Teaching in a Pandemic: A New Year, A New Schedule

Week One already comes to an end!  Wow!  I do hope you had the best of weeks in these quite challenging of times.  Not returned?  Read on for some words of advice!

First, masks.  I have made and given away 300+ masks and thought I was ready for returning to teaching fulltime in a mask.  No.  Not at all!  Here are my thoughts on this subject that I posted on Facebook after Day Four:  

Oxymoron: seemingly contradictory statement.

Example: Masks - I have a love/extreme dislike with masks right now.

My vain side says, “Oh, make sure my mask matches my outfit of the day! Yay!”

My sane side says, “Just wear the medical masks, so by bell time, I won’t feel like I am going to eat the oh-so-perfectly-matched mask!”

NOTE OF EXPLANATION: Inhaling air seems to be important when talking in front of groups. Seriously. Feels like I am going to inhale my mask!

Plan B: I am going now to my sewing machine to make a different style.

NOTE TO RONA: As I tell my kiddos, where there’s a will, there’s a way...and where there’s a way...there’s an A or a B or a C! Thus, Rona, I have a few more ways to appease my vanity!

PS Yes, I have ordered some of those silicone mouth guards! Yay! Which...should have been Plan B...but they are not here...yet...

PSS Please forget you read any of this, for