Well, here we are. We are a week away from school starting again. This time of year is always filled with joyous, nervous, excitement. What will the kids be like? How do I want to start the year? Will I make a good impression or make myself look stupid? I swear I’m not a student… Teachers have these feelings too!
This year. 2020. The year like no other. What can I say? Where do I begin?
I switched districts in the spring. It seems like a way better fit so far and that’s just through the online meetings. The things I never imagined I would miss about middle school and standards based grading have been worked into a high school setting. So I get the best of both worlds! I work at a school that is only a few years old and the staff seem open to new ideas and possibilities. My classroom is huge and amazing and just beautiful. It doesn’t have any windows, but teaching biology I should be able to get some grow lights to bring some plants in. But, I won’t be using my classroom anytime soon.
*sigh*
To protect Hubby and Little Man I requested a remote teaching position. I was lucky enough to be granted that request (I know a few who were not) and am very grateful. For at least the fall semester I will be teaching from my craft corner in the basement. I would like to say it is quiet and lonely but there always seems to be something going on in the house. Today it is Hubby shampooing carpets upstairs. Usually it is the washer or the dog running around. But it does get lonely. Teachers are used to at least seeing other human beings and now my contact is limited to video chatting. But, there will be an end to it someday and I’d rather have a husband and son to enjoy it with.
I have seen parents upset with the lack of news as to what their child will be doing in the coming days. Some districts are doing learning pods. Some are completely digital for a few weeks. Some are in person. Some have a variety depending on grades. Everyone seems to have a different answer to what school looks like but I think the one thing everyone agrees on is that we never thought it would look like this.
My message to parents is to please give teachers some grace. If everyone had their way COVID-19 would be a distant memory much like SARS, polio, or small pox and school would be the way it has been for decades. Well, ok, maybe we would be working on switching it up and making it better because there are some things that could use a change. But you get the idea. This isn’t what we want either.
I think administration was hoping for it to be “normal” again and delayed making any decisions. Some districts called it all digital early on and gave teachers a head start to planning. Others waited until the last minute. Some, like one near by, said hybrid/in-person and less than a week later they are 100% remote to quarantine. If you think this is hard on the kids, it is just as hard on everyone else too. Nothing quite like being told that you should take all your stuff home nightly just in case you’re not allowed back in the building for a few weeks, or months.
To add to the unknown of life, last week we had a teacher quit. Breathe. All is fine. He was able to get an administration job. A job I would not want, especially this year, but good for him. That leaves us without a teacher of my FAVORITE subject, physics. I would take it in a heartbeat! But, it is mostly an in-person position so that would mean giving up the ability to better protect my family.
Today I received an email that they would be advertising my online only position.
Yep, they’re advertising my position because it might be easier to find a teacher to do the other sciences and they would find a way for me to remotely teach physics! I am pumped! I might get to teach physics!!!
But it depends on who applies, who they interview, who they hire, who is qualified for what, etc. That takes time of course.
I go fully digital with students next week. Hopefully I know by then what I will be teaching.
Parents, you are not alone in the 2020 Limbo that is happening. Please provide some grace for the educators in your community.
Now, I should probably go do something else and hopefully tomorrow I’ll have the drive back to work on lesson planning SOMETHING for A class… whatever that may be.