Responding to an Urgent Question

Fr. Alvan I. Amadi serves in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He wanted 2^nd graders ”to know another truth…’we are more alike than unalike.’”

How can I explain the color of my skin—and racism—to young white students? https://t.co/l2XWAs5HEV

— America Magazine (@americamag) June 13, 2020

The Lessons

Learning to calculate area happened in our backyard garden, and it didn’t feel like learning. Learning to make change happened with family at trips to stores. Learning happens in sustained ways during school time; yet learning happens in numerous ways and nearly everywhere.

These days young people are learning at home; and parents quickly have become classroom teachers. The switch may be welcome; it may be overwhelming. Moira Cullings offers encouragement to all parents-turned-teachers:

• “don’t panic”
• “remain calm…confident”
• ”schools' resources are enough”
• take advantage of ”unconventional learning”
• let "older children help...younger ones”

Ms. Cullings concludes with a schedule to help everyone. Read all her encouragement at her post at The Leaven.

___________________

Wiki-image Homework by “Sigrid Hjertén - the-athenaeum.org | PD-US"

Not Without Thought. . .

...was the following posted. A number that only recently is given attention is the number who recover from Covid. The numbers of cases (new and ongoing) and of deaths seemed to make the future abysmally dark.

Covid remains very serious for people at higher risk (also: Who is at risk of…severe illness?) and because no vaccine as yet exists to prevent disease in everyone. Reinfection is unlikely, but to date that is based on behaviour of viruses (See Question1 here). 

Parents in Michigan got infected after their son returned from abroad. The son did not know he carried the virus until he was sick. The family wrote their story to help others overcome the stigma attached to the disease and to let people know that recovery is possible. They also recommend people stay home. Their reasons for writing are the reasons their story is posted here.

___________________

Wikimage Lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus) by "Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0"

Keeping Together, Staying at Ease

National Geographic makes available to everyone information during the Covid19 pandemic. Its brief “Coronavirus family survival guide” has various links to help parents converse with their children; an explainer for kids; about pets; plus “boredom busters.”

___________________
Wiki-image by Arntor Yellow column CC BY-SA 4.0

Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus

Jesuit General Superior Fr. Arturo Sosa promulgated the Universal Apostolic Preferences for the next decade. He summarized them in this video.