Students are heading back to school and learning during a global pandemic. It is a big ask of children, as many are aware of the worry that COVID-19 has caused.
“They’re walking around with masks on their faces; sometimes they can’t go to play dates; they’re worried about family members who might be ill; and they worry about themselves,” said Dr. Abby Mahone, Assistant Head of School at Harrisburg Academy. She said coping could look like unexpected or disruptive behavior. They could become highly emotional with older children having an especially tough time. “Middle and high school students have to grapple with, ‘What do they think about the vaccine? Do they want to take the vaccine? How do they navigate if they want to wear a mask, but their friends don’t?’”
Now educators are working to unburden children by prioritizing their mental health in classrooms and using the familiarity of instruction.
“So, in a small community like ours, we can be really plugged in to our student’s needs,” said Lindsay Bowman, Head of Middle and Upper Schools at Harrisburg Academy. Every student there has a faculty advisor that leads them through social emotional education once a week, academic counseling, and advisory time biweekly. But the school has also created constant connectivity. “Their advisor, they see every day. Their advisor is their teacher as well for one of their core subjects.”