Being the optimistic Educators that we are, we'd like to think things have returned to normal post-COVID for us, for students, in the classroom. The fact is, for many adults, we learned how to pretend everything is going well, or camouflage our hurt, pain, abuse, and disappointments. For students, the pretense and camouflage may show in outbursts, bullying, withdrawal, absences, or poorly done assignments.
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Before we begin to wear our perfectionist hats this Fall, let's remember these facts:
- "According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, 37% of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic;
- 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year;
- 55% reported they experienced emotional abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including swearing at, insulting, or putting down the student;
- 11% experienced physical abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including hitting, beating, kicking, or physically hurting the student;
- 29% reported a parent or other adult in their home lost a job" (CDC, 2022).
Students may need less judgment and instead a little more love, understanding, and a sense of a safe space. Join KIDS Alive! Foundation in spreading the word to Educators, that this Fall, let us create safe spaces in our classrooms for our students.
To download a PDF of the KIDS Alive! Foundation Safe Space poster, click the link below.
Reference
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2002). New CDC data illuminate youth mental health threats during the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0331-youth-mental-health-covid-19.html
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