It is a bizarre feeling to know that summer has started for the kids in our school district. We had a total of 65 days of remote education...something completely unprecedented on this scale. Participating in virtual learning created an atmosphere which felt nothing like any education setting I have ever found myself in, save a couple of hourly virtual classes that I took in college to complete some credit requirements. Many people seem to think that summer vacation has been here for 65 days already. Watching the drive and determination of my husband and the students, I can assure you that is not the case. In the words of John Oliver, "adjust your expectations, dear reader!"
While not actually *present* in a physical classroom, I witnessed these students dutifully show up on their computers for each 40 minute block of class time. I did not, however, see the other seven blocks each and every student engaged in each and every day. I saw my husband as he taught five of those eight blocks, and the time he spent resting his eyes and brain on his short break, which used to be a full planning bell. You might see how inputting grades into the online grade book and reading all assignments (which are also obviously 100% online) needed to be done for many hours later into night. Students mentioned in passing the headaches they were experiencing, commiserating over words and sentences starting to run together by the end of the day, and the fog that came when they tended to their virtual homework in the evening for another few hours. And yet. Everyone showed up. My husband. The other faculty. The students. And with a purpose they all found ways to support one another, to create assignments that were more experiential, to find ways to bend so no one would break. Everyone was taking an extra course, unexpectedly, together on how to be kind and flexible in academia. Helping my husband create a random acts of kindness project as a benchmark for "To Kill A Mockingbird" will forever be one of my best memories of the school year. Even better, hearing how students chose to help out exhausted parents around the house, work with younger siblings, walk neighbors' dogs who were not allowed outside...the list ewnt on and on.
So no, these guys were not already on break. They need and deserve this break. Thank you to all the engaged students who showed up with smiles on your faces, we see you. Thank you to all the faculty, who provided leadership and a safe space for vulnerability when it was most needed, we see you. Thank you to the parents who have jumped in to help where they can to patch any holes in this emerging system. We see you too. Thank you to all of the wonderful people who made this school year special and successful. We did it, together.
Prepare, don't panic.
-Allison
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