When it comes to attending school, many children will have taken a blow to their self-confidence and attitude to learning. This matters because, as Educational Psychologist Bob Burden recognised when he talked about learning, ‘Ability alone is not enough: how we think about ourselves matters too.’ We also know that many children did not fare well with learning at home. For more on what children told Children’s Parliament about learning during lockdown see Children’s Experiences of Lockdown.
In terms of the rights of the child, and in the context of the idea of a recovery curriculum, it is essential that we reflect on what we mean when we talk about the child’s right to an education. UNCRC Article 28 requires us to encourage regular attendance and reduce the disconnect from school and learning that may be a consequence of school-closure and lockdown. Further all our educational efforts should be directed to ensuring that the experience of school is focused not simply on attendance but on the development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential (UNCRC Article 29).
Theses activities will support you to build learner confidence and to reengage children with learning after a period of upset and disruption.
Activities
A rights-based approach to recovery 