Are you feeling stiffness in the nape of your neck and across your shoulders after more than a week of teletrabajo? Does the skin on your hands feel unusual from the frequent scrubbing? Are you seeing invisible bacteria everywhere, to the extent that you have to clean and wipe the packaging of your food shopping before putting it away in the cupboard?
We humans are inherently gregarious creatures, we need social contact with others. Whether self-isolating or simply startled by the sudden obsession with hand-gels and disposable gloves, the potential impact on mental health of teachers and pupils in our school community could not be more candid. Without the buzz of classrooms and corridors, school life behind the laptop is rather humdrum by comparison. In fact, such is the bombardment of news via WhatsApp and social media, some confusing and some alarmist, it would be hardly surprising if our new routines induce feelings of anxiety and abandonment.
In week one the rebellion that is natural among curious teenagers predictably manifested itself in the form of excluding peers from online groups or even silencing teachers’ microphones. Now that the novelty of seeing friends in their pyjamas on an ipad has worn off however, we are left with a generation of youngsters with an unprecedented dependence on social media and online resources than every before.
I would like to argue the case for the best medicine of all during these turbulent times – a dose of positive psychology. Positive psychology is the urge to focus on strengths rather than weaknesses – the proliferation of optimism, compassion and hope in order to maximise human flourishing. Consider that I played cards with my daughter for the first time last weekend, something I had intended to do over the last Christmas holiday, about three months ago. We spent part of the afternoon colouring in a homemade Mother’s Day card rather than going shopping for one. If we were not stuck indoors, such quality time with loved ones would probably have remained on my bucket list.
Isn’t it ironic that in isolation one finds time to be closer to those that really matter?
The unwritten risk-factor remains our new overdependence on social media for connection with the outside world. This said, with some tactical adjustments we can convert learned helplessness into learned optimism, turn feelings of futility into hardiness. After all, it is proven that taking control of what is happening around us is not only morale-boosting for the soul, but it also strengthens the immune system.
In order to tackle misrepresentation online, I would like to encourage teachers, pupils and parents, all members of the ECI community, to take the following steps :
Look for positive representation online, such as institutions encouraging kindness, and give it a “like”.
Make sure you follow a range of accounts to see and hear balanced views from others.
Think about what you share and how it might portray you or others. Sharing only negative messages may be tempting but is it really helpful or informative?
Make use of campaigns to raise awareness in support of others, such as supporting the elderly.
Stay safe,
Mike Wright