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Tips for teachers to protect themselves and their students.
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14 September 2021
As schools reopen, it’s important that precautions are taken both inside and outside the classroom to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This article aims to support teachers with information and tips on:
- Physical distancing at school
- Practicing health and hand hygiene
- Cleaning and disinfecting tips for the classroom
- Actions to take if a student appears sick
A key lesson learned during the pandemic is the important role teachersplay in ensuring that learning continues. As schools reopen, a lot will depend on teachers to ensure that children will be able to continue their education in a safe and healthy environment; and make up for knowledge and skills that may have been lost.
As a teacher, knowing the facts will not only protect yourself but also your students. Be aware of fake information and dangerous myths about COVID-19 circulating that are feeding fear and stigma.
Some of your students might be returning to school from households where they heard false information about COVID-19. You will need to educate them on the facts.
Understanding COVID-19, how it spreads and how we can protect ourselves and others is an important first step in establishing classroom procedures and protocols. Students need to understand what it is in order for them to follow the rules.Listen to their concerns and ideas and answer their questions in an age-appropriate manner. Discuss the different reactions they may experience and explain that these are normal reactions to an abnormal situation.
Teachers need to be protected from transmission of COVID-19 in the community to keep schools open. Teachers are therefore encouraged, and should be prioritized, to get vaccinated against COVID-19 once frontline health personnel and high-risk populations are vaccinated. Though vaccination against COVID-19 should not be a requirement for school reopening and in-person learning, COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective tools for preventing severe illness and death from COVID-19.
> Read:What you need to know before, during and after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
Makesure to use information about COVID-19 from reliable sources such as UNICEF and WHO, as well as the health authorities in your country. By staying informed about the situation and following the recommendations of public health experts, we can protect our own wellbeing and those around us.
Physical distancing at schools
When it comes to physical distancing, it is important that you establish some classroom ground rules in accordance with the procedures established by your school’s administration, as well as the protocols established by your respective country’s Ministry of Health and/or local health bodies and authorities. Recommended measures include:
- Maintain a distance of at least 1 metre between everyone present at school
- Increase desk spacing (at least 1 metre between desks), stagger recesses/breaks and lunch breaks (if difficult, one alternative is to have lunch at desks)
- Limit the mixing of classes for school and after-school activities. For example, students in a class will stay in one classroom throughout the day, while teachers move between classrooms; or classes could use different entrances, if available, or establish an order for each class to enter and leave the building/classroom
- Stagger the school day to vary the start and end times and avoid having all the students and teachers together at once
- Consider increasing the number of teachers, if possible, to allow for fewer students per classroom (if space is available)
- Advise against crowding during school pick-up or day care, and if possible avoid pick up by older family or community members (i.e. grandparents). Arrange school pick up/drop off times differently (according to age group) to decrease any large gatherings of children at a given time
- Use signs, ground markings, tape, barriers and other means to maintain 1 metre distance in queues around entrances
- Discuss how to manage physical education and sports lessons
- Move lessons outdoors or ventilate rooms as much as possible
- Encourage students not to gather and socialize in big groups upon leaving school grounds.
To do
To encourage your students to stick to the rules, it can be helpful to create a dos and dont’s list with them. Develop a list together around how students will greet each other; how desks will be arranged; physical distancing measures during lunch breaks (who they will sit with, play with during breaks, how they can schedule time with all of their friends across the week).
Health and hand hygiene
Teachershave a critical role to play in ensuring students understand the precautions they should take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, and it is important you lead by example in the classroom.
Handwashing is one of easiest, more cost efficient and effective way of combating the spread of germs and keeping students and staff healthy.
Teach the five steps for handwashing
- Wet hands with safe, running water
- Apply enough soap to cover wet hands
- Scrub all surfaces of the hands – including backs of hands, between fingers and under nails – for at least 20 seconds. You can encourage students to sing a quick song at this point to make it a fun habit
- Rinse thoroughly with running water
- Dry hands with a clean cloth or single-use towel.
If there is limited access to a sink, running water or soap in the school, then use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol.
Did you know? Cold water and warm water are equally effective at killing germs and viruses – as long as you use soap!
