Bye Bye Classrooms!

 The decision has been made...Ontario kids are not going back into the classroom till September. Whether you agree or disagree with this last-minute revelation it sure has sparked a conversation about what this will do to the mental health of children across the province. All the experts say it's going to be the next pandemic. Scary words.

 This means different things depending on the grade of the child. For example, my son in grade 12 wants to go back into a class about as much as I want to have a root canal. He is done with school entirely. Graduation isn't even necessary. Send that diploma in the mail in a tube and he will be happy. Grads are busy picking next year's courses, working, and sleeping. Getting up earlier and heading out the door before eight am has zero interest for most of them. Those who have struggled these past 18 months are focused entirely on getting the marks needed to move on. Other students would just be a distraction. 

  Now if you are in elementary school, at least the grades 1-6, are disappointed. They want their friends. Their games. Their fun days. June is the month of laughter and fun for those kids. Recesses get longer. Teachers find shady "outdoor classrooms" for the afternoon. You can't blame them for feeling sad. They aren't missing out on education in their minds. Just fun. 

  Still others are in limbo. Young enough to want to spend their days surrounded by their friends, yet knowing that falling behind will cause major problems in the years to come. Especially in the sciences. Grade 9 math started without a good foundation is the easiest way to fail...for even the smartest of kids. And can you imagine the kids going into grade 12 in September? Some who didn't do well online may not be able to get marks high enough to get into their program of choice. Penalized for something beyond their control.

  The big question I have is what happens in September? Other than being vaccinated what is going to be in place to protect my son? Has the ventilation system been upgraded? Are the class sizes smaller? What about cohorts? And are we back to 4 classes a day or still 2? When do we get the answers to those questions and many more? On the first day of school? To say that this is frustrating would be an understatement. Since the date for choosing whether our kids go back into the classroom or continue online has already passed, yes without getting any of our questions answered, we all must live with the decisions we made a few months ago.

  Let's hope we all made the right ones! 

  Ang