials, or to interact appropriately. I have noticed first hand, students sitting at their desks staring aimlessly into the abyss. I have also encountered hostile and aggressive students who have lashed out when asked to do their work. As a high school classroom teacher of almost 25 years, and now as a district TOSA (teacher on special assignment), I have had the chance to witness the change in attitude and behavior of many students. Due to the current substitute shortage, one of my duties as a TOSA is to be a substitute teacher at various locations. I have been in a 2nd grade class, a 5th grade class, a middle school, and at an alternative high school. In all of these classrooms there is something that stands out- the need for students to re-learn how to interact and communicate effectively and appropriately.
What affects has the pandemic have on students' mental health?
According to John Lavine, staff reporter for the New York Times, “The shuttering of the American education system severed students from more than just classrooms, friends and extracurricular activities. It has also cut off an estimated 55 million children and teenagers from school staff members whose open doors and compassionate advice helped them build self-esteem, navigate the pressures of adolescence and cope with trauma.” For many students, having one-on-one interaction with an empathetic adult on campus was what kept them mentally strong. This is particularly true for socially economically disadvantaged students and foster/homeless youth who often live in settings filled with chaos, addiction, and violence. At my high school, we have an interventionist with a social service background who works with some of our most vulnerable students. Pre-pandemic, she would check in on students, call home if they were absent, or pick them up from a class if they were having a hard time. Ms. C, as the kids call her, knew she was one of their own since she came from the same tough neighborhood that many of them lived in. “Hey, mi’jo. How you doing today?” You would often hear as Ms. C roamed the hallways. These much-needed interactions suddenly stopped when schools shut down in March of 2020.
A year and a half later, as students shuffle through hallways once again, it appears that the lingering effects of the pandemic will be with us for a while. In fact, “School violence has risen to levels that we haven’t seen quite frankly,” said Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers. “I don’t think it took a genius to see this coming” (Meckler and Strauss, 2021). Kids are mirroring the stress and toxicity in our society and acting out in different ways. Some are passive-aggressive, others are confrontational, and others are taking out their stress in violent ways.
So this begs the question, what can be done?
How do educators re-teach civil interaction and communication skills?
Knowing that my students had suffered through loss of loved ones, parents’ financial stress, and depression and isolation, I equipped myself with an Inspector Gadget type mentality when I started school this year. I knew that having students read a chapter from the district assigned curriculum and then have them answer the questions at the end of the book was not going to cut it- in fact, it never has. So I did the following:
Music creates bonds-On day one of instruction, I had my students write down a list of their favorite songs. I then created a YouTube playlist for each class. I assigned a student to be the Class DJ each time we had some independent study time. The music selection ranged from Kendrick Lamar to Taylor Swift to Ramon Ayala. As kids worked quietly on their work, their heads would pop up with joy when they heard one of their favorite songs being played. I would then take the time to walk around and ask them how they were doing. As Chris Brewer states in his book titled "Music and Learning," "Our attitudes can be affected by music. It can affect energy levels and feelings...School can be a stressful place. Anything that can reduce stress in school helps not only a student but also their peers and their instructors as well."
Let them lead- As part of my student-led classroom philosophy, my students participated in class elections. After a fun-filled election campaign, each of my classes elected a class president and two vice presidents. These students were now responsible for coming up with an attention getter signal, give a greeting, and read the day’s agenda. One of my class presidents would signal by saying, “Waterfall” and the class would shout out in unison “Sssssshhhhhhhhh!” Yes, these were my high school juniors and seniors, and they were loving this new routine. Soon, other kids took on jobs such Fitness instructor who would lead the class in quick stretches, or our motivational speaker who would read off a few inspirational quotes to start the class. Alexis Simpson, in her article titled "10 Tips to Creating a Student-Led Classroom, states, "It can sound scary to give up some of your control and turn over some of the responsibility to your students for the first time...You're working smarter, not harder...students don't make all the decisions, only some. Empower your students to make decisions." Kids of all ages need to feel a sense of control in a world that has been through tremendous turmoil. Having clear routines and allowing students to make decisions can go a long way.
Choose topics intentionally- "Know your audience." This is something all teachers of English often tell their students when instructing them to write or deliver a speech. Well, the same goes for teachers. We need to know our audience. We need to know what they are into and what gets them talking. We can't just expect them to have passionate debates about Patrick Henry's speech to the Second Virginia Convention or to feel excited about discussing the juxtaposition of ideas in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour". Yes, eventually we need to teach them these types of works, but first we need to lure students back into having vibrant discussions by tapping into what they know and what they like. Last week, as I subbed a 5th grade class, one student who was having a hard time focusing told me, "Hey, call me Travis Scott." I turned around and asked him, "So, do you think he should be blamed for what happened at his concert?" Even though he was only 10 years old, he, along with about 4 other highly excitable young boys, chimed in on the conversation. "Naw! It wasn't his fault" one boy exclaimed. "Do you think he incited the crowd? I calmly asked. Soon, the boys sat down to have a quick debate. At this point I know I had them. After that moment, I was able to get them to work on their assignments. They saw me as one of their own. Someone who talked with them not just at them.
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