The secret life of: A classroom of Kiwi kids in a Covid pandemic

The children have to wash hands before they go outside and sanitise when they come back in. Photo / Michael Craig

OPINION:

A primary school teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, reveals what it's really like teaching under the new classroom protocols required to keep kids safe from Covid.

In my 15 years of teaching, in Auckland, Northland, and the UK, I think this is the hardest time of all. Coming back into the classroom this year is definitely different and strange.

On top of the usual challenges around getting used to a new class at the beginning of the year, our kids are returning to school wearing masks all day - for the older ones – having to say goodbye to Mum or Dad well before they get to the classroom door and adjust to a new way of school life in an effort to avoid contracting the virus.

From the way we teach to the way children are allowed to interact with us and each other, the Kiwi classroom is a place without singing, without shared learning and facing unprecedented challenges.

For starters, parents are encouraged not to come onto school grounds. If they do, they have to wear a mask and sign in at the office. For the little ones, that's really hard. It used to be that parents could walk them right to their class or wait right outside to pick them up. Now all the teachers escort their classes to an area for collection. It means that parent-teacher contact is being limited and that's quite sad. That relationship is super important and that rapport can't be built in a natural, face-to-face way anymore.

The kids rush up to give you a hug then stop in their tracks and reach out for a fist pump or elbow tap. That's just not the same. Photo / Getty Images

We're no longer allowed to sing in class. Not every child learns by pen on paper or on their electronic device. Some kids learn through art or singing and drama and dance. It's a hygienic thing but I'm sad about that, because you're trying to cater to all different learning styles and singing is a learning tool we can no longer use.

We can't hug the kids anymore either. While I'm conscious of not initiating physical contact with them, to protect myself, it's very hard now when a child comes to you because they're sad, or, because they're glad, and wants to give you a hug. They'll rush up and wrap their little arms around you. It's such a lovely expression of their love and respect for you. I used to always reciprocate a hug. It's tough, especially with the little ones. Now they rush up to give you a hug then they'll sort of stop in their tracks and reach out for a fist pump or elbow tap. That's just not the same. That joyful opportunity has been taken away. And that way of comforting and consoling a child when they've hurt themselves or are upset because they've got no one to play with, that's quite hard.

I do worry about that loss of physical connection. Some kids come from family backgrounds where they don't have that at home. Human touch is just so important for our wellbeing and that feeling of belonging and being loved and accepted. It's really hard to show those things when your oral language is affected by a mask and your physical language is affected because you're not allowed to communicate that way anymore.

The challenge for teachers is to make learning more exciting. We have to be much more animated because you can't use your face to express things. I try to use an even louder, more expressive voice and move around the class. You have to try and keep things interesting and be a bit more creative in your delivery, so they're not sitting there dwelling on being stuck wearing a mask.

For the little ones, it's hard not having Mum or Dad allowed to walk them to their classroom on their first day. Photo / Getty Images

The pandemic has certainly affected the ways we can teach too. While we can't seat the kids a metre apart, because there's not that much space in the classroom to do that with 30 kids, we don't do things like small group work anymore. We still have teamwork but it's not quite the same because they can't sit in that close proximity and that's really hard to monitor because they do try to, to see each other's books or laptop screens. We don't have little nooks where you'd encourage kids to go and share a book together anymore.

The irony is that we can control that sort of thing in the classroom environment but then you see them playing outside and that's exactly what they do. They're out there hugging their mates. They're kids and everything sort of goes out of their brain when they're out of class and excited to see their buddies.

The masks make learning for our Esol (English as a Second Language) kids particularly difficult. You rely on lip reading, both ways. Last week I had a little boy who I had to keep telling, 'I'm so sorry, I can't understand what you're saying. I know it's really important and I really value what you want to share." In the end he just pulled his mask down to say what he had to say. Those cultures where they may be more quiet and not so forthcoming, they're becoming even more challenged. It's such a big effort so they're not bothering to put their hand up, even though they might know the answer, because the mask makes it too hard.

While I absolutely understand and support the measures we need to take to protect everyone, the protocols encroach on teaching time too.

When they're out in the playground, the rules we enforce in the classroom seem to go out the window. Photo / Getty Images

The children have to wash hands before they go outside and sanitise when they come back in. So, when you've got one classroom sink and 30 kids to wash their hands for 20 seconds each, that eats into your class learning time. We have to use paper towels, not reusable hand towels. That's an expense to the school. You have to allow five to 10 minutes ahead of going out for morning tea and lunch times and the same at the other end.

With the kids wearing masks, we have to give them breaks outside for five to 10 minutes so they can have some time without their faces covered. And when they're back in the classroom, we have to have the air-conditioning on and windows open for ventilation, which makes it difficult to set a comfortable temperature for the kids to learn in.

Since Covid began two years ago, we have to wash and wipe high-use surfaces. So, you clean all desks, tables and chairs, the backs of the chairs, door and window handles, around the sink, the teacher's table, every afternoon. That's extra for the teachers as well.

Our school has also introduced split morning teas and lunchtimes, so half the kids go out for a time, then the other half go out. The idea is minimising the risk of exposure by limiting numbers. That can affect kids' relationships if they're in the other group to all of their friends.

But the kids are amazingly resilient. I've been blown away by how accepting they've been of the masks and all the changes to their school day. On the first day back we had two kids that didn't like wearing masks and we had to call their parents and explain that it's actually a requirement unless they have an exemption. And those kids turned up wearing their masks the next day.

This is a really uncertain time, and in a pandemic or not, our role as teachers has always been to provide consistency for kids. Because all kids come from very different families and backgrounds and homes, often the role of the teacher is to be that one solid, consistent person in their lives. You're providing a safe, secure environment with routine and structure.

I think what's been introduced is absolutely necessary and our principal is really amazing at communicating and following guidelines from the Ministry. I feel grateful to my school because I see it as they're looking out for me. I wouldn't not teach and not get vaccinated because I love my job and love that I'm making a difference. You're helping kids every day to achieve milestones in their life. You're part of their educational journey. It could be as little as writing their letters the right way or as amazing as solving a complex math problem. Whatever the achievement, I love celebrating those with kids. I love seeing their face when they've conquered something – a skill that they were struggling with and then they get it and their little face lights up. It's really awesome to be able to share that with a child.

Ultimately, we've got to put our own s*** to one side. When you come to school you've got to put your game face on. It's all about the kids and their needs - not just educational needs. It's social, mental, you've got to be their mum and their dad, the counsellor sometimes. The role has developed over the years to so much more than just a teacher who educates children. Sometimes the academic stuff comes way down the list in terms of what you're trying to achieve with the kids. Especially in this pandemic.