A Parent's Perspective on Learning During Covid

Everyone seems to have an opinion about learning during Covid - most especially parents, many of whom had to take on a teaching role in the spring of 2020. While we weigh heavily on the opinions of educational experts, I think it's important for parents' voices to be heard and to partner with families, especially with so many of our students still learning all or part of the time at home.

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In episode 10 of the Teaching Tidbits Podcast, I interviewed the mother of two school-aged boys about her sons' learning experiences during Covid. She is a non-educator who has always been supportive of teachers, but the current pandemic has taken her support and appreciation to a whole new level. If you are the parent of a school-aged child, you may relate to much of what is shared. But learning during Covid has not been the same for everyone. Stories are as individual as the families we serve. I invite you to listen and as you do, compare and contrast her experience to yours and/or your learners.

Covid has affected all of us differently, but no one has been spared. I hope this episode will help start constructive conversations with parents and colleagues. Despite our efforts to remain safe and socially distant, it's important that we remain connected and keep communication lines open so get through this together. And if you have developed creative ways to stay in touch with families during these challenging times, I'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or reach out on Twitter (@amgonza). Either way, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time, take care and stay well. And remember it's the tidbits that make it all grand.

The Power of Good Calls Home

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November is Family Engagement Month! In many states, including North Carolina, governors have signed a proclamation to recognize the importance of the family and school partnerships. Now more than ever, parents play a significant role in a child's education and this month is a great time to reach out and generate parental support and involvement - especially to families who for any number of reasons have not been involved in their child's education.

In episode 9 of the Teaching Tidbits Podcast, I was joined by Rik Rowe, a high school math educator from Massachusetts who coined the hashtag #GoodCallsHome on Twitter after making positive calls a part of his weekly routine. He shares what prompted him to start making the calls and the impact it has made on his students, their families and on him. I invite you to listen to this very inspiring conversation. Warning: this episode may be life changing.

There are many ways to generate parental engagement, but for parents who are generally disconnected, good calls home is a perfect start, and it can potentially transform relationships, classroom culture and academic trajectories. Good Calls Home is a little thing - a tidbit - that makes a huge difference. And if you have non-English speaking families, please check out "Communication Is Possible Despite Language Barriers" for tips and tools to help you connect even if you don't share a common language.

If you make positive calls regularly and have an inspiring story to tell or any tips to share, I'd love to hear from you. You may comment below or connect with me on Twitter (@amgonza).

Until next time, keep up the great work and remember, it's the tidbits that make it all grand.  Take care!

Can We Be Too Positive?

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We are all trying to do our best to stay positive as we ride the Covid-19 storm. And while cultivating a positive mindset is a powerful coping mechanism, if we are not careful positivity can do more harm than good. After reading numerous tweets about "toxic positivity" I became intrigued and decided to read up on the topic. In doing so, I realized that in my efforts to alleviate struggles, I may have been offending or even hurting family, friends, and colleagues. First, I apologize to those I did, it most certainly was not intentional. But I also want to ensure that my attempts to encourage and support will help others (and myself too) move forward and grow during these difficult times.

So, what's the solution? How can we get rid of toxic positivity but still remain positive and hopeful?

In Episode 7 of the Teaching Tidbits Podcast, I was excited to be joined by my friend and fellow educator, Terry Pimienta, as we discussed ways to tackle our challenges with Nontoxic Positivity. She shares examples of how she's supporting her colleagues and instills a nontoxic positive mindset. I invite you to take a listen. I hope Terry will inspire you as much as she inspired me.

In our conversation, we referred to the infographic below featured in Toxic Positivity: The Dark Side of Positive Vibes, which is available for a free download. 

Source: The Psychology Group

We have lots to complain about and we do need to vent from time to time, but I hope you are able to keep from drowning in negativity. From the classroom to a PLC meeting to the teacher's lounge, let's make every effort to encourage and support one another, not by putting on a facade as if everything is peachy, but instead by validating the struggle and working together to find solutions one tidbit at a time, so we can come out ahead in the long run. 

