Thank you. Yeah, elmo is getting ready for school. Elmo has his backpack. Oh, and his mask, too. Well, elmo, did you know its actually oh, and im getting ready for school, too, erica. Yeah, you know, school is a little different for me now. Some days i go to school and some days i learn from home, from my nest. And today im learning from home. Well, today. But big bird, today is actually im learning from home, too, big bird. You know and just because im learning from home it doesnt mean i dont have to get ready. You know, i need to brush my fur and get dressed and eat something before school at home. Oh, thats all true. But did you know that today is actually elmo is off to school. Elmo doesnt want to be late. Have a great day at school. Have fun, elmo. Say hi to everyone. Wait, wait, elmo. Wait, wait, wait. Everybody, hold up. Today is saturday. Saturday . Saturday . It is . Yeah. Its saturday. So, no school today. Oh. Oh. [ laughter ]. Elmo knew that. Elmo knew that. Sorry im late. I was having breakfast with my kids before they head off to school. Its saturday its saturday its saturday wait, what . Saturday . Yeah. Yeah, dr. Sanjay, today is saturday. Theres no school today. Huhuh. Nope. Nope, dr. Sanjay. Really . Kids are going to be so excited. Kids, its saturday. Look, the days have really been blending together. That is for sure. And while today may be saturday, were still going to learn because this morning were having a town hall all about back to school. A town hall . Yeah yeah you know, this years school is a little different, or maybe a lot different, for students, teachers and families. Yeah. But different can be okay. Thats right, big bird. I mean, this school year is not going to be what were used to, but theres still lots of great ways children are learning at home and at school. [ bell rings ] oh . Did you hear that . Its time to learn. All right. Welcome to the abcs of back to school, a cnn sesame street town hall. Hey, everybody. Lets get ready for school. Yes, yes and yes. Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us on this saturday. Its saturday, dr. Sanjay. Saturday morning. Thats right. Thank you, big bird. Im erica hill along with dr. Sanjay gupta and, once again, lending us a wing, our cohost big bird from sesame street. Well, thank you for having me. I cant wait to Start Talking about school. Yeah. Well, this year going back to school is definitely going to be a little different. You can say that again. As you can see from our opening segment, its going to take a little adjusting for parents and teachers and kids and the whole family to get used to new School Routines due to the covid19 pandemic. Yeah. So some children will be in school for a full day like elmo. Other kids might learn at school part of the time and then at home part of the time. Thats what my sons are doing, westin and sawyer. Me, too. I get to go to school some days at home and the other days i go to my school. Yeah. Thats what my kids are going to be doing as well. But you know what, some kids are continuing to distance learn only at home. Yeah. To make it even more challenging for families, we know that plans are changing daily and theyre probably going to continue to change throughout the school year. Yeah. But like my granny bird says, we have to be flexible. Thats good advice, big bird. This isnt going to be a Normal School year, but we will keep taking care of ourselves and taking care of others. Yeah. And we can make it a Great School Year together. Oh, big bird, youre right. Thats the best attitude to have. You know, today were going to hear from doctors, teachers, students and families and well talk about all the wonderful ways that we can support each other, stay healthy and keep learning. So lets get started by answering your questions and here to help is my friend, dr. Edith brocco sanchez. So great to see you dr. Edith. We want to get right to this question that we got from eli in oklahoma. If were going back to school, does that mean that the germs are done . Hi, guys. Are the germs gone . Thats a good question. So unfortunately the germs are not gone. But weve learned a number of things about how to keep ourselves and our friends safe in this past few months that weve been living through this pandemic. We learned if we wash our hands, wear our masks, keep our distance we really, really can prevent ourselves and our friends from catching the germs, right . So i want you to feel safe if your grownups choose to send you back to school. And if you dont feel safe and if youre scared, please let your grownups know so they can help you work through those fears. Yeah. Good advice. We have another question, this one is from louisiana. Lets take a look. Do you think it is currently safe for me to return to school . What should we expect to experience . And do you think well ever return back to the way it used to be soon . Topic number one in so many households. So, i think it depends whats going on in your particular community to determine whether or not its safe to go back to school. If theres a lot of virus there still, maybe not yet. Keep in mind if you do go back to school, it will look and feel different as dr. Bracho sanchez was saying, wash your hands a lot, keep your distance. Were eventually go back to normal. We should always keep washing our hands as much as possible. But good luck to you. Thanks for the question. We also have a Little Something from our friend ernie on sesame street. Ernie . Lets get ready for back