Wearing a facemask in class, an opportunity to educate in values. This academic year 2021-2022, it is still necessary to wear a facemask at school. In fact, it cannot be ruled out that it will continue to be so in future. Although we can see that spaces are opening up where the mask is no longer compulsory,  everything seems to indicate that they are here to stay.

More and more is becoming known about the role of children in the transmission of the disease, with  everything pointing to the fact that the virus is not usually transmitted in schools. According to the Ministry of Health: "The greatest likelihood of infection among children occurs at home. Several epidemiological studies show that the number of cases that occur among the contacts of a case during its period of transmissibility is lower in childhood than in adulthood".

In countries that kept nursery and primary schools open during the first wave, such as Sweden and Iceland, no increase in cases in children was detected. This is similar to the scenario in schools that opened in the spring of 2020, where no increase in children's cases was observed.

Although we adults possibly find it annoying to deal with masks, for parents and teachers at St. George's British International School, it provides us with a perfect opportunity to work on values.

Within the school, our pupils are used to being and learning in a society that has agreed rules and laws, which must be respected. School rules are not only used for coexistence, but also for learning about limits, personal and individual rights.

With the value of social commitment as an umbrella, in class and at home, we can find projects with which to work collaboratively so that students learn to work as a team. What better objective than to ensure that the virus does not enter the classroom, and that it does not enter the different family units?

It is common knowledge that it is extremely difficult to prevent the virus, but, according to the health authorities, if community as a whole collaborates, the spread of the virus will be reduced. This is a social commitment that involves school groups in its achievement, and it is everyone's responsibility. Another value that we can highlight is: when you put on a mask, you are taking care of your class friend, your classmate's grandfather and your mother's work colleague.

We can also "use" and "take advantage" of the pandemic situation to reinforce the value of resilience, one of the skills needed to cope with the situation. To work on it and automate, to a certain extent, the search for solutions, Sonia Martínez, child psychologist and director of the Crece Bien centres proposes, in La Vanguardia, "a game in which the whole family or the class can participate".

Everyone writes down different problems that may occur when they enter school or work... The notes are then put in a container and, taking turns, one is taken. Within a given time, each team is challenged to identify as many solutions as possible. The team that is able to come up with the most results wins a point. In this way, we activate flexibility, speed in the search for solutions and encourage each other to think that they can solve whatever problems may occur.

This feeling of belonging, a domino effect of social involvement, is the moment to develop it in the minds of our pupils.

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