Until next time, please remember it's the tidbits that make it all grand. Take care!

Unpacking Student Feedback

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Do you solicit student feedback?

I usually did as a classroom teacher and found student surveys to a valuable measure of teaching and learning in my classes as well as a significant contribution to my professional growth. However, I quickly learned that I couldn't take responses at face value. I feel that students often told me what they thought I wanted to hear. They tended to be positive, perhaps for fear of repercussions, or offered unrealistic suggestions. At first glance, their responses didn't have a lot of meat in them, but if I dug, I usually found it. Unpacking responses and reading between the lines helped me reflect on my practice and hone my instructional skills. While students may not be our official evaluators, they are the reason schools exist. 

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During Episode 5 of the Teaching Tidbits Podcast,  I had the pleasure of interviewing two high schoolers about their remote learning experience. I encouraged them to speak openly and honestly and to share constructive feedback that would help us navigate these difficult and uncertain times. 

Just as I did when I sifted through survey responses, I listened intently and repeatedly to the podcast episode to unpack their feedback. Here were my greatest takeaways.

• Let's not pretend that remote instruction can replicate face-to-face instruction.  While it works better for some courses than others, it's way different and it's not easy for any of us. We want to hold students accountable, but we also need to acknowledge that it's challenging for all involved. High expectations are not negotiable, but we need flexibility and grace. Furthermore, some courses don't lend themselves well to remote instruction and lessons may need to be reinvented to make them work or it may all fall apart. 
• Easier work and a lighter workload can actually be harder on students. This is especially true for special populations and those with attention issues. Structures and challenges are healthy. While we do want to be flexible, we don't want learning to fold. We may slow down during this pandemic, but we can't quit. 
• Technical difficulties are not just an inconvenience they are interference. Videoconferencing tools and internet connections are not flawless and we must keep in mind that these imperfections impact and interfere with learning, engagement, and motivation. They're not merely an inconvenience. 
• Meaning and purpose matter.  Students may not be masters at pedagogy, but they know full well what a well-planned lesson looks like. Young people want to learn, not just earn grades.
• Maximize the learning management system. Students understand that there's a learning curve for some teachers, but our digital natives expect teachers to effectively utilize educational technologies, especially an LMS. It's about productivity, not the wow-factor. 
• Organization and predictability are crucial. Just as it is in the traditional setting, students need to know what the objective is and how they are going to meet it. And laying out a plan - weekly or longer - helps students have a clear vision of timeline and expectations. It's also helpful to be clear and realistic about pace and deadlines. 
• Relationships are possible even from afar and they matter. We don't need to be in the same space or see them every day to develop relationships. Students can tell even remotely when teachers are genuinely interested in the whole student.
• It's best for cameras to be on. We learn better, we teach better, we connect better. While we don't necessarily need to penalize students for turning off their cameras, it's important for them to see our faces and for them to see ours, even if for just for part of the class period.
• Students want a voice.  They want to be heard, but they want to be anonymous so they feel free to express themselves openly and honestly without fear of repercussions or stigma.
• Cleanliness matters. Covid-19 has elevated the importance of sanitation and wellness and they are buying into it. Students are willing to do their part to stay safe and healthy, but they also want the cleaning protocols to stay in place well after the pandemic passes. 

I'm certain these young men had lots more to say, but either it didn't come to mind during the interview or they didn't feel completely comfortable expressing it to an unknown audience (perhaps both). We also didn't talk about solutions, because (just like us) they probably don't have a clue. Nevertheless, I was encouraged by their positive mindset and their willingness to work with what they can control and accept what they can't. 

If you haven't listened to the broadcast, I encourage you to listen, reflect, and then start a conversation with your students and/or your own kids. And if you have any comments or opinions about the episode, or about conversations you are having with learners, I'd love to hear from you. 

Until next time, keep up the great work! We'll get through this one day at a time, one student at a time, one tidbit at a time.  Take care!

Communication Is Possible Despite Language Barriers

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Developing relationships with students in a remote or socially distant environment is awkward, but it's especially difficult connecting with English learners with whom we don't share a common language. This year, I've been asked to make phone or video calls to newcomer ELs whose teachers aren't able to communicate with. And I'm happy to take on this extra work. While I get pulled primarily for translation, I take the opportunity to develop relationships and help ease the anxiety of having to learn remotely, in a new country, and in a new tongue. 

During the five years, I got to serve as a Secondary ESL teacher, overcoming language barriers became part of my job description. Although I am fortunate to be fluent and literate in Spanish, many of my students were not Spanish speaking and I found myself in the same predicament as many of my colleagues. But I will say that as challenging and daunting as it may seem, linguistic barriers are not impossible to overcome. 

While it's wonderful to have a human translator, they aren't always available. However, there are several tech tools at our fingertips that work fairly well. And even when the translation isn't perfect, they get the message across. One thing they do translate is your willingness to make an effort to connect and communicate. And that, in it of itself, speaks volumes. 

Image by Sayyid 96 from Pixabay

The following tech tools are free and easy to use. If you are not familiar with them, I encourage you to check them out.

• Google Translate. This familiar tool to many of us can actually be a teacher's best friend. It works on any type of device. Messages can be keyed or spoken and likewise, translations can be read or listened to. If you use the app on your mobile device, it will also let you scan text, instantly producing a translation. Google Translate is my go-to tool when in a pinch and no human translator is available. If you are meeting with a student over Zoom, you can copy the translation from Google Translate and past it in the chatbox. 
• Talking Points. A text messaging tool that allows educators to connect and communicate with students and their families. It's free for teachers, though there are premium features that schools can pay for.  Although I've never used the tool myself, it's a staple for many ESL teachers, and everyone I know who uses it gives it rave reviews.
• Remind. Many educators use this app for communicating with students and families, but don't often use (or may even be aware of) its powerful translation feature. With a simple tap, messages can be translated into any of 70 different languages. 
• Microsoft Translator for Education. A site that provides free resources and tools for captioning and translation in the classroom, but what I love the most is its conversation feature that provides real-time translation. There are many ways this tool can facilitate conversation when there is no common language. I recently sat in a demonstration during a PD session and was very impressed.

There are some meetings that necessitate a professional translator, but for most of the daily interactions that help us build relationships with students, technology tools like these are more than adequate. While they may not be perfect at times, more often than not they translate accurately and are tremendously helpful in bridging communication gaps. 

Image Credit: wilgengebroed

Bottom line, kindness and compassion are understood by all. A warm smile and friendly demeanor can express more than words can say, despite a language barrier.  There are many teaching strategies that can help with making content comprehensible, but as Dr. Comer alluded, relationships are essential to learning. And it's difficult to develop a relationship, much less a significant one, if there's no communication. Technologies like the ones I listed not only translate, they also let the student know that you are their ally, not just their teacher, giving them a sense of safety and belonging, which will likely help them work to potential. 

If you aren't already, I challenge you to take small steps to directly connect with students with whom you don't share a common language. You'd be surprised how far even just a greeting will take you. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Until next time, remember it's the tidbits that make it all grand. Take care.

Overwhelmed? Think Three Ts

Being stretched and stressed seems to be part of a teacher's job description. Few teachers are able to work a 40-hour work week and achieve a healthy work/life balance. Some do, but I think it's safe to say that most educators' plates stay way full. And as if there wasn't enough already, along came Covid. 

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The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been a source of enormous stress for everyone, but especially educators. It's now September and while the curve has flattened in many areas, the virus does not seem to be going away anytime soon. But learning can't wait and we are moving forward with safety protocols in place. Although North Carolina is on Plan B which allows for in-person instruction with social distancing and other safety guidelines, our district has opted to start the school year with K-12 remote instruction and it's been quite overwhelming. But whether we teach remotely, face-to-face or in a hybrid model, there are new technologies, routines and requirements brought on by this pandemic and it seems every single educator is barely keeping their head above water. Some changes are temporary, but I highly suspect much of it will stick. Needless to say all this newness is causing educators to be stretched very thin - especially for those that have children at home. A lack of work/life balance can adversely affect not only our teaching, but also our health. I'm concerned that if we don't make some adjustments the exhaustion and stress can be just as hazardous as the virus we are trying to steer clear of.  