to school with this next question. Are there any different or additional precautions that students should take as we approach flu season while we are still dealing with covid19 at the same time . Dr. Edith, such a smart question. I know so many families are talking about right now, should we be approaching flu season differently this year because of covid19 . Yes. So i definitely hope that some of the measures that we are taking to prevent the spread of covid19 will also help us to prevent this part of the flu, but if theres anything that weve learned in these past few months is that we need every tool we have. And when it comes to the flu, we also have a safe and effective vaccine so this season is more important than ever that we all go get our flu shots. And its not a bad time to start doing that now even over the next month or so. We have another question about masks from 7yearold twins parker and c. J. Lets take a look. Whats the proper mask etiquette . Do we wear it for the entire day . Do we take it off at lunch . What if we sneeze in it . What do we do . They are outdressing us for sure. They really are. No question about etiquette with these two. Look, this is an important question. There is proper mask etiquette. So, couple points. You probably should take a couple masks there. Keep one, wear it all day. Thats fine. If you need to switch it out, you can switch it out. If youre sneezing, if youre sick, you should stay home. If its one of those spontaneous sneezes, you can change your mask afterwards. Thats why you bring a second one. One thing you want to make sure that youre wearing it right. Really get it over your nose and over your chin. Remember its your nose and chin, not way down here or up higher or anything like that. And you also want to make sure its really effective. Take a look at this, kids. Here is a candle. Here is my mask. Im going to try to blow this out. An effective mask you wont be able to do that. Now make sure if youre doing this experiment you have an adult close by, but that should help. Again, great outfits. Thank you, kids. I know. They really are so dapper. I love it. Our pal bird is with us from sesame street, too, and he has a Little Something. Pencils down, class. Its time for a question. Im nervous, but mostly excited to see my friends again. Are there any fun ways that we can greet each other without hugging . Oh my gosh, all these kids with their amazing setups this morning. I love it. So dr. Edith, what can kids do so they can greet their friends in a safe way . Its so great to get them back together. Yeah. And i have to tell you, erica, i miss hugging. Im a hugger, and i miss hugging. We will eventually get back to a world in which we can hug our friends. But until then, ive seen some very creative ways to greet each other. I really like the elbow bump, where you both sort of raise your elbows and bump them. And ive also seen, erica, foot shakes. Not handshakes but foot shakes. You kind of have to work on your balance to raise one foot and keep the other one on the ground. But try it out, kids. Its a good little core workout at the same time. The ankle bump, yes. We got another question. This one is from a teacher in texas. As a teacher and a parent, im concerned about the items that are transported from school to home. Should students, uniforms, masks and cloth backpacks be washed as soon as they return home from school . Yeah. A common question. The good news is that you typically think of people over porcelain in terms of how this virus is spread. So its more likely to come from actual people as opposed to objects and things like that. The mask is a good thing to wash. Those cloth masks should be washed regularly. The other things you can wash with the normal frequency that you are doing before, but just keep in mind, you really want to if somebody is sick, having any symptoms, obviously if they tested positive, those are people that need to be isolated or quarantined. And speaking of school supplies, though, i got to tell you, erica is with big bird and his big backpack. Hey, big bird. What are you doing . Oh. Im going over my school checklist. Theres some new things on here. And i need to have them when i go to school. Yeah. What kinds of things are on your list, big bird . Well, lets see. I have my pencils and paper and crayons. Oh, here is a new one. Its my mask. There it is right there. See that . Oh, yeah. Yeah. I wear it over my beak and it helps keep me and my teacher and my classmates all healthy. Yeah. Thats right. Kids going into school definitely need to wear their mask to help limit the spread of germs. Yeah. And it felt weird to wear it at first, but now i barely even notice it. Yeah. I know what you mean. These are some of my kids masks. And they had to get used to wearing them too. In fact, our school even recommended that maybe kids should practice wearing them around the house so theyre more comfortable wearing them. Big bird, what else is on your list this year . I have my books. Oh, and this. Whats that, big bird . Well, this is called my distance stick. Yeah. We made them at school during craft time. Everybody in my class has one to make sure were staying the right distance apart. Its made from paper towel rolls, tape and construction paper. That is such a neat idea, big bird. Theres a hand at the end here. So i can use it to wave at my friends. Hi, erica. Oh, big bird. I love that. Hi, big bird. Hi. Oh, and we can still give each other high fives like this. Oh, just like