Student Anxiety & COVID

Coming back into the physical classroom after 2 years of COVID-19, one of the biggest concerns has ironically been to address the anxiety felt by the parents with regards to the safety of their children during the school day.

?When the ministry began to roll back their restrictions, and began re-opening, one of the major concerns that was faced by the Ministry of Education, was how safe the students were going to be during school hours. In this regard schools, together with the guidelines laid out by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, began to create, implement and enforce policies that would help minimize concerns.

?Some of the policies that were implemented were:

1.????Strict social distancing guidelines

2.????Enforcement of mask wearing and regular consultations by the school guidance officers.

?In consultation with the guidance officer at the school where one of our founding directors teaches, it was noted that most of the concerns and anxiety felt by the students were from the parents, in that it leeched into their children's psyche and as a consequence was brought into the school environment. After being taught for two years to not interact or be close to any other person, having to be back in a physical school began to feel overwhelming for some of them.

?One of the leading causes of this anxiety, was due to students simply did not know how to behave, interact when they returned to a physical environment; many were not sure what would be acceptable behaviour given the limitations.

?An overwhelming concern faced by school administrators, was the desire of students to simply revert to pre-pandemic behaviour.

?Some of guidance officers we interviewed, explained that students resuming some sense of normalcy in their daily lives and routines help to alleviate the anxiety and frustration felt by them. Behaviours such as random plutonic body contact, sharing of food, sharing of stationery, close proximity when interacting with peers; while it is frowned upon during this time of the pandemic, it appears some of these with added precautions, maybe needed by students as a coping mechanism.

?On dealing with student anxiety, one of the foremost things that was reinforced by the school guidance personnel we spoke with, was that it’s okay to not be okay. Far too many times we are taught that we need to be okay to function and that something is wrong when we are not. This practice needs to stop and students along with their peers must be encouraged to say when they are not okay.

?Students, parents and by extension society should be taught that life cannot simply resume as normal pre-pandemic. Reinforcement of “new social norms” must be a priority for everyone.

?I’deffect encourages all educators during home room and other respective classes, to share their own personal concerns that they may have, as this would help students to realise that the anxiety they are experiencing is perfectly normal.

?Simple practices such as encouraging them to make a list of activities they liked to do and then outline how these were done pre-pandemic. Subsequently, new ways to accomplish those same activities with “new social norms” can be created. One important thing that we as educators need to remind ourselves and encourage with our students is to communicate; the world has changed and students need to know that it’s okay to if they haven’t quite figured out how to navigate this new dilemma.

Yuva Roopchansingh is a director at I'deffect and also an educator within the secondary school system. I'deffect is an e-learning and human resource development firm dedicated to helping individuals, institutions and governments, unleash the best version of themselves. Should you wish to interact with the author, please feel free to email him at [email protected]