As teachers, we’ll always be at the business end of the media frenzy as it sweeps across our schools. Coronavirus has done just that so it’s no wonder the children are concerned. Obviously the decision on whether or not to talk about it is up to you but if you do decide to have that dialogue remember you should start with the facts.
Being aware of the symptoms and transmission will be most useful for kids and teenagers. When kids ask questions about these sorts of issues, they should get honest answers. In the absence of factual information, children often imagine situations far worse than reality.
How much detail you decide to share depends on students’ ages. Conversations about how vaccines are developed, for example, might lend helpful context for KS4. But dwelling on the virus could make younger KS2/KS3 students more anxious.
We need to appreciate that for the youngest ones, their stress is going to be dictated by adult stress.
Teachers of KS1 & 2 should continue to explain to their students that they need to wash their hands well to get rid of germs, which can make us sick. Kids should be reassured that adults are working hard to keep them safe.
If you do find yourself inundated with questions and it fits with your subject. Why not make it a teachable moment? Science lends itself beautifully to this topic but it could also be extended to English, Maths, History etc.
One misconception that may need correcting might be the ignorance issue. There have been numerous accounts of racism and xenophobia directed toward Asians since the outbreak was first detected in China. Students and parents have posted accounts of bullying on social media, claiming that kids had taunted their Asian classmates. Earlier this month, an Asian student in the US was physically attacked by classmates who accused him of having the virus.
As you know and I’m sure will always do, teachers should confront bullying behavior and turn the conversation back to advice that will be most helpful: “Here are the things that you can do to keep you and others, safe and healthy.”
There’s no right way to deal with this, but we can just try our best as educators to ensure our students are informed.