that. Perfect. Yeah. Oh, big bird, that is such a great idea. So, tell me what else is on your school list . Oh, lets see. Okay. Wipes. But when i eat lunch at my desk, and of course, i have wing sanitizer. Thats very important. Wing sanitizer is very important. I know a lot of schools when they can providing some of those supplies, but just like you, im putting some extras in my boys bags, westin and sawyer, so theyre ready to go. Its a ready for school bag. Ready for school bag . Yeah. So in this bag ive got a lot of the things that you have. Hand sanitizer, not for wings but probably still works. Ive also got some wipes, just like you. And also an extra mask. Oh, wow. Thats a great way to make sure that you dont forget in addition and are always ready for school. You know, another thing thats going to happen before you go into school, big bird, youll get your temperature checked. And a grownup will ask you how youre feeling, if youre feeling sick. Oh, yeah. And then if youre sick, dont go to school. Thats so important, big bird. Youre right. And remember, its okay to be sick and its okay to not go to school because you want to make sure you stay home to rest and feel better so you dont get anyone else sick. Yeah. Thats right. And before you know it, youll be feeling better and back to school. Thats right, big bird. Big bird, thanks so much for showing us everything on your school ready list. I would say youre ready for school on monday. I think so, too, erica. All right. Lets get to another question now for dr. Edith. This is from juliana in vermont. When can we have birthday parties again . Dr. Edith, kids have to be careful in school. We just talked about that. But playdates, birthday parties as well, right . Thats absolutely right. I think it is okay to have playdates and birthday parties, but were going to have to have them outside. Were still going to remember to keep our distance and wear our masks. We cant let our guard down, not even when were celebrating. So we can still celebrate, right . Thats the great thing. We also have a question from jordan in new york. What happens if one of my friends gets the coronavirus and o what are the consequences for the rest of us . Such an important question and i know a lot of families are grappling with right now. What if jordan has a friend who gets coronavirus. Thats right. So i think what happens is going to depend on how close he was to this friend who gets coronavirus. If they were in the same classroom, theyre likely all going to have to be sent home. So they can clean the school and so they can figure out who was exposed and if anyone else got sick. I think in that time its going to be really important to remember to check in with that friend who got sick because they might be really scared and it also is important to remember that we ourselves have to stay home until weve been cleared either by a doctor or the day care, the school says its okay to go back to school. Yeah. And i should point out as well because this has been a little confusing sometimes. If youve had if youve been in contact with somebody who is known to have the coronavirus, the covid, you should get tested as well, even if you dont have symptoms. I know theres been back and forth on that. But that is the best guidance, right, dr. Edith . Thats absolutely right. Hopefully you live in a community where testing is quick and it is accessible to everyone. Absolutely. Well, before we say goodbye, dr. Edith, i know you have one more message for all the families watching this morning. Thats right. So, i really want to remind everyone watching that while we all are thinking about covid19, theres a number of things that we can and should do to keep kids safe that are beyond covid19, right . So now is the time to come visit us, the pediatricians, and get up to date on all your vaccines, get kids eyes checked, get them to the dentist, right . We want to make sure they can see, they dont have cavities so they can learn. Now is also the time to remember that some kids are in a really vulnerable position. Some kids may be experiencing hunger and homelessness. So now is the time to come together as communities to help those really vulnerable families so they, too, can learn. Dr. Edith bracho sanchez, thank you so much. Thank you, guys. Im so proud of you. People dont know this you were one of my fellows at one point. Im so proud of you. Thank you for being here today. Thank you so, so much. So great. And i Love Learning that little bit of history, too, sanjay. Sanjay, we have another important question. This one is for you and it comes from agnes in washington, d. C. Go ahead. Why havent they found a cure for the coronavirus . What if there isnt a cure . Such a good question, agnes. It is true we dont have a cure for the coronavirus yet, but doctors and scientists are working hard to create a vaccine. Vaccine helps your body actually. Did someone say help . I, your friendly neighborhood monster hero supergrover am here to help. Supergrover, how are you doing . Its good to see you. You know, i was just actually telling everyone how vaccines help our bodies. Vaccines. Well, you are in luck. I know all about vaccines. Really . Yeah. Vaccines are when well, theyre sort of like how you know, dr. Sanjay, this is your show. I do not want to step on any toes. Why do you not tell everyone what vaccines are, huh . I would love to, supergrover. Thank you. Our bodies are great at fighting off all sorts of different germs and infections. In