VoxPop – Kids

Aprender em tempos de pandemia não é tarefa fácil. Seja em casa, virtualmente, ou na escola, com várias novas regras e restrições, a verdade é que a educação mudou os seus contornos. Parece-nos que as crianças têm, de uma forma geral, conseguido adaptar-se bem, mas nesta edição do jornal Milénio Stadium quisemos ouvir o que elas têm a dizer desta nova vida escolar.

• Jason (10 years old, grade 5)

Since this pandemic started, how are things going in school? What changed?

It’s going well, nothing really changed, but I need to be careful and keep my distance from my friends… I also need to be wearing my mask all the time.

Does that bother you somehow?

No, I’m used to it now! Before I was a bit anxious about all these changes, but I’m adapting well. We need to follow the rules now.

How is play time now? How do you interact with your friends?

We need to be more careful now, we can’t do some activities like we used to before, but we’re allowed to run, for example, or just talk to each other! The biggest difference from before is that it’s only my class outside when it’s time for a break… Before it would be various classes all together playing, now that changed. I can only have contact with my friends from my class.

What do you miss the most since this pandemic started?

I really miss playing soccer and basketball! But those are group activities, so we’re not allowed nowadays.

• Mason (6 years old, grade 1)

Since this pandemic started, how are things going in school? What changed?

School is different because of social distance and wear masks.

How’s playtime now? Do you keep your distance? How do you interact with your friends?

We have to put our masks in a mask bag, we put them on before nutrition breaks, and we are apart from each other outside.

What do you miss the most since this pandemic started?

I miss being able to go to people’s houses, I miss my class from SK that we never got to say goodbye to them all.

• Addy (6 years old, grade 1)

Since this pandemic started, how are things going in school? What changed?

Now we need to always hand sanitize and we can’t leave anything at school anymore.

How’s playtime now? Do you keep your distance? How do you interact with your friends?

Our play toys at playtime are now in bags, they get cleaned all the time, there is no more pizza day because of coronavirus.

What do you miss the most since this pandemic started?

I miss being able to bring home library books, I miss my classmates that are doing online.

• Tristen (12 years old, grade 7)

Since this pandemic started, how are things going in school? What changed?

I now wear masks, we can only play with our cohort, that is our only interaction.

How’s playtime time now? Do you keep your distance? How do you interact with your friends?

The breaks are now split into two parts – upstairs goes outside while downstairs eats, then they flip, downstairs goes outside while upstairs eats. We stay apart 6ft and must wear masks even outside if we want to be with our friends.

What do you miss the most since this pandemic started?

I miss having recess with all of my friends and having all of my friends that are online at school. I also really miss field trips.

• Bárbara (12 years old, grade 7)

Did you miss school? How was it staying at home a lot?

I really missed school because I was just bored all the time while being at home. Staying at home every single day was getting quite boring after two/three months.

Since we have been in this pandemic, how are things at school? What changed?

Things at school are a little different. We can’t share things, playing certain games and get into different school groups/sports teams.

What do you do to play games during recess?

I don’t have recess.

What do you miss the most since this pandemic started?

I think I miss just being able to hug my friends and being able to go anywhere without having to stay away from people.

• Jonathan (7 years old, grade 3)

How’s been this experience of studying from home now?

We use a computer now; we downloaded this app called Zoom and it’s basically a virtual classroom. Every time I wake up, I go to my computer and we have classes, like we were in school. I focus and study the same way.

Do you like having online classes? What do you prefer?

I like it! I like the online classroom, but I also enjoy going to school.

Do you miss going to school?

I do! Because there we have the opportunity to chat with our friends in person… Now, with the virtual classes, we have to speak to each other through a computer. I also miss recess and play with my friends. But I know it’s safer to stay home now with the pandemic.

You feel you wouldn’t be comfortable going to school now with the pandemic, is that it?

Well, even if I went to school, there’s not much I could do, you can only stay in one place… Also If I get the coronavirus I won’t die, because I’m a children, but normally my mom sleeps with me and If I get infected she might get the virus… So I rather stay home to protect her.

What do you miss the most since this pandemic started?

I miss my former teacher Mrs Porreta… But I’m very happy with my new teacher Mrs Ferreira! She is very nice and kind, she gives us a lot of work, but it’s fine because it’s how school goes. We get smarter! So, I’m thankful for my teacher Mrs Ferreira who Is teaching us virtually now.

Catarina Balça/MS