La scuola in presenza dovrebbe essere qualcosa di più della DAD”. Riflessioni sulla scuola in pandemia di studenti di scuola superiore in Lombardia

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and at times exacerbated pre-existing fragilities of the Italian school system, making the need for profound and systemic change even more evident. This contribution illustrates how this need is also strongly felt by students, central actors – yet often unheard – of the school scene. The qualitative study was framed in a phenomenological approach. It involved 176 students from five secondary schools in Lombardy in a reflection on the school, starting from their experience with distance learning. The results highlight how reimagining the school beyond the emergency requires going beyond a didactic reorganization. Rather, it is necessary to rethink and value the school as a space imbued with relationships and where students can explore their identity; a training ground for active citizenship in which they can find their voice and let it be heard; a place where wellbeing, participation and learning are inextricably linked.