Working from Home
April 21, 2020
This past week we began to work on the career charts for the different schools where we offer the Choice Club program. Shiners school was the first to receive the charts. Since schools are still closed, we are taking this time to work because we will not be interrupting the students, and neither will they interrupt us. At Shiners school, the Director of the school was very grateful to see that we are thinking of the welfare of the children even as they await the opening of the school. All schools were to have resumed today, but that has not happened due to the corona crisis. International schools resumed online classes yesterday, though the students are still very worried about the exams they were due to sit in May.
We will continue to work on the charts for the rest of the schools. Njabini school, A.I.C Ngong and Kimuka will have their charts up by the first week of May. We continue to engage the students on social media, so we can help them with any challenges they may encounter. They know they can reach out to us any time of the day. Staying at home is causing a lot of emotional stress for some of the students especially those that come from broken homes. They are having a hard time coping with the challenges at home; keeping the curfew hours is another challenge. One parent called me and asked me to talk to her daughter because she does not respect the curfew put in place. She goes off to visit her friends despite the warnings to stay at home thus putting all of them in danger of contracting the virus. When her mother tries to reprimand her, she storms out and does not come back home until the next day. Relationships are significantly strained between parents and their children. They will have to find a coping mechanism, however, as the lockdown will be with us for a while. Infections are still going up and there is need to stay safe. We are additionally keeping an eye on our own children who also need a lot of love and support at this time.
We have been in touch with the club patrons and other teachers to check on their welfare. Many are having a hard time coping because they are worried about their studies and/or their jobs. At this time, we all need to encourage one another; it is not just the students who need encouragement.
We are also working on motivational material that we can hang in the classrooms for the students to be encouraged by when they return. We have been warned to be prepared for a lot of mental health issues with the students once school resumes. We will prepare manila papers with the messages and ensure they are hanged in each class in the schools. We will encourage those who need counselling to keep journals that they can use to express their feelings. Writing down emotions heals the soul; it is an excellent way to release tension as opposed to bottling everything up inside.
(Shiners school senior management. Left is the School Principle Mr. Joseph Maina, School Director Mr. Anil Walia, Madam Caroline Amasai the Deputy Principal and Grace Wandia of Valvisions Foundation.)
(Career chart at Shiners School sponsored by Valvisions Foundation through the Choice Club mentorship program)
(Samples of journal and motivational quotes that we will prepare for the students)
