Lots of talk abt how schools are going to adjust even more, w remote learning in the plans.
Before we get to current events, let’s talk abt the ways schools in the past have dealt w this topic. Maybe this’ll reveal a lot abt me, but I don’t mind being “the example.”
Going back to PRESCHOOL, I remember being held out of the graduation play, for my “behavior.” In Kindergarten, I was put in what was called K1. This was experimental Kindergarten & 1st graders together, who they thought were the “bad kids.” We played w Legos pretty much all day. 1st grade’s a blur, but in 2nd, I had my desk moved to next to the teacher’s desk more times than I actually sat in a “normal” seat. Then 3rd grade, my desk was moved – permanently to the BACK of the room, at a long table, away from the other kids.
Funny enough I passed the “advanced placement” exam in kindergarten to be put into an advanced program called “Apex,” but couldn’t get the necessary teacher recommendation for it till 5th grade- when they finally let me in.
Why bring all this up? I don’t want you to think I was “the bad kid.” Instead, I bring it up bc I was never asked by my teachers in those early grades: “How am I feeling?”…”Anything going on outside of school?”…”Anything you’re thinking a lot abt or focusing on that’s stopping you from concentrating?”
Bc I did “well” on my tests & my homework…I wasn’t considered a “problem kid” so I was never sent to the dreaded guidance counselor. Instead, teachers tried to control me (& the more I hear from you all, it sounds like many thousands of other kids), thru punitive damages, like seat moves or being sent to the principal’s office.
Let me repeat: no one ever asked WHAT might be going on outside of school…or why I might be acting this way. No one knew my brother was sick. My fam was driving to the hospital non stop w him. That I feared for his life/had existential question abt life I was struggling w.
This is why we created the SameHere Scale app. We NEED to let kids have an outlet for feelings & events in their life – even in the youngest grades & NORMALIZE these convos.
