Classroom Time Isn't the Only Thing Students Have Lost

Students have experienced new and unexpected events during the pandemic.

This has caused emotional trauma, especially for students who lost friends and family due to Covid. When the brain experiences trauma, it hinders the ability to learn. “By centering the conversation about [Covid] and schools on how alarming learning loss is, we’re failing to address the exceptional circumstances that we expect students to learn in.” To heal trauma, one of the “most effective ways” is through human connection and relationships. In schools that emphasize social emotional learning (SEL), “which integrates emotional self-awareness and interpersonal-relationship skills into learning,” students can talk with others, foster relationships, and heal through it. This has been effective in allowing students to recover from pandemic-related stress.