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While you may think there's little you can adjust, think Three T's: Toss, Tweak and Treasure.

• What can we toss? If you are a tech enthusiast like me, you may be quick to jump in and try the latest toys to help stay remotely connected. But if we are not careful, those tech tools or novel strategies that may seem very promising may not actually be very beneficial and take us away from that which is priority. So, if it's not mandated by your school or district, it's not essential to remote learning, not required for your curriculum, and/or not really making teaching and learning more effective, toss it (or save it for later in the year). 
  
• What can we tweak? Is there a routine or strategy that can be implemented a little differently? Perhaps there's a step you can omit? Could you record your lessons and use a tool like Edpuzzle that helps with checking for understanding, automatically grades and integrates with most learning management systems? There may be something you've successfully implemented in the past that perhaps can be digitized and used in remote learning. Reach out to a colleague or an instructional coach for time-saving tools, tips and pointers. Sometimes slight tweaks that can make a huge difference. Watch "212 - The Extra Degree."
  
• What do we treasure? Our greatest treasures are people and relationships. Students are the reason we do what we do, but we also need our colleagues, parents and other stakeholders to keep us moving forward. But there are also some tech treasures that while initially overwhelming are winning our hearts and are becoming a staple in our practice. For us, district-wide implementation of Canvas LMS and Social & Emotional Learning, as well as school-wide implementation of Zoom are proving invaluable. And the consistency has been well-received and appreciated by students, parents and staff, most notably the use of Canvas. Prior to Covid, we were free to use the learning management system of choice (or none at all, although most used either Canvas or Google Classroom). Nevertheless, it's been exhausting as we've had to work through the summer in order to prepare for changes implemented this fall. I will say that we need to be careful to not throw out the baby with the bath water as things start to normalize. Before we consider tossing something new, we need to give it some time. As we become more familiar with new technologies, new curricula or new routines, the more speed we'll pickup and the more comfortable and relaxed we will feel. Much of our exhaustion is due to all the newness teaching in a pandemic has brought us. 

We are now in our fourth week of school and we are starting to adjust to this new normal. So if you are just starting the school year, please know that things will get better. Social media is loaded with posts from teachers venting their frustration and exhaustion. But as I read every post, I'm also encouraged by the unwavering commitment and dedication.

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Most of us could have never imagined having to teach through such challenging times. And while we may feel as if we barely have time to breathe, rethinking and prioritizing our workload will not only be good for our health, it will make us better educators, and impact our personal lives as well. Being intentional and reflective, figuring out what can be tossed or tweaked will help us to find the treasures in our practice that will restore our energy and love of teaching and learning. 

Stay positive and hopeful, my friends. I still believe good things will come of this. If you have helpful tips and strategies to help keep us strong, please reach out or simply comment below.

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How Do I Love Flipgrid?

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Flipgrid is a video discussion tool that is transforming education. Not because it's fun and engaging - we all know that the wow-factor quickly diminishes. Not because it's easy to learn and use, although that's a huge plus.  Not even because it's great and completely free with no premium upgrade and no strings attached, which is unbelievably amazing. Flipgrid is transformational because it can potentially engage students in critical thought and fosters student-driven learning. It can be used in so many ways. The more I use it, the more uses I discover and the more I love it, especially as we embark on full remote learning. 

I first heard of Flipgrid in 2016 from a fellow math teacher at my previous district. She was using it as formative assessment tool and found the verbal responses provided much better qualitative data than traditional quizzes. At the time I was serving as ESL teacher and she suggested I consider implementing it in my classes for speaking practice. But back then it wasn’t a free product and the free version was quite limited, so I searched for a comparable freebie and it was a hit. Eventually that product went off the market but soon after Flipgrid was acquired by Microsoft and became available to educators for free. That's when it won me over.

