Shot of love: the art of care in schools post disaster

ABSTRACT

The beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020 provided the catalyst for the development of arts based resources to assist teachers and students reengage in learning when schools reopened after lockdowns imposed in New Zealand . This article presents the preliminary findings of a case study research project into an online resource to support teachers through the arts, Te Rito Toi, developed in response to COVID 19 and the lengthy closure of schools when children were forced into extended periods of physical isolation. The study reveals that the arts provided a way for teachers and students to rebuild relationships centred around love and care.

KEYWORDS:

• Pedagogy of love and care
• arts education
• Te Rito Toi
• schools’ response to Covid-19
• post-disaster research

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the funding provided for the Te Rito Toi project by NZ National Commission for UNESCO and The Chartwell Trust. The evaluation of the project was generously part funded by Cognition Education Trust. We sincerely thank the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation team, Kelcey Roberts, Iris Leng and Christa Napier Robertson for their research assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).