When my school resumed in-person classes this winter, I watched as a 5th grade boy splayed on his stomach across the chair in class, his arms extended like Superman. He wasn鈥檛 trying to be funny; he was simply trying to ground himself. After months of toxic stress, his ability to pay attention and self-regulate had been compromised, and as much as he detested remote learning, the return to school hadn鈥檛 been a panacea. He was happy to see friends but also tired easily, bristled at perceived slights, and struggled to produce work.
When I reached out to several fellow psychologists and educators by phone to hear about their own experiences returning to school, I found out that the student I observed is not unique. 鈥淭he first thing educators need to understand is the toll that this year has taken on each person鈥檚 nervous system,鈥� Mona Delahooke, the author of , told me. 鈥淣obody was immune from the stress of having to leave a familiar environment overnight, and our bodies and brains adapt differently to the new situation.鈥�
While some students will look disengaged or detached, others will slouch, fidget, or move more. The one constant is that every child needs compassion and patience. Here are six ways educators can prioritize kids鈥� emotional well-being during the transition back to school buildings:
1. Strike a balance between predictability and novelty. Students crave consistency after a trauma, but many have come to dread the choreographed sameness of their days and need more fun, such as an impromptu nature walk where possible or a paper-airplane-making contest. Play and connection activate the social-engagement system and are healing.
Episcopal Academy, a P-12 school in Newtown Square, Pa., is replacing an advisory or class meeting with recess so students can play 鈥渋n a space that鈥檚 not micromanaged by adults,鈥� school psychologist Jessica Anderson told me.
Teachers also need to be willing to shelve a lesson, added Morgan Penn, an 8th grade science teacher at Argyle Middle School in Montgomery County, Md. 鈥淚 had a student with a family member in El Salvador who passed away from COVID, and when he told the class that his father had COVID, too, everyone stopped to support him.鈥�
2. Be understanding when addressing misbehavior. After remote learning, 鈥渒ids are used to using the bathroom any time they want and turning off their cameras and muting themselves so they can have a side conversation,鈥� said James Allrich, Argyle鈥檚 principal. 鈥淣ow, kids will have arrows everywhere, dots telling them where to stand, and I can see a kid being nervous: 鈥楢m I standing on the right dot? Do I have to put my face mask on between bites when I eat?鈥欌��
That anxiety can manifest as noncompliance; students need reassurance that they鈥檙e not in trouble when they make a mistake.
Penn added, 鈥淭hese are children, not robots. Is there a fire? Is anyone falling out the window? I鈥檒l say, 鈥業f you want to lie on the floor, or if you鈥檙e frustrated and want to scream but can鈥檛 do it now, let鈥檚 talk about a time when you can do it.鈥欌��
3. Rebuild students鈥� sense of competency. Many students had a hard time with online learning, and their academic self-concept has taken a hit. Others feel awkward and have lost their social footing. To address insecurity, be flexible and help students learn to manage their time wisely.
Trust that kids want to do well and that you may not know their back story. Penn shared that one student lost their home and had to move into another family鈥檚 apartment with their young toddlers, another suffers from insomnia, and a third was too anxious to bring herself to do assignments.
40% of hybrid, 38% fully remote, and 29% fully in-person students reported their state of mind during class is more negative than it was before the pandemic.
4. Crank up the connection. Kids disclose more to teachers who take emotional risks themselves. 鈥淢y students know I鈥檓 in therapy; they even know my therapist鈥檚 name is Manuela,鈥� Penn said. 鈥淚t should be normal鈥攅veryone needs help. I say, 鈥業鈥檓 pushing through every day just like you are and I鈥檓 really fighting for you.鈥欌��
Remote instruction has also underscored for many of us the value of face-to-face interactions. 鈥淚鈥檝e missed the dynamic of looking in someone鈥檚 eyes and knowing, without them saying a word, that something isn鈥檛 right,鈥� Allrich told me. 鈥淚鈥檒l say, 鈥楲et鈥檚 talk,鈥� and they just start crying.鈥�
5. Don鈥檛 forget that different students have different needs. One parent told me that her middle schooler moved midpandemic and had yet to meet a single classmate at her local public school. New students will need supports, such as welcome buddies and groups for new students.
Kids who remain virtual when buildings reopen also have unique needs. One remote learner told me she feels intense FOMO (fear of missing out) every time she sees her classmates engaging in person. Schools can mitigate that by scheduling time for online and offline learners to have a virtual recess.
My middle schoolers also tell me they feel self-conscious when teachers project the faces of remote learners onto a whiteboard at the front of the room. By turning the desks around so the screen is behind the kids, teachers can see every student without spotlighting anyone.
6. Work together to create a safety net. Compare notes with your colleagues to ensure no student falls through the cracks. An English teacher might realize a child is struggling when they write a poem about depression. A school nurse might tie a student鈥檚 headaches to anxiety. An art teacher might draw attention to a child鈥檚 dark self-portraits. A paraeducator might see that a kid always sits alone at recess.
Educators need to keep an eye on one another, too. Allrich reminds his staff that everyone is anxious, then reassures them that they鈥檙e used to operating from a place of empathy. 鈥淲e鈥檙e on shifting grounds, but our unchangeable core doesn鈥檛 change鈥攁nd that鈥檚 kindness, care, relationships, and communication.鈥�
