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!!
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