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What are the stories we will keep from this pandemic?

In Humanities we teach topics from the lens of History, Geography and Commerce. Major events such as Wars, cultural changes, GFC and the changing climate just to name a few. As we reflect on these major events, we analyse the who, what, where, how and therefore of the event. In 50 years, how we will look back on the Covid crisis and what will we be teaching about the pandemic? UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described it as the ‘worst public health crisis for a generation’. What will our students learn from the pandemic today which they will take into their future lives?

In Economics, we analyse the economic ramifications of the Great Depression in with up to 25% unemployment and how mothers had to go to work to support their families changing the social dynamics of the household. However, while deprived children of the Great Depression did show anxiety about their social status, a longitudinal study by Glenn Elder showed that economic deprivation was correlated with greater success.

Will we be discussing with our grandchildren how people ran out to stores and literally had physical fights over toilet paper? Will we talk about how mothers and fathers had to become their child’s teacher while home schooling? Or will we focus on how many jobs have become virtual and how businesses have innovated to survive? Will we celebrate how quickly a vaccine was created? Often the very best of humanity is displayed during a crisis and hopefully this is what we will remember, not the fights over toilet paper.

While this is a trying time for all, albeit we have been very lucky here in the ACT, there is a silver lining. What stories and memories will we keep to talk to our children in the future?

Kylie Rose
Head of Humanities and Social Science