> Read:Everything you need to know about washing your hands to protect against coronavirus (COVID-19)
Encourage students to get into the practice of regularly washing their hands and/or applying hand sanitizers at key moments, such as entering and leaving the classroom; touching surfaces, learning materials, books, and after using a tissue to blow their nose.
Students should always cough and/or sneeze into their elbow. However, if by accident they do so in/on their hands, instruct them to immediately wash their hands or apply hand sanitizer. If students sneeze or cough into a tissue, ensure that it is disposed of immediately and that they wash their hands. It is extremely important to normalize the idea of frequent and routine handwashing.
Even with clean hands, encourage students to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. Germs can transfer from those areas on to their clean hands and spread around the classroom this way.
Reinforce frequent handwashing and sanitation and procure needed supplies. Prepare and maintain handwashing stations with soap and water, and if possible, place alcohol-based hand sanitizers in each classroom, at entrances and exits, and near lunchrooms and toilets.
To do
Identify some practical steps/activities you can take to demonstrate good hygiene practices to your students. Examples include:
- Creating a hand hygiene song to sing with your students
- Have students draw hygiene posters for the classroom
- Set a hand hygiene ritual. You can select a specific time during the day, such as before/after lunchtime for everyone to wash their hands/apply hand sanitizer
- Physically demonstrate how to wash your hands and apply sanitizer
- Keep a points system in your classroom, giving points to students each time they wash their hands or apply sanitizer
- Have students create a public service announcement on hand hygiene and place these posters/ announcements throughout the classroom or school in highly visible places
Mask wearing in schools
If wearing masks is recommended in your school, then make sure your students are familiar with when they should wear masks and any related school policies, such as how to dispose of used masks safely to avoid the risk of contaminated masks in classrooms and playgrounds.
Explore with your students how to handle and store masks properly.
All efforts should be made to ensure the use of a mask does not interfere with learning. No children should be denied access to education because of mask wearing or the lack of a mask because of low resources or unavailability.
If you have students with disabilities, such as hearing loss or auditory problems in your class, then consider how these children may miss learning opportunities because of the degraded speech signal stemming from mask wearing, the elimination of lipreading and speaker expressions and physical distancing. Adapted masks to allow lipreading (e.g. clear masks) or use of face shields may be explored as an alternative to fabric masks.
Cleaning and disinfecting
Information on how to maintain the cleanliness and sanitization of your classroom.
Daily cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and objects that are touched often, such as desks, countertops, doorknobs, computer keyboards, hands-on learning items, taps, phones and toys.
Immediately clean surfaces and objects that are visibly soiled. If surfaces or objects are soiled with body fluids or blood, use gloves and other standard precautions to avoid coming into contact with the fluid. Remove the spill, and then clean and disinfect the surface.
Tips for staff using cleaning materials
- Ensure you understand all instruction labels and understand safe and appropriate use
- Follow the instructions on the labels
- Cleaning products and disinfectants often call for the use of gloves or eye protection. For example, gloves should always be worn to protect your hands when working with bleach solutions
- Do not mix cleaners and disinfectants unless the labels indicate it is safe to do so. Combining certain products (such as chlorine bleach and ammonia cleaners) can result in serious injury or death
- Diluted household bleach solutions may also be used if appropriate for the surface
- Check the label to see if your bleach is intended for disinfection and has a sodium hypochlorite concentration of 0.5%. Ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Some bleaches, such as those designed for safe use on coloured clothing or for whitening may not be suitable for disinfection
- Household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted
- Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser
- Leave solution on the surface for at least 1 minute.
To do
- Come up with some fun and creative ideas and rules with your students for avoiding high-risk and high-touch areas in their school/classroom. For example, not touching the railing while walking up and down the stairs, or keeping classroom doors open to avoid touching door-knobs
- Come up with some rules together as a group and write these down on a flipchart paper that you can later hang up in the classroom
- Create fun reminders/posters that can be hung in the hallways to remind others to stick to the sanitation rules.
Actions to take if one of your students appears to be sick
Identifying COVID-19 symptoms
The most common symptoms are fever, cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, confusion, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and skin rashes.
School preparations and what to do if one of your students displays any of the symptoms
- Designate a specific area in the school (i.e. near the entrance) as a waiting room where children can wait. Ideally, this room should be well-ventilated. If there are school nurses available, it is recommended that they are designated staff in this waiting area. If students feel ill and/or exhibit symptoms of COVID-19, they should wait in the designated room to be picked up by their parents/caregiver. Afterwards, the room should be cleaned, disinfected and sanitized
- Provide the sick student with a medical mask if available
- Consider daily screening for body temperature, and history of fever or feeling feverish in the previous 24 hours, on entry into the building for all staff, students and visitors to identify persons who are sick
- Ensure a procedure for separating sick students and staff from those who are well – without creating stigma – and a process for informing parents, and consulting with health care providers/ health authorities wherever possible
- Students/ staff may need to be referred directly to a health facility, depending on the situation/ context, or sent home
- Encourage all students to stay home and self-isolate should they feel ill
- Develop a standard of operation if temperature screening is required
- Share procedures with parents and students ahead of time.
There have been several reports of children acquiring a multisystem inflammatory condition, which is possibly linked with COVID-19. If you notice any rash, hypertension, or acute gastrointestinal problems in your students, it could be an indication that they are experiencing multisystem inflammatory syndrome and should seek medical attention immediately.
To do
Create your own infection control plan. What actionable steps do you take if a student reports feeling ill during the school day? Consider all possible steps you can take from the moment they tell you.
< Back to UNICEF COVID-19 portal
This article is based on Ready to Come Back: Teacher Preparedness Training Package
Related resources
- Framework for reopening schools
- WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO Considerations for school-related public health measures in the context of COVID-19
This article was originally published on 20 September 2020. It was last updated on 14 September 2021.
Related topics
COVID-19
Education
Health
Global
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FAQs
What are the most important prevention strategies for Covid-19 in schools? ›
Staying Home When Sick and Getting Tested
Encouraging everyone in your school community to get tested when symptoms are compatible with COVID-19 will help with rapid contact tracing and prevent the spread of COVID-19 at school.
Choosing and encouraging activities that do not require physical contact between students and reinforce keeping students at a distance from one another. Limiting the use of physical materials or equipment that would be passed between multiple students.
What are the 5 ways to prevent Covid-19? ›- Get all the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
- Keep a safe distance from others, especially in closed spaces.
- When indoors, open windows if possible.
- Wear a mask if you're or those around you are at high risk of severe illness.
- Keep hands clean.
Eliminate Tripping Hazards.
Do not leave unattended drawers or cabinet doors open. Make sure chairs are pushed in when students are moving around. Keep items put away when not in use to prevent tripping.
- Incorporate Music. ...
- Smile Often. ...
- Create Supportive Classroom Environments. ...
- Stay Calm. ...
- Respect Differences. ...
- Respect Their Space. ...
- Make Mistakes a Learning Opportunity.
Physical security
These measures can include some or all of the following: installing metal detectors, safe rooms, and secure fencing; arming authorized adults with firearms; conducting threat assessment and active shooter trainings; and employing school-based law enforcement officers.
Handwashing. Schools and parents should encourage students to frequently wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Children should cover their mouths and noses with an elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
How has COVID 19 affected students education? ›Researchers at NWEA, the American Institutes for Research, and Harvard examined data from 2.1 million students during the 2020-21 school year. Students in districts that were remote during this period had lower achievement growth than students in districts that offered in-person learning.
What are the benefits of taking safety precautions when participating in class activities? ›Creating a respectful and safe environment also helps build a strong community and contributes to cooperative learning. Children who feel safe with each other are more likely to participate in class discussions and ask questions, both of which facilitate learning and social bonding.
What is a simple way to avoid Covid-19? ›In those situations, use as many prevention strategies as you can, such as practicing hand hygiene, consistently and correctly wearing a high-quality mask, improving ventilation, and keeping your distance, when possible, from the person who is sick or who tested positive.
What is the most effective way to protect against Covid-19? ›
- Get vaccinated.
- Wear masks where needed.
- Maintain physical distance.
- Avoid high-risk settings.
- Practice good hygiene.
- COVID-19 oral antiviral treatments.
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 30 seconds.
- Wash your hands with an alcohol-based (at least 60% alcohol) hand sanitizer.
- Do not touch your nose, mouth, or your eyes.
- Try to stay 6 feet apart from others.
- Treat others with respect at all times.
- Listen to the teacher when s/he speaks.
- Ask for help when you need it.
- Be prepared every day with required items.
- Respect other people's property.
- Listen and follow directions.
- Raise your hand before speaking or leaving your seat.
A safe classroom environment is one where learners feel physically, emotionally, and socially comfortable. They know that their needs are taken care of and that they are protected by caring and thoughtful teachers and members of their community.
What are some safety issues in the classroom? ›- Cyberbullying.
- Physical Bullying.
- Verbal Bullying.
- Creating a Safe, Fair and Respectful Environment.
- Positive Teacher-Student Relationships.
- Clear and Consistent Expectations for Behavior.
- Routines and Rituals.
- Proactive Intervention of Problems in the Environment.
- Let all your students know that you respect and care about them. ...
- Set up a classroom culture of inclusion and respect. ...
- Acknowledge students who demonstrate kindness, respect and thoughtfulness. ...
- Use positive approaches when educating students about acceptable and unacceptable behaviours.
Safe schools promote the protection of all students from violence, exposure to weapons and threats, theft, bullying and harassment, the sale or use of illegal substances on school grounds, and other emergencies. School safety is linked to improved student and school outcomes.
How do I keep my child safe at school during Covid? ›If a child has COVID symptoms at school, they should be picked up right away so they can isolate. Keep your child home from school when they have symptoms so that others are not exposed. Follow the CDC isolation and precautions for details on when to get tested, how long to wear a mask and when to end isolation.
Who has the responsibility for creating a classroom safety plan? ›School district leaders are responsible for developing and adopting a comprehensive safety program that includes safety policies and procedures that are consistent with better professional practices and legal safety standards.
How will classroom visitors be handled? ›
Greet them at the door.
If at all possible, greet them at the door and take a moment to talk to them quietly in the hallway outside your room. Be friendly and welcoming. But also remind them that your students are busy working so to please respect their space and move around your room quietly.
found nearly 60 percent of teachers report they are burned out , compared to 44 percent of other workers. The National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union, reported that more than half of their teachers in 2021 said they were more likely to quit or retire early because of ongoing job stress.
How has COVID-19 affected students socially? ›The pandemic caused disruptions in routines and social isolation for children, which can be associated with anxiety and depression and can have implications for mental health later in life.
How did COVID-19 affected higher education? ›The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed higher education systems across different parts of the globe to adopt online platforms for conducting teaching and learning activities.
Why are rules and procedures important in the classroom? ›Establishing classroom rules and procedures helps teachers maintain class routines and student expectations for classwork and behaviors. Classroom rules and procedures that are clearly defined and posted help students understand what is appropriate and what is not, as well as the consequences for rule violations.
Why is it important to follow safety precautions? ›Prevent Unnecessary Injuries and Illness
Following guidelines keeps employees healthy and protects their well-being. They can perform their jobs more effectively, and be confident that they don't have to worry about being injured or suffering from an illness.
Depending on the type of activity, injury risk can be augmented with increased intensity, frequency and duration of activity. To minimise the risk of activity-induced injuries, you should be aware of the signs of over-exertion (such as breathlessness and muscle soreness), and take reasonable precautions.
How long is COVID contagious? ›People with moderate or severe COVID-19 should isolate through at least day 10. Those with severe COVID-19 may remain infectious beyond 10 days and may need to extend isolation for up to 20 days.
What are 2 ways to build immunity against COVID-19? ›- Sleep. We heal when we sleep. ...
- Lower stress levels. ...
- Enjoy a balanced diet.
Transmission of COVID-19 from inhalation of virus in the air can occur at distances greater than six feet. Particles from an infected person can move throughout an entire room or indoor space. The particles can also linger in the air after a person has left the room – they can remain airborne for hours in some cases.
What not to do during the pandemic? ›
DON'T: Take medicine that you haven't been prescribed. Drink or otherwise ingest bleach or other household cleaning products; they will make you very sick! Visit friends and family members in person.
What is a sentence for pandemic? ›They feared a new cholera pandemic. Experts warned of the impending threat of a global pandemic if the virus was not contained.
How do you prepare for an outbreak? ›Supplies may include cleaning supplies, non-perishable foods, prescriptions and bottled water. Buy supplies slowly to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to buy what they need. Create an emergency plan so that you and your family know what to do and what you will need in case an outbreak happens.
What are the Big 5 classroom rules? ›The “Big Five” strategies — rules, routines, praise, misbehavior, and engagement — are the ones with the strongest research support and should be the first steps to managing a classroom that teacher candidates learn.
What are 4 simple classroom rules? ›- Rule 1. We are safe.
- Rule 2. We are respectful.
- Rule 3. We follow directions the first time.
- Rule 4. We work hard and try our best.
Follow the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. (That also applies to me as your teacher.) 2. Be prepared for class. Bring required materials (assignments, books, writing materials, etc.).
What are the most effective classroom management strategies? ›- Express clearly what your expectations are for your students.
- Collaborate on classroom goals with your students.
- Focus on students' social-emotional well being.
- Build relationships with your students.
- Incorporate self-reflection opportunities.
Classroom climate refers to the prevailing mood, attitudes, standards, and tone that you and your students feel when they are in your classroom. A negative classroom climate can feel hostile, chaotic, and out of control. A positive classroom climate feels safe, respectful, welcoming, and supportive of student learning.
How do you promote safety in the classroom? ›- Secured Perimeters. ...
- Limited Access Points. ...
- Surveillance Monitoring Inside and Out. ...
- Mental Illness and Acts of Mass Violence. ...
- Policies to Combat Bullying. ...
- Positive Student/Teacher Relationships. ...
- Anonymous Tip Reporting Tools. ...
- Encourage Peacemaking.
Consider engaging in physical activity once or twice daily that includes brief periods (30-90 seconds) of greater intensity.
What are the teaching style and strategies in physical education? ›
These include: direct teaching, indirect teaching, movement exploration, cooperative activities, command style, exploration style, and reciprocal style. Tip: It can be helpful to include an example on the flashcard of each method and teaching style.
What are the benefits of blended learning in physical education? ›Despite the forms of blended learning, the use of blended learning has greater potential for transferring content into practice (4) and improves the quality and quantity of interaction between teachers and students (1), flexibility (5), learning engagement (6), and differentiated instruction (7) in classrooms.
What are the ways that you are doing in order to cope effectively in this pandemic situation? ›Dedicate time to activities that improve your mood. That can be listening to music, a film, a good book, a hobby you haven't had time for before. Be proactive because this attitude gives you the power and control of the uncertain situation.
How do you stay healthy during lockdown? ›It is necessary to have six to nine hours of sleep; it is also essential to maintain a regular sleep routine. As always as it is, we need friends. Proof shows that as important as health, diet and sleep, social connectedness is also essential. We also need to be connected with our loved ones and friends.
What is the most effective strategy in teaching physical activities? ›The multisensory strategy is a powerful way to teach students in a physical education setting because it covers the needs of all types of learners. This strategy is also a great way for students to develop confidence in volunteering to demonstrate or explain an activity or skill.
What are the 4 instructional strategies? ›In this post, I will explore four key instructional strategies: Direct Instruction, Interactive Instruction, Experiential Learning, and Independent Study.
How do you ensure effective teaching and learning? ›- Know Your Pupils and Develop Their Respect. ...
- Appropriate use of Summative and Formative Assessments. ...
- Teach the Vocabulary. ...
- Explicit Instruction. ...
- Effective Questioning Techniques. ...
- Deliberate Practice. ...
- Differentiation. ...
- Reinforcing Effort/Providing Recognition.
- Stand back from the eve. ...
- Be critical of your own actions.
- Think of alternative explanations of events.
- Make use of evidence from a range of sources e.g. theories.
- Recognise that your own point of view will change with time.
The Advantages of Face to Face Learning in the Classroom
You can access more information and richer understanding through teacher and other students' body language and voice. You have the opportunity to connect with, problem-solve, and network with other students from a wide range of backgrounds.
Allowing learners of all abilities the opportunity to advance their studies at the rate that works for them, blended learning enables fast learners to advance more quickly, while struggling students can move at their own pace and get customized support where they're stuck.