Control

Here's a picture I took at one point today to share with students as we tried to execute Plans B and C with our main Learning Management System having difficulties. I mean, c'mon...why can't it still be flawless with an additional 20+ million users than earlier this year!

Look, what are you going to do? There's only so much control a person can have with all of this. In truth, it's been a good reminder that we can only control certain things, and other variables have a way of simply staying elusive. As teachers (and as a parent) we get constant reminders of this phenomenon, but life, work and learning in the time of COVID-19 has ushered in another level.

Sitting at my home workspace thinking I'm in control...? reminds me of the class line from Anchorman when somebody messed with the teleprompter:

 

Anyway, it's a good reminder to lean into certain mindsets: flexibility, adaptability, patience, understanding, perseverance. I don't know just how many new methods, ideologies and behaviors will arise from this situation, but I do know that those mindsets are evergreen - always in play, always helpful when riding any day's turbulent wave.