How do I love Flipgrid? Here are my favorite ways.

I love it as a way to build relationships. Flipgrid is popular for introductions at the start of the year or semester. Check out these great ideas for the first day of school. It's a great way to learn names. Share a link prior to the first day and you may be able to greet students by name as they join your class on the first day. However, I encourage you making it part of your daily or weekly routine. Regular use of the tool can build relationships and strengthen the classroom community. Many will say that videos are impersonal, but I think they tell us lots about students, both academically and socially. And it inspires, validates and empowers, as it gives them a voice and frees them to wonder and explore. This freedom strengthens the classroom culture as students build relationships with teachers and with each other.

I love it as an assessment tool. Exit tickets and quizzes don't always have to be on paper or in digital form. Verbal responses can't be copied from a peer or copied/pasted from a website, but who has time to meet individually with every student, so a videorecorded response is the next best thing. And when all responses are in you can easily grade answers by playing the videos one after another. 

I love it for inquiry-based learning. Ask students to record questions, not just answers. I highly recommend  the question formulation technique (QFT) by the Right Question Institute, a protocol that teaches students to how to ask their own questions.  Students can record content-related questions and if teachers can adjust the settings, peers can respond. Check out  Make Just One Change to learn more about implementing QFT.

I love it as a self-assessment or reflection tool.  Students can record their assessment according to a rubric. Have learners assess their work and perhaps even justify their grade. Or give them a 3-2-1 prompt for reflecting on a project or a unit of study. This develops ownership and also give us good information on how they assimilated the material. It's also good feedback on our practice. 

I love it as a teaching tool. Screencasts. Virtual Field Trips. Guest Speakers. It's better known as a video discussion tool, but recently added features, including a digital whiteboard, annotation tools and more, enable teachers to use it for lesson presentations and connect it to numerous resources. There's so much educators can do to elicit responses. 

I love that it's accessible on any device. I especially love recording on my phone. This will be helpful if students don't take devices home (which is not the case in a remote learning model), but even if they do the smartphone app is quicker and easier to use and helps address digital equity issues. Students can complete a Flipgrid assignment right on their smartphone and they can complete it while they wait for the bus or ride, or in their car before they drive off. And teachers can work off their phones too.

I love that it's a tool for all.  From Pre-K to higher education, Flipgrid works for everyone. It's also a great way to connect with parents and guardians and/or have students record their own progress report. This year, we are using Flipgrid to have a virtual open house the week before school starts to share course details with parents and guardians.

And those are just a few tidbits. Flipgrid is a very versatile tool and they are continually improving it and adding more features. There's so much you can do with it and so many ways it can enhance teaching and learning. If you haven't used it, I encourage you to visit Flipgrid.com to try it out for yourself. And if you are teaching remotely, check out Remote Learning with Flipgrid for lots of ideas.

If Flipgrid is a favorite tech tool, I'd love to hear how you use it and how it has impacted your school. You can comment below, email me or reach out on Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time, enjoy every minute of the journey. And remember it's the tidbits that make it all grand.

Should Students Be Required To Keep Cameras On During a Virtual Class?

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I recently took this question to Twitter and my PLN overwhelmingly disagreed with the notion of requiring students to keep cameras on during virtual class meets, unless it was necessary for the lesson or activity.  While I can't say I was surprised that most educators were opposed to a mandate, I was frankly expecting a more even split. Based on my Twitter poll, 62% of respondents opposed the mandate, for 23% it would depend on the lesson and only 15% were in favor.

In our district, all teaching will be virtual until further notice, but instruction will be much more rigorous than it was in the spring. With a solid digital equity plan, most instruction will be synchronous, participation in video meets will be required and attendance will be taken just as it has been when students were on campus. 

