Over 4,000 primary school pupils in Enfield have been provided with a copy of The Corona Collection: A Conversation in order to help parents, carers and teachers have meaningful conversations with their children about the effects of coronavirus.
Copies of the collection have been gifted to schools and libraries across the borough, and each school has also received a digital teaching pack created by Enfield Council.
Author Cheryl Moskowitz was inspired to write the collection after hearing the lockdown experiences of children in her local area. She was profoundly moved by what she heard and felt compelled to record their experiences. The result is a 72 page book of poetry which reflects the voices of the many children, parents and school staff she has spoken with in recent months.
Poetry has a long tradition of being used to share experiences and spark discussion on important subjects. By reading and responding to the poetry in Cheryl’s collection, Enfield’s returning Year 6s are being given a ‘way in’ to discuss their feelings around Covid-19. They can evaluate what they have been through so far and also look to the future. Through these valuable conversations, teachers and carers can help to support the mental health and wellbeing of their children.
On Wednesday June 24, Cheryl ran a live webinar for Enfield educators and parents to introduce the new digital learning resources which have been given to schools alongside the collection. Through the webinar, which has been recorded for further distribution, she was able to introduce the collection and offer guidance on how to make the most of this opportunity to talk with Year 6s and help them process their experiences.
This poetry project is an innovative move by Enfield Council and we are so pleased to see Cheryl’s book being used at a borough-wide level in this way. Here’s what Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Education, Cllr Rick Jewell, said about the initiative:
“This is a fantastic example of how the glorious richness of the poetry culture in Enfield is helping people through these tough times and sparking really important conversations on the topics that matter.
“Young people in our borough have played a really important role in supporting and guiding this project and I’m immensely grateful to Cheryl for producing such an amazing set of resources which will help us provide first rate pastoral care for children, who are keenly feeling the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown.”