Ritesh Shah, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Palestinian children are resilient, but even they have been tested by the pandemic and now more military conflict. Securing their right to a safe education should be a priority.
Chronic absenteeism is a pressing issue in high-poverty schools, but research suggests that serving students breakfast during class can help keep kids in school.
Lockdown life accelerated the role of digital technology in the virtual classroom, but there is still no substitute for physical books in children’s lives and learning.
Many young people learn about the Holocaust in school, but their knowledge and understanding of the subject can be limited and based on inaccuracies and misconceptions.
It’s not just children designated as being ‘at risk’ who are vulnerable. There are thousands of others who have not been assessed and who need the ‘safe haven’ of school.
Back-to-school routines under COVID-19 look a little different than previous years. For one thing, kids need to wear masks. Which means many parents have mask questions.
All students interviewed for a study on relationships with teachers said the ones they loved most were kind, caring or funny. They said the ones they disliked often treated them unfairly.
Good mental health is the ability to adapt to changes and stress. Whatever school looks like, parents can help keep kids’ social-emotional development on track in these four areas.
Long breaks from school lead to learning loss, with maths scores being particularly badly affected - but a return to core concepts could be the answer to a pre-pandemic problem.
Research shows that children can become infected with the coronavirus and spread it to others. Though rare, some kids do become severely ill and a few have died from COVID-19.
Temperature checks will miss children who are asymptomatic, which we know many kids with COVID-19 are. And the thermometers used aren’t necessarily the most reliable in the first place.
Waterloo Region District School Board’s suspension of the Student Resource Officer program is one step toward ending racism in schools but much more still needs to be done.