And cameras are required to be on. That's a non-negotiable. No longer a mandate, though highly encouraged. See update below*

While I don't always agree with all of my district's decisions, this time I'm 100% on board. Here's why?

• Accountability. This not about a gotcha. We all know full well that students will slack if no one is holding them accountable. I will speak for myself. Going virtual shortened my commute, but didn't lighten my workload. However, having to be on camera for meetings pushed me to be fully present and at my best. If all my work would have been asynchronous I may not have ever gotten out of my pajamas. This leads to my next point.
• Productivity. We want our kiddos to be fully present and productive, not just online. I've had conversations with many colleagues that will admit they are more focused when on camera. When cameras are off, they would tend to multitask, check their email and their attention would drift. They were overall not as productive and engaged in the activity or conversation.
• Body Language. Our gestures and facial expressions speak louder than words. Body language can tell us how receptive they are to the material if they are confused or totally checked out. 
• Relationships. "No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship" (James Comer). Most, or all, of your students, will be new to you and it's hard to get to know someone new without meeting with them face-to-face. If in-person instruction is not an option, this is the main reason we need to keep our cameras on. I personally find it very awkward to have a conversation with someone who's turned off their camera - we may as well have a phone meeting.

Perhaps you haven't given this much thought or maybe you just don't agree that it should be required. Virtual school is still an unchartered territory and we are still learning as we go along. As much as we are trying to replicate face-to-face instruction, let's not kid ourselves, it's not the same. It's a given that student cameras will be on during demonstrations and presentations, but regardless of the content we teach, we win when we know our students well, academically and socially. Keeping our cameras may not seem like a big deal, but accountability, productivity, communication, and good relationships with our students make us more effective educators. 

I don't start back until August 3rd and so at this point, I have no idea if staff will have the same requirement. I'm also curious how this will play out with students, so I may likely address this topic once the fall semester is underway. 

If you have a strong opinion either way or would like to share an inspiring or funny story, I'd love to hear from you. You may comment below, email me or reach out on Twitter.

Until next time, stay well and stay strong. And remember it's the tidbits that make it all grand.

 

*Update: It is not mandatory for students to have their cameras turned on, as per district communications released in September. We are, however, asked to create conditions for students to want to share their cameras, their attendance or grades should not be negatively impacted based on their decision to not share video.

To Podcast Or Not To Podcast

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To podcast or not to podcast...that is the question.

Interestingly enough, I asked myself pretty much the same question in 2014 when I was considering starting a blog (To Blog Or Not To Blog...That Is The Question).

I've been as apprehensive about launching a podcast as I was about starting a blog. I didn't think I had anything worth writing about or if anyone would be interested in reading my posts. And if no one would read them and if my blog would be more of a journal...what was the point? Likewise, I've wondered if podcasting will be worth the time and investment. While I don't intend on purchasing additional software and equipment, time is certainly a valuable commodity. It will be one more thing on my to-do list and it could potentially distract me from my priorities and most importantly, take time away from my family. Though I pondered the idea frequently, I quickly dismissed the thought.

That is until recently.

Last April, I joined a virtual PD session on student podcasting and was very intrigued. When the presenter played samples of her students' podcasts, my heart skipped a beat and I knew this was something I needed to pursue. While I would like to eventually facilitate a student-run podcast, for now, I'd like to start a podcast so I can promote podcasting in the classroom.

With most schools going with a remote or hybrid learning model this fall, podcasting is a great tool for project-based learning and assessment. Podcasting can be productive in both listening and speaking about the content in our curriculums. Ideally, we should have students listen to podcasts and once they are familiar with the format, have them create their own.

• Listening to Podcasts. News and information directly tied to course standards are a great way to enhance the curriculum and keep your content fresh and relevant. I'm a big proponent of teaching with current events, and assigning a listen instead of a read may be a better option for some students. And together with a transcript, it's an easy way to offer a read-aloud accommodation, although it would be helpful to all students. Here's a Free Podcast Reflection Sheet from We Are Teachers that can be used with a podcasting assignment. 