fact, each one of us in some ways could be considered a superhero. Ah, you do not have to tell me. Just look at the strong, fit body. You look great, supergrover, for sure. Inside all of our bodies we have these different defenses like antibodies that work to prevent us from getting sick. They are teeny, tiny and you can only really see them under a microscope. Hello in there. Keep helping and protecting me, my super body. Sometimes our bodies need a little extra help. You can think of it in some ways as added protection. Like a sword and a shield. Or a cape . Yeah. Something that gives our superhero bodies a little extra boost. Vaccines sort of let our bodies practice defending ourselves, making our immune system stronger so the next time we see the virus we know how to beat it. And stay healthy, too to keep saving the day thats right, supergrover. Even superheroes need a little help sometimes. And while scientists and doctors work around the clock to give us that extra boost, we all need to do our best to stay healthy as well. We can all be Health Heroes by wearing our mask, staying six feet apart, eating healthy, exercising and drinking plenty of water. Thats right. Thats right. And if you arent feeling well, tell an adult and stay home. Youll be able to get rest and keep others healthy. Well, dr. Sanjay, i am off to help a cat stuck in a tree. Someone open a pickle jar and find a lost tv remote. Up, up and away i do not suppose there is a flying vaccine yet, is there . Looks like i could use a little help. Not yet, supergrover. I dont think so. Until then, i guess i will walk. Walk, walk and away. Coming up next, well talk about making the most of remote learning. And well check in with my friend rosita who has a friend craft that you can make for your athome school. We have a lot more answers and advice as well to all of your questions. So stay tuned. [ horn honks ] however you go back walmarts got your back. Im a verizon engineer. And im part of the team building. A powerful 5g experience for america. Its 5g ultra wideband, and its already available in parts of select cities. Like los angeles. And in new york city. And its rolling out in cities around the country. With massive capacity. Its like an eightlane highway compared to a twolane dirt road. 25x faster than todays 4g networks. In fact, its the fastest 5g in the world. From the network more people rely on. This is 5g built right. Only on verizon. excited squeal, giggling panting gotcha nooooo. Noooooo. Nooooo. Quick, the quicker picker upper bounty picks up messes quicker and each sheet is 2x more absorbent, so you can use less. Ahoy laughing bounty, the quicker picker upper. No uh uh, no way come on, no no nnnnono only discover has no annual fee on any card. Nnnnono you can go your own way go your own way your wireless. Your rules. Only Xfinity Mobile lets you choose shared data, unlimited or a mix of each. And switch anytime so you only pay for the data you need. Switch and save 400 a year on your wireless bill. Plus, get 400 off when you buy the new Samsung Galaxy note20 ultra 5g. Distance learning can be really hard for me. But i know my teachers are working really hard to keep me safe. And im looking forward to going to school in person. School is so magical. Im so excited for my arts and crafts with my art teacher. I cant wait to add more drawings to my art wall. I cant wait to take more mandarin classes. Im excited to see my friends at school. Even though were apart, were still connected. And i can give my classmates a big bird wave. [ laughter ]. Welcome back to the abcs of back to school. Across the country, children are continuing to distance learn at home. Thats right, erica. My children started the school year taking part in Distance Learning this school year and so is rosita from sesame street. Lets check in with rosita now. Hi. Hola, sanjay, hi, erica. Hey, rosiat. What are you doing . Okay, im doing great. You know, im just finishing my athome classroom. Oh. Rosita, could you show that to us . Let me move my phone here and let me show you. Look. I made my own desk just like at school. It has my name on it. Uhhuh. And these are drawings i did during art and craft. Can you see them . And this is my school schedule, yeah. And here is my pappys computer i use to see my teacher and classmates. And i have my pencils and crayons here. And here is my activities that my teacher sends me. I got to say, you know, thats a pretty greatlooking desk, rosita. You know what i made it out of card board we had in the house. Yeah. It makes me feel like im at school even while im at home. And its great, doctor. I can set it up on the Kitchen Table or in my living room or here in my room. So wherever you are, you can bring it with you and it looks like it could really help you concentrate on your school work at home. It really does. You know, i think its so important, such a good point, kids who are learning at home, they need to know and feel that school is separate from their home life. And setting up a learning area or a desk can help reenforce that separation. Also, i got to tell you, its important that they still follow a school routine. Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah. Like getting dressed in the morning. Yes, exactly. I got to tell you, even though my children have mostly been at home, they still try and follow their Normal School day morning routine as much as i can get them to do so. They wake up. They do get dressed. And i try and feed them a healthy breakfast. Yeah. Like oatmeal or cereal with yummy berries. Right. Uhhuh. I think the key is to help get them in the mindset that even though they are home, its still a school day. Yes. Youre right. Rosita, how is the Distance Learning going for you . Are you enjoying it . Um, well, you know what, i miss going to school and seeing my friends. But i talked to my mommy and my pappy and they said that having school at home is the best way to keep our whole family, you know, especially my abuela healthy. Well, that seems like a really good way to look ate, rosita. Rosita, thank you for showing us your desk. Have a Great School Year. Bye, rosita. Joining us now to talk how kids can get the best education wherever and however theyre learning this year, please welcome educator sal khan and andrea. She is teaching inperson kindergarten in jacksonville, florida. So great to have both of you with us this morning. Welcome. Yeah, thanks for being here. We have first up a question about something i think so many parents are struggling with right now. Take a listen. What strategies can parents use to keep their kids interested or focussed on Virtual Learning while also working from home . Oh, sal, please answer this one for me, too. Thats a good one. I think this is something adults need to stay focussed on virtual work sometimes, too. Theres two ideas i can think of. One is this technique to deal with procrastination named after paul modero tomato timer. You set a time where you stay focussed and force yourself a break. Even if you could keep working you force yourself a break and psychologically everyone can sayky surely do another 20, 30 minutes. When you take that forced break, youre ready to dive in again. Some of this can be in coordination with the teachers to think about how to make those Video Conference sessions a little more flexible, but definitely works on the selfpaced work that kids have to do. Another idea something we have been doing at khan academy, refresh khan academy. Org. When youre taking those breaks, these could be fun things for students to do on their own or do in a group with their teachers. Draw an elephant without looking or who would you like to meet if you had to meet anyone for dinner in history. Fun things to mix it up and break up the monotony of Distance Learning sometimes. Thats really good advice. I think for kids. But im going to do some of that as well, sal. Thats terrific. Lets check in with our friend abby cadaby from sesame street. Here is a student with a great back to school question. Can my new Kindergarten Teacher hug me if i get scared . These kids are so cute. Andrea, what do you think about that . Well, first of all, thank you so much for asking that question. And im sure lots of other kids are wondering the same exact thing. So i want to say always ask your teacher if its okay to hug first. Okay . Its okay to be scared and its okay to need a hug. Ask your teacher if its okay to hug first. I know here at camp jacksonville, teachers decided over the summer if a student came up and hugged us, we would definitely hug back. Sometimes we cant stop them. Theyre coming full force with a hug and we hug them. But we also have taught them other ways to comfort themselves, like air fives. We do elbow bumps. We wink. But the big favorite here is the air hug. So if you feel like you need a hug, ask your teacher and then get an air hug. I hope that makes you feel less scared. Ah, thats great advice. I have to say just listening to you makes me feel more calm. Our next question is one that we got from a lot of parents with children who are Virtual Learning this year. Take a listen. How can i keep my daughter excited about learning while at home . Im a single mother, and she doesnt have any siblings, so she misses that interaction with her teachers and with her classmates. Its such a great point. I think so many parents have struggled with that. You want to keep your kids engaged, but you also want them to socialize because thats such an important part of their development, too, sal. Yeah. Another very good question. You know, all learning whether youre doing it Distance Learning or eventually hopefully inperson learning it becomes more engaging and interesting if you feel like you can apply it, it feels useful somehow. One of the few advantages of Distance Learning is as a parent you can eves drop on what kids are learning. Try to ask them about it. When youre having lunch together, when youre having dinner, i heard you talking about photo synthesis. Tell me more about that. That will make the kids perk up, oh, youre interested in that. You can also try to learn alongside your child. That will also signal to them that what theyre learning is really important and something worth learning because even your parents are intrigued. And what about engaging in terms of in that classroom, since were not in the classroom, raising hands, maybe kids are trying to raise their hands on a video, in a video class. How do you handle that as a teacher, sal . Yeah. Well i think theres two things. I think as a parent or a student if you feel like your child isnt able to engage, observe what other students are doing. I think this is a really good time to have good conversations with teachers. Make them respectful conversations. A lot of people are kind of over their heads right now feeling anxious. Dont project that on to the teacher. But i think this is a time where if you have a twoway conversation, have feedback, hey, i noticed