Travel to Italian schools in the time of Coronavirus

Every Wednesday afternoon they meet at the pc . Parents and principal to talk about school and to talk about the days of the Coronavirus. In front of the screen, in an emergency that made them community, in a virtual reality that makes them feel closer than ever. Albino, Val Seriana, one of the epicenters of the Covid-19 epidemic . It all starts with an email sent by Veronica Migani, head of the school including Solari, 1400 students and 200 teachers, to the Ministry of Education. The request for help from those who grasp the desperation of a community that counts its deaths every day in silence. The answer comes immediately. And also the offer of psychological support to teachers and young people.
Vittoria, province of Ragusa, the other head of the country. "Portella della Ginestra" school. A different reality. The virus causes fewer deaths and the problems are other: missing PCs, poor families who do not have internet connection. Here the task force of Minister Lucia Azzolina, coordinated by the head of the department Giovanna Boda, intervened by getting what was missing: tablets, computers. And the teachers did the rest: the children of the kindergarten, with the help of their parents, were able to watch Rodari's animated tales on the tablets; elementary school students took part in the first social reading of the Supreme Poet with Dantedì, with a video that sees them declaim triplets of the Divine Comedy.
The "journey" in Italian schools at the time of Covid-19 tells stories of resistance, of courage teachers who, in addition to teaching, think about the needs of entire communities, who work tirelessly using technology, where it is, using heart and creativity, where the means are lacking. Who manage to do the impossible: how to manufacture, with 3d printers, means of protection for doctors and nurses to donate to hospitals.
Ministry help arrives. The task force supports the teachers.
And the miracle takes place: the school works, the children find a normalcy in the abnormality "Distance teaching was not a problem for us - says the school manager of Albino - As the days passed, however, the the air was becoming unbreathable. There was no family that had not experienced a mourning. I was afraid that sooner or later we would all be imploded. I understood that we were experiencing an emotional emergency and I asked for help. The Ministry was activated immediately. First with the support of the Orthophonological institute that provided us with psychological support. Then with a twinning with the Valenza school of Alessandria and its principal, Maurizio Carandini, who had already worked as a psychological consultant for teachers in post traumatic situations such as the earthquake. by hand, he spoke at the meetings, he advised us to favor dialogue with children, to make them express themselves through drawing ". In short, a network where everyone shares their talent. "The minister - said the Albino executive - called twice. She wanted to talk to the boys". "The students - he says - tell me: 'can we take an extra lesson? The parents wait on Wednesday to meet and talk.
We reassembled a community that was falling apart. "In the emergency, no one gave up showing heart and also teaching the children solidarity." An association asked us for help because the hospital had no health facilities.
- proudly explains Anna Cammalleri, general director of the Puglia School Office, who tells an initiative of the Salento schools. "Thanks to a former student, now a robotics engineer, a project was made. Within two days all the 3D printers of the schools began to produce visors which were also sent to the Sacco hospital in Milan".