• Student-Created Podcasts. From self-assessments to group discussion to expert interviews, podcasting provides teachers invaluable evidence of learning while sharpening students' communication skills. There are numerous resources out there to help you and your students get started, but I highly recommend taking a look at two resources from Read Write Think. 
• Teaching with Podcasts - a strategy guide complete with lots of tips and project ideas for podcasting with students of any age.
• Podcasts: The Nuts and Bolts of Creating Podcasts - a helpful resource that provides the basics of creating a podcast, including links to video tutorials. 

I also encourage you to check out Anchor.fm or download the Anchor app on your smartphone or tablet. Although there are other free options, Anchor is free and super simple. So simple that students can learn how to use it on their own and you won't have to take up valuable class time walking them through it, although you can provide a link to a how-to video just in case.

My head is spinning with ideas for student work, but with all the newness brought on by the pandemic, we'll just have to wait and see how things will play out before I develop a solid plan. I do know that podcasting would be an invaluable experience for our young people. Just like blogging was a gamechanger in my ESL classroom, I know that podcasting will have a similar or greater impact on students. Aside from enhancing communication skills, all the technology involved in the craft can increase learners' confidence and positively impact their school experience. Who knows? A simple podcasting assignment may help a student find his or her calling.

Image by Michi S from Pixabay

So, To Podcast or Not To Podcast?  Teaching Tidbits Podcast is on. Just like my blog, my podcast will feature tidbits of ideas, reflections, and inspiration to keep educators (myself included) moving forward on our teaching and learning journeys. Sometimes it will be just me, but I do hope to be joined by educators and also students. It will be an interesting school year. I'm excited, and certainly a little anxious, but I'm ready for the ride and I hope you'll join me. 

Until next time, I hope you'll stay healthy and strong. And remember, it's the tidbits that make it all grand. 

We May Not Reap, But We Always Plant

Summertime for teachers is usually a time to reflect, relax and recharge. If the year ends well, we are excited and energized. If it didn't end so well, we breathe a sigh of relief, learn from challenges and mistakes, and move forward in the hopes of a better year.

Image by Walkerssk from Pixabay

But this summer is different.

Covid has turned our world upside down. Campuses closed, we taught remotely and ended the year unlike any other with no traditional celebrations and graduations. Remote teaching had us working harder than ever, and it was exhausting - physically, mentally and emotionally. It's also a little disheartening. Despite our best efforts, engagement was low, with some students disconnecting as soon as schools closed, especially once they learned of standardized testing cancellations. And the uncertainty of it all is nerve-racking. We can reflect but we are not sure what to plan for. 

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This year I realized that while I'm officially an educator, I'm really more of a farmer.

No, I don't live on a farm and have no connection to the farming industry. I've lived in the suburbs for most of my life, although I did live in a rural, farming community for over 15 years - a place I consider my adopted hometown. Even so, no one who knows me personally would ever describe me as a farmer. Not even close. I don't own a garden. I don't do much landscaping. I don't even have the slightest hint of a green thumb. Everything I've ever planted without the help of my dear husband has died. So why would I consider myself a farmer?

Like a farmer, I plant and I (sometimes) reap. Farmers deal with unpredictable weather, land conditions, pest infestations, and other uncontrollable factors that can adversely affect even the most skilled agriculturist. Likewise, even the most accomplished educator will encounter challenges beyond her control. From poverty to peer pressure to politics, there's so much that can throw off learning. Add a global pandemic and social justice issues to the mix and you have nothing short of a perfect storm. And although we know it takes time to reap and we may never see the fruits of our labor, we always hope to see growth.

We ended the school year in an unexpected, unprecedented way, and we move forward to a post-COVID season full of uncertainty and anticipation. Like a farmer, we take the good with the bad and if the season didn't go as expected, we pick ourselves up, sow again and never lose hope.

Stay well, stay strong and stay positive, my friends. Rather than fret about the unknown, let's be present in the moment and seize the day. I truly believe good things will come from this experience.