Reframing Social Isolation

Reframing Social Isolation to keep our School Community Connected

First of all: there is no such thing as social isolation only social alienation. So as long as we use our inclusive mindset there is no social isolation, only physical isolation. We know social connection is foundational for mental health, in turn protecting emotional development. So we need to be innovative to sustain social connections now. While staring down COVID-19, the official leaders among us provide initial guidance. Yet when authentic leaders emerge, our social connections are truly renewed and begin to grow, strengthen, and transform – even though we are physically isolated.

So watch and listen, as those authentic leaders emerge. You will recognize them (you might be one) because they display an abundance of 3 qualities; humility, patience, and honesty.

·     Humility urges comments like “we’re all in this together, money alone can’t solve this, we need each other”.

·     Patience urges comments like “stick to the basics of hygiene, that’s a good question!, explain to me your circumstance”.

·     Honesty urges comments like “enough is enough just stay home, consider yourself a carrier of the virus, this could take months”.

Leaders will emerge among adults but leaders can also emerge among our student population in the school community. So how do we encourage and support the emergence of authentic student leaders in our efforts to maintain and even grow feelings of belonging and loyalty to school, when students are physically isolated?

Thank goodness for technology because social networking is the tool we need to keep our students connected. The “unity of a community depends on all the members of the community grieving and rejoicing over the same things… However, the community must grieve and rejoice in the right way over the right things.” (Spelman, 1997). Grieving and Rejoicing are actually emotions conducive to perspective taking and perspective taking has an important role in emotional development. In fact, diversity of ideas and experiences among students and adults is the richness school provides. Multiple members of the group give their perspective so we can hear, consider, and discuss how that compares, differs, or changes what I think and how I want to be. This is about participating so we can be impacted by the emotions, feelings, and attitudes of others. Therefore, the social networking sites we use must have responsible leadership and good curating, so kids can grieve and rejoice safely. But then, leading and curating is what teachers do!

I suggest reviewing the work of Dufour, Dufour Eaker and Karhanek (2004) in this easy read: “Building Learning Communities with Character: How to integrate academic, social, and emotional learning” (Novick, Kress & Elias, 2002). It will only take a quick review of the basics for schools to generate the innovation necessary to emerge as authentic leaders on whatever social networking is accessible.

Keep in mind we are guiding Parents through the same social connecting and reconnecting we intend for the student community. Keep in mind we want students to emerge as leaders, develop their voice in partnership with teacher leaders, and draw the attention & participation of peers within a small enough circle (for example the classroom group) to keep communication friendly, encouraging, and safe.

Keep in mind that Parents need a glimpse of what teaching is all about. Teaching is not about busy work - keeping kids busy, keeping them occupied, quiet & compliant. NO, this is a golden opportunity for Parents to experience how teaching & learning is actually the same thing. Adults learn about kids, about learning, and about themselves in their teaching experiences with children and teens. So encourage parents to ask “big questions”. Here are some examples of launching activities into learning for school aged kids & adults alike.

What is Science?

The activity is to sprinkle lots of pepper over the surface of a bowl of water. Then drop a small amount of dish soap in the middle of that water to demonstrate how soap displace “germs” when we wash our hands.

Science takes us on an exploration beyond this demonstration to see how this phenomenon is affected by: water temperature, different soaps, different sprinkles, stirring the water, etc.

Science is also about integrity of following procedure, making observations, replicating findings. Therefore to begin to know what Science is, become a citizen scientist.

What is Reading?

The activity is to watch the first 20 minutes of a movie based on quality children’s literature. This is a perfect time to get a child or teen interested in a particular author or follow the amazing characters unfolding through collections like: Anne of Green Gables, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Twilight Series.

Reading takes us on an exploration of literature. For most of us, watching a whole movie in one sitting is overload. We miss so much juicy detail in the story unless we can slow it down, which is exactly what reading aloud does. Next (meaning later that day, or at bedtime) read aloud to get hooked by the story. Build the habit of reading by letting your child know you are ready to pick up this book to read “what happens next”. Do it together so you can discuss characters, setting and plot as these are revealed. Or your child might decide to “devour” this book on their own and be ready for the next one in the series.

Kids need to know that most people read everyday because reading is a tool to follow your own interests. But also: we don’t have be particularly good at reading to use this tool because reading improves itself, the more we read.

What is Planning?

All schools have Lego collections but kids are not often encouraged to keep their structures intact over days, and certainly not weeks, because it is inevitable that some other kid will come along and take it apart. Most families have a collection of Lego. This is a great opportunity to spend hours building small structures, that can be expanded into larger structures, grow into city blocks of buildings, or bridges, towers, catapults, ramps etc.

Planning takes us on an exploration of structure, materials, discussing/drawing or reading plans, so use: couch cushions, cardboard, straws, and consider structures for pets, plants, do some 3d drawings, floor plans, garden plans, maps, story boards of video games etc.

What is Math, Sport, Medicine, Architecture, Dance, Music, Art, Culture, Nutrition?

Check out “Learning in Depth: A simple innovation that can transform schools” (Eagan, 2010).

Start small to ask big questions about: Dust, Apples, the Wheel, Mollusks, Railways, Leaves, Ships, the Circus, Spices, Measurement, Saturn, Footwear, Animals, Teeth, Musical Instruments, Pottery, Water, Sacred Buildings, Tools, Time, Cooking, Trees, Maps…

Online communities set up by teachers will need to be ready to receive student postings about “big questions” as a way of connecting to each other. Consider these ideas:

·     School defines online communities: class groups, domain groups, special interest groups, discussion groups, FAQ groups, parent groups, suggestion box

·     Teachers watch for the emergence of student leaders to involve further

·     Student leaders & mentor Teacher brainstorm ideas to connect “disconnected students”

·     Student leaders & consenting Parent & Teacher lead discussions in a variety of formats: Question of the day/week, pairs/small groups, contests/challenges/games, school events of celebration or remembrance

·     School staff must watch for hints of mental health concerns in postings to “come alongside” a student’s emotional needs and access to services:

Those who suffer chronic shame will post to humiliate others.

Those who suffer chronic fear will post to terrorize others.

Those who suffer chronic distress will post to frustrate others.

Those who suffer chronic rage will post to be destructive. (Sedgwick & Frank, 1995)

Emotional Development is still the crucial frame for supporting students in this time of physical distancing. Emotional Development, love this topic! WolfeWisdom