- In the interview published by Aiurri magazine, journalist Ainhoa Gil has responded to education advisor Eva Peláez on the coronavirus persecution at the school center. Pel-ez is a member of the Guna Center of Andoain and is aimed at families, students and teachers who need some kind of resource in the field of education.
The state of alarm has meant a radical change in the day-to-day life of schools, as well as in that of students and families.
"They say it's time to work autonomy, routines, trust, but for that you need a previous job"
In this exceptional situation, the education system has continued to produce, production has not been interrupted. Despite the suspension of other activities, education has followed its process and involved students, teachers and families. However, functions have changed. In this transformation, many parents, teachers and students have the ability to immerse themselves in this process. But many others, who were previously in a vulnerable state, have remained in a much more vulnerable situation. They say that it is time to work autonomy, routines, trust, but for that it requires a previous job and that is not guaranteed.
Education is underway, but boys and girls of all ages are online. This is difficult to assimilate in daily life and in some households they are in a crisis situation and have a lot of tension. In many families, there are no technological resources, neither their children, nor their parents, have skills. This reality, so far covered, is now being seen.
What is your view of the path that the education system has taken in this situation?
We don't lose it... but what? This situation offers us many experiences as a lesson"
From a critical point of view, I would say that an attempt has been made to find a way of responding to the system itself, not to people. Work the contents, prepare them for studies or evaluations, and move forward. However, it is not a good way to respond to the needs of teachers or students. Although everyone is making a big effort, I think we're putting patches on. The situation in which we find ourselves is absolutely unusual, it has not been objectively assumed and in some way the system has continued. Let's not lose it, but what? This situation offers us many experiences as a lesson.
What would then be the solution?
Right now, we have to teach our children and young people what we are in, why we have to be at home, what we can do -- and teach them how to manage the emotions that arise in this situation. We have a great lesson in front of us, but that requires calm. Create new resources to stop, think, internalize and confront.
"For many students, the most balanced reference at the moment can be the teacher"
It is time to see what is important in our lives, to go out to the balcony and listen to the sounds of nature, to smell spring… and to teach to detect and manage the different emotions generated by the situation itself... We will find no better time to work personal skills and coexistence, in family, among neighbors, among friends, in the educational community... Call the students, chat with them, ask them how they are and how they feel…, using them as an opportunity to strengthen the teacher-student relationship. There may be many students who have at this time the most balanced referent, the teacher, and who would greatly appreciate your call. At this point, education would become a useful resource for families and students. To do this, the system must be transformed and adapted to the needs.
And to carry out this task, education has a professional army equipped with a lot of pedagogical resources under its command. If, in addition to the contents of this army, with the capacity to transform and adapt to this situation, he was entrusted with the elaboration of personal skills, he would become the true companion of students and families.