From Behavior Coaches
Expect anxiety. For the past year, students and adults have been living on edge, many in fear of an invisible deadly virus. On one end, some students may have lost family members from Covid, but no student is going to come into the building unaffected by the experience of the past year. We can’t undo that experience, but we can set up a system that anticipates and begins to mitigate that anxiety.
Start small. We don’t want students to come into a high-pressure situation where they feel like they are expected to academically compensate for the inconsistency of the past year. While academics are the primary purpose of our schools, we need to start small while transitioning students back into the building. You can do this by integrating SEL skills, checking in with students’ feelings, re-stating expectations, and taking the time to build relationships with students. When students feel safe again, the academics will come.
Bring the lessons. Whatever silver linings you have taken from this past year of education, whatever you have learned, don’t forget to bring that back to the classroom when you return fully. If you have learned to utilize a new technology resource, engaged your students differently, communicated more with families, or collaborated with educators outside of your building, try to keep the elements that helped you better support your students during those times. Just because we are going back into school buildings, doesn’t mean that we need to go back to an identical model to the one we had before.
Regulate with Routine. Students and adults alike have been told to be cautious, to distance themselves, and to isolate for a year. While the country may begin to open up again more fully, we can’t turn those lessons off with a light-switch. Students are going to be a bit more on edge, so we should work to create atmospheres and routines that are regulating for them. Regardless of how much structure you typically put into place in your classroom, err on the side of having more routines and predictability, as this will provide comfort for the students to latch on to in the transition. Keep in mind, though, that routines and predictability are best employed when they come from a place of support– balance the structure with nurture.
For many of us, the rollout of vaccinations and the re-opening of schools feels like the light at the end of the tunnel. We are hopeful that students will find the return to school comforting and regulating, but we also cannot underestimate the impact that the past year has had on students. If we prepare ourselves, our spaces, and our students for a return that feels safe, we can be confident that we can get into a supportive routine to begin building back some of what we’ve lost.
”Tier 1 and More” Blog
The Behavior Coaches blog is full of resources for PBIS, Social-Emotional Learning, Trauma-Informed Practices and more.
Mental Health Provider Directory
Looking for a comprehensive list of Mental Health Providers in Central Oregon? This website organizes medical providers by symptom, insurance, language, and specialization.
Bend LaPine Schools District Website: Student Mental Health and Families in Need
If You Or Someone You Know Is In Crisis: Contact the Deschutes County Crisis Clinic by phone at (541) 322-7500 extension 9, or call 1-(800) 875-7364. Walk In hours are available Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM.