Houd er de moed maar in – Keep the Faith

Par Dorien van der Deijl
Fév 2nd, 2021

Face to face lessons at school, online lessons. We’re allowed to go to school again, but at an appropriate distance. Yet another lockdown, except for the exam classes. We have to keep switching – both students and teachers. This requires a lot of flexibility, creativity and perseverance from everyone involved. These requirements are being met. We’re seeing the most interactive lessons. We’re seeing exam students at school and everyone is working hard. Imagine you’d be an adolescent now. You can only meet each other to a certain extent. You are not allowed to be at school, and when being at school is permitted, you have to go home after class immediately. And making contact, which is so important at this age, becomes very complicated. The face mask certainly also has a limiting effect. But it is also difficult for the teachers. They have never witnessed their profession like this. It’s not easy, given that much-needed schouderklopje* when you have to do online teaching.

 

We noticed that people were having a hard time. Therefore, it was time for action from the ethos-team at Stanislascollege Rijswijk in Netherlands.

• A card with a KitKat was sent home to the students of the first and second years; HAVE A BREAK, HAVE A KITKAT.

• A French fry cart was placed on the schoolyard for senior students and the vulnerable students of the other years who receive face to face education from their mentor. There were fries and a tasty snack for everyone.

• For all employees, a card with a bag of Cup-a-Soup was sent home; 4 o’clock, have a Cup-a-Soup. That’s what more home workers should do.

• And a card was sent or emailed to all parents and pupils with « een hart onder de riem ».

The reactions were very positive. Het geeft de burger moed*!

 

*Small lesson in Dutch sayings:

Houd er de moed maar in  –  Keep your head up/keep the faith

Schouderklopje  –  An encouraging pat on the back

Een hart onder de riem  –  To give someone encouragement, for example by giving them a gift or hand-written letter

Het geeft de burger moed  –  To raise one’s spirits

So, for all of you, a digital schouderklopje, I am going to send you een hart onder de riem. Together we can do this, houd er de moed maar in, stay positive, het geeft de burger moed!