Getting creative during the pandemic
As the pandemic has increased isolation, teachers have added SEL practices to virtual school, from relationship-building activities on Zoom to calm down rooms in Google classrooms. “The pandemic has created new challenges but one of the benefits has been that it is the perfect time to try outside-of-the-box activities and relationship builders,” said Kirk. In a Zoom-based SEL lesson focused on predicting future consequences, the teacher private messages a scenario to a student who acts it out. Other students show thumbs up, down or sideways depending on whether they think the student handled the situation appropriately and then discussion ensues, shares Whittle. Lounsbery never dreamed she’d bring her dog to work, but she’s been fully supported by her administration. When Lounsbery is teaching, Hank stays in his specified place, and then when prompted meanders the room while kids work. “He just knows and finds the person who needs him,” said Lounsbery, amazed that Hank intuitively places his head on the reluctant reader struggling with an assignment or a child without a partner for a group project. At recess, Hank is a bridge for kids who are loners or have a hard time
inserting themselves in play, as they chat with other kids while petting Hank. By the end of the day, an exhausted Hank often snores through Lounsbery’s lessons, providing levity and giggles. Not everything about pandemic life has been bad; in addition to having a class therapy dog, because of smaller class sizes on an A/B schedule for much of the year, Lounsbery says she’s able to spot problem areas for students and intervene more quickly, both with SEL and academics. The pandemic inspired creativity for Herron and her team at OKCPS, too, who’ve had the added challenge of a mostly-virtual school year. They decided since students and families couldn’t come to them, they’d go out into the community. The Routes for Resources program was born, with district buses transporting social workers, counselors, tech support teams to help with devices and connectivity issues, food, clothing, hygiene kits, undergarments, masks, coats and much more into their communities and to students’ homes. The team also made calls to families, identifying those without utilities, who’d been evicted or on the verge of either, then secured funding to help 159 families through one source and more than 230 families throughout the initiative.
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