Beautiful Moments

The message is loud and clear ... To life, in any event

It was just a picnic for over a week. The activity of 40 students and 160 children in four neighborhoods in Netanya continued, as usual, even after the schools closed. And yes, it was another era where groups of up to 10 people could meet. Remember?

So that's it, we've gone through a phase.

It's been a week now - the Community Centers are closed, the teachers have stopped teaching at a distance. And the communication model of the students with the children had to undergo a dramatic change. It was necessary to translate the intimate personal touch into a long distance relationship. Not an easy challenge at all.

So of course at this point in time, we take full advantage of all the wonders of technology. The student training sessions immediately went to targeted conferences over the Internet. All students appear on the same screen (even in pajamas) and formulate methods for working with the children. In addition, each student receives a personal phone call and individual help to suit the group's needs.

The guiding principles are first and foremost the personal contact of the student with each of the children - personal conversations every day to hear what the mood is and what the situation is at home (and today it is another way of knowing which of the parents still works).

Students explain to children in their terms the situation we all face and allow them to articulate it in other creative and painting ways. And we already have an amazing painting exhibition of the Corona bacterium in many colors and shapes.

Keeping the spirit of the group - group meetings with the children through the Internet. Everyone sees everyone. You can chat, laugh, hear experiences and play with quizzes and tasks. From one conversation to the next, the kids photograph their tasks - puzzles, quizzes, scientific experiments from materials that are in the house, sporting tasks to keep fit - all are tasks that the children can share with the student and the group.

Assistance with school assignments - photocopying the worksheets, transferring them to the pupil and assisting with the assignment. If necessary, talk and consultation with the teacher.

The new reality challenges us, but also allows us to be especially creative in establishing a warm human connection.

It may be just the beginning, we do not know how long we will be subject to social isolation and uncertainty, but at such challenging times you can already clearly see the importance, human power and beautiful success of the "Students Build A Community" project.