(Extremely) Cautiously Optimistic

I should almost type this with one set of fingers crossed behind my back. Perhaps knock on the nearest piece of wood firmly and sharply. Frankly, any superstition used will work for me! Why? Because at this point, things are going almost as smoothly as can be. 

Now being in the second week of the new school year with students, I find myself very, very cautiously optimistic. It has been so fantastic being able to meet the kids, see how excited they are to be back, and to witness firsthand all of the incredibly hard work being put in by my teaching colleagues, administration, media specialist, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, security personnel, etc. Beyond my own school, our district technology & media people have been incredible (maybe an understatement) and the support from families and the community has been huge. More than ever, this crazy school year and these crazy times have shown shown how great of a place this is to work.

Yes, talking and teaching all day with a mask is a bit weird and in some ways gets tiring. Yes, the kids having to be spaced out during lunch is a bit zany, and you miss seeing the kids smile behind their masks. But...

We are here; kids get to experience middle school, see friends, and interact; most fall activities and sports are underway; and with each new passing day we gain a little momentum and hopefully get closer and closer to the day when we are ALL back here together & learning.

Strangest. Professional Development Weeks. Ever.

 Understatement of the week would be to say it's been "a little different around here." This is year 20 as a teacher, and while there are many different ways I could feel about it, my overriding thought is:

Thank God I have 19 years to draw on for this!

I have no doubt that countless 1st-year teachers will grow, exceed, and blossom through this pandemic-teaching experience. Surely this is the type of environment that sharpens a lot of skills, reinforces the passion for teaching, and delivers life-long lessons. 

That said, I am still very thankful to have countless experiences to draw from and reflect on moving forward. I also know that whenever I do look back on the year that's about to happen, there will be soooo many more lessons learned.

For this two-week stretch of Professional Development/Workshop, here are some of the things that stick out:

The Good 

-seeing friendly, familiar faces...even from a distance and behind masks

-working with colleagues to plan, solve problems, and build learning environments for students to succeed

-knowing you have the support of fellow teachers, your admin, an amazing custodial staff, etc.

-seeing all of the work other district people have put in to help make any of this happen: media & technology, transportation, athletics/activities, etc.

The Tough

-many meetings spent alone at your desk via Google Meet...doable, just not the same

-potential mental overload, figuring out balancing in-person hybrid students with distance learning students; new technology tools; a different pacing of curriculum & content

The Best

-meeting my Advisory students for a masked-up, physically distanced tour of the school last week. So awesome to see their excitement!!