‘Everybody is sick and there won’t be a cure’: The Power of Privileging Student Voices Through COVID-19 Drawings

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown was particularly challenging for elementary students who experienced disruptions in almost all aspects of their daily activities. Many studies have documented the adverse effects the pandemic created and continues to have for children. This study was conducted post-lockdown after students resumed normal school operations. The Mosaic Approach framed this case study research that was conducted using drawings created by sixteen students in grades prekindergarten through fifth grade. In order to reveal their perceptions of COVID- 19, students were asked to draw what came to mind when thinking of COVID-19. We conducted a content analysis of the data and determined four dominant themes: (1) symptoms related to COVID-19, (2) evidence of psychological or emotional responses, (3) health and safety precautions, and (4) depictions of the virus cell. We assert children’s drawings as a useful tool for educators to create opportunities to connect with students and potentially reduce their anxieties about issues, including those beyond the pandemic. Likewise, we add to the growing body of global literature legitimizing the use of children’s drawings as a means of data collection. While there has been considerable research published worldwide about children’s drawings related to COVID-19, to our knowledge, this is one of the first U.S. studies to be reported.