some kids arent able to participate as much. I know a lot of teachers are making sure, you know, ive run a couple virtual sessions with kids. I keep a little check box of who ive called on and who ive not to make sure i get to everyone. Great advice. I think we have another message now coming from sesame street. Rosita, lets hear it. [ speaking in Foreign Language ] that means someone has another back to school question. How do i reassure my child who is social and outgoing to maintain appropriate social distancing when engaging with her classmates . Andrea, i think we have to toss that one to you. Again, these kids want to be together, but you need to maintain that physical distance ill call it. What advice do you have . Well, yes. This is absolutely a very important question to address with your child and be thinking about as parents for a childs social and Emotional Development. Keeping our distance is definitely important. And thats going to be a part of some of the things that we have to do. But absolutely, let them be their authentic severals. If theyre outgoing, reassure them its okay to be outgoing, because guess what, in our classrooms now, those of us that are in school, we need that. Those are the friends that amplify the joy and bring the joy. We need that when theres a lot of heavy. You can also with that in mind encourage your child to use their words more than their physical touch or hands for being an outgoing person. Words have power. So, if theyre able to affirm their friends, affirm themselves, their teachers or their classroom community, that is great. So, thats one way you can get that joy out without being so physically close to people and still staying safe, which is something we do in my classroom every single day. Thank you. I think you are definitely one of these Kindergarten Teachers that im sure no one every forgets, andrea. Thank you very much. I was just thinking the same thing. I want to be in your kindergarten class this year, andrea, actually. We have another question. This is from 10yearold lila from georgia. My school let us choose from virtual and facetoface. I chose virtual. How am i supposed to stay in touch with my friends who are doing facetoface and not feel left out . Sal, how do you tackle that one . Well, theres two things. One, you could give ideas for your teacher. So while youre doing Virtual Learning and maybe your kids your friends are physically present to do a couple ice breaker exercises regard lets of the subject to do 5, 10 minute there makes a huge difference and outside of the virtual classes, try to get together with them either virtually on Video Conference, maybe half an hour a day, time to catch up. And if you can in a socially distanced way, meet at a park or have a socially distanced outdoor play date is a great way. Thats what my kids are doing to stay socially engaged with their friends. Sal khan, andrea jamat, thank you the both for joining us today. Great advice. Man, you make me feel a lot better as a mom. Thank you. I hope everybody at home is feeling the same way too. Lets head over to our cohost big bird. We have a lot more on back to School Coming up, but first, my friend oscar the grouch has a message about wearing your mask. Oscar the grouch here to tell you, yeah you, to wear a mask out in public around other people. Sure, it will keep you healthy, but more importantly, i wont have to see your happy smiling face. And if you dont want to wear a mask, ive just got one thing to tell you scram. Go away. Go go go go go go go on a real vacation. Visit go rving. Com or your nearest rv dealer. Hello to all of the children and parents joining us today. I want to wish all of you a Wonderful School year. Whether youre going back in person or online, this is an important time of year. Each of you have a bright future, and if you work hard, you will grow up to be whatever you want to be. So do your school work. Listen to your parents and teachers. And be kind to your classmates. School can be hard sometimes. But remember, you have something very special to offer and we are all here to help you succeed. The president and i wish you a safe, healthy and Successful School year. May god bless you and your families and may god bless the United States of america. Hi, friends. As we head back to school, just like elmo, big bird and rosita, i want all of you to know that teachers like me are so excited to welcome you back. Parents, hang in there. Youre doing great. And to the educators, thank you. Our students need us more than ever. And ive never been prouder to be a teacher. Have a Great School Year. Wear your masks. And stay safe. Welcome back to the abcs of back to school and a special thank you for those very special messages from the first lady and from dr. Jill biden. Yeah. We also want to thank all of you at home sending in so many amazing questions trying to get to the abcs of back to school. Now we would like to check in with rudy from sesame street who is also getting ready to head back to school. Hi, erica. And hi, dr. Gupta. Im just getting ready to go back to school this week. Theres a lot to remember. Let me see. On mondays do i learn at school or do i learn at home . And what do i do if i forget my mask . Or what if i cant use the computer because abby is using the computer . I dont know what to do. Rudy, rudy. Whats wrong . Oh, abby. All these changes are just theyre too hard. I give up. Give up . But rudy, you loved preschool. Yeah, but that was before it got to be so different. I mean, if i mix everything up, what do i do . Its okay, rudy. Remember what mommy taught us to help us calm down. Lets belly breathe. Okay . Okay. Okay. Hands on my belly. Uhhuh. Deep breath in. Okay. And then slowly breathe out. See. Yeah. I want to do it again. Okay. Here we go. Slow, deep breath in. And deep breath out. There now little brother. Do you feel better . I do. Oh, but im still nervous about school. I know. There is a lot to remember. Hey, but look, we have this. See. Its a schedule. Schedule . Whats a schedule . Look, it helps us to know when to go to school and when were learning at home. See . Mommy helped me make it. I drew all the pictures. Oh. Look on the days of the drawing of the school, thats when we learn at school. And the days with the house is when we learn at home . Yeah, thats right. Wow. Oh, and look. Theres a drawing of a mask. Uhhuh. And thats so we remember to wear our masks at preschool. Oh, okay. Oh, hey, abby, whats that one . Those are pancakes. Pancake saturday . Yeah, thats right. Theres no school today, rudy. Yeah. And now we have our schedule to help. Thanks, sis. So, come on. Its pancake time. Yeah, pancake time. Thanks, abby and rudy. I love pancake time and belly breathing, of course. Yeah. The belly breathing always helps for sure. Remember to smile every now and then. Its okay to laugh even a little bit. I know we had some big feelings during this pandemic, erica, all of us have. That we have. Joining us now to talk more about the big feelings that both kids and adults are having around back to school, please welcome the Vice President and education publisher at sesame workshop, the Nonprofit Organization behind sesame street and a clinical social worker and the founder of star therapy. Its great to have both of you with us this morning to help us tackle our big feelings. Tallia, back to school is always exciting. A little nerve racking, but of course more so this year with kids learning in new ways and so many people lives have really been drastically changed over the past six months. Their family may have relocated, maybe they lost a job, they lost a loved one. It is a lot. Tallia, how do we start to handle all of these emotions . Yeah. And erica, everything you just said im sure every person watching this feels exactly that. You know, my take home message for all of the parents that i work with and i hope that will be the takehome message today is what were going through right now, we need to reframe it. We need to think a little differently about what were facing. Rather than seeing this as a huge problem, lets reframe it and talk about it as a challenge. You know, if youre like me, when i think problem, i think, oh, i get intimidated. I get scared. I wonder if its going to be permanent. When i reframe it and think about something as a challenge, it sort of comes with this inherent feeling that we can do something to work through it, that it doesnt have to be so permanent. That maybe it can actually be temporary. And we can rise up and achieve something here. So i tried to help parents reframe it, think of it as a challenge that we can work through and to me thats the breeding ground for resiliency which is one of the best things that we can help our kids come out of covid19 with some skills in. Yeah. And we are going to get through this together, not sure when but we will get through this. Lets get to a question now from a parent. How will schools mitigate the loss of social, emotional skills that kindergarten students arent able to strengthen through Virtual Learning . Kimi, i think about this all the time. This is a tough one. Kindergarten, such a critical age for social development, Brain Development even if youre seeing other kids they may have masks on. What advice would you have . Well, i think would be two sources of advice, sanjay and talia, good morning. One is that schools know the critical importance of socially, emotional learning. They understand how children have to learn how to manage their emotions as well as build positive relationships and resiliencies. We have seen schools incorporate social, Emotional Development right into the curriculum inside their literacy curriculum is everyday routines of learning. Weve also seen schools reach out to families and bring in families as partners in social and emotional learning. So as we just seen rudy and abby exemplify for us those everyday moments are indeed building these critical skills. We have another question now from a concerned parent. Take a look. My husband and i work fulltime jobs. My kds were doing remote learning, but were getting nothing out of it. We sent them back to the inschool environment. How do we make them feel safe being inside of a building when theres so many other people there . So talia, how do parents go about protecting their kids, reduce their anxiety . Parents play a role here too. Definitely. You know, i think parents have some of the hardest jobs in the world, right . Its so hard to see our kids struggling. I know for me i saw my 3yearold have to be peeled off of me to go to school this week. You know, he was very afraid and reluctant to go. And to me those are the hardest moments. Thats when we usually want to swoop in and save our kids from having to feel those feelings, but really these are moments where theyre learning, okay, i can be a little scared but i can also be brave and go and do it. And then once they do, they reflect on that and say, wow, i was scared but i actually conquered that. It can be a huge moment for confidence building. And i think that parents, you know, in those moments feel like they have to solve their kids feelings. Your kids dont need that. They really just need you to sit next to them, give them a hug, tell them you love them and you have supreme confidence that theyll be able to get through this and kids absorb that. If we can lead with confidence and optimism, our kids will soak that in. It will help those tough emotions come down a little bit and thats where bravery steps in and they can go and do it and feel confident as a result. Yeah. I think its quite possible kids could end up more resilient as a result of all this. I know its tough, but that could be one positive consequence. Our feathered coanchor has something for us. Take it away, big bird. A little birdie told me someone has a back to school question. Oh. How can i make friends when they cant see my face or my smile . Akimi, this gets back to the same thing, i think, this idea of how were interacting in a different way, but what about the masks specifically . It does take away a lot of those nonverbal cues. Yes. First of all, what a thoughtful question zoe asked on behalf of all children out there who probably have the exact same question, zoe. We know, first of all, mask wearing is a sign of friendship. Youre helping your friends stay safe and healthy. Did you know we can show your smiles beneath our masks. Our cheeks rise up, our eyes get smaller and theres so many other cues, so many other signals we can provide. A couple other tips there, zoe. One other tip is maybe theres a new way to greet your friends. Maybe its a virtual and air high five or an elbow bump and potentially my favorite one is using your kind words. Inviting your friends in to play a game with you. I just know, im confident that this year will be filled with a lot of new friends for you, zoe. I love that. So reassuring. With kids going back to school. With parents working, staying connected as we know is more important than ever. Here with a message on keeping your family connected is daniel from sesame street. Hey, im daniel. Julia and samuels dad. Like everyone, were all dealing with a lot right now. And its been a real challenge transitions back into our old routines. Kids are going back to school in different ways and parents are going back to work. And assen emt, i have been working some long hours, but on my days off, i have loved being able to spend time with the kids. But now with them going back to school, its been kind of hard for me having days off without them at home. And i know going back to school has been tough for them, too. Especially my daughter julia who has autism. Weve had to practice wearing our masks at home for when she goes to school. And with the changing schedule of going to school some days and learning from home the other days, its been really tricky to settle on a new routine, especially after being home with her apartments for so long. Look, ill be honest, i miss her being home, too. But together our family has come up with a way for us all to stay connected. This bracelet. Isnt it sweet . Julie and samuel made them for everybody in the family. When we feel apart or miss each other, we can look at our bracelets and know were all wearing them. Thanks, daniel. Families have spent so much time together over these past months, and now, of course, everybody is starting to do their own thing, go back to routines. What are some ways to help manage that separation . So like i said before, im experiencing this in my own home. And you know, in a circumstance where everything feels so uncertain and so out of our control, the number one thing we actually do have control over is our bond with our kids. So one of the things i recommend to everybody in order to help heal some of that separation fear that our kids are experiencing is ten minutes of uninterpreted time with our kids every single day. If we can do that, it will help mitigate some of that fear about separating. And to make sure that were reassuring them that separation doesnt mean that were gone forever. I have to remind my 3yearold, ill be back at 3 to pick you up. In the video, too, they talked about maybe an item that your child can take with them that they can keep in their backpack to help feel connected to you. Something small, something thats not a big distraction but can live in their backpack to go to and from school is a great way to help mitigate that feeling. Great advice. Talia, akimi, thank you for your thoughtful answers to everyones questions. We appreciate your time today. Our back to School Town Hall is coming to a close. You know, things may be changing daily, but do remember, were all in this together. And we all want our children to be safe and healthy and also get the best education possible. We would also like to thank the walten Family Foundation whose general rougs contribution helped to make this back to School Town Hall possible and special thanks to all our experts and of course a very big thank you to our cohost big bird and all our friends on sesame street. Well, thank you for having me, erica. I learned a lot. Even on a saturday. Hey, my friends and i have a message to all the students, teachers and faculty out there. Okay, everybody. One, two, three have a Great School Year. You got this. Yeah. Bye. Bye bye. Yeah. Bye bye. Have fun at school. Elmo loves you. You cant claim that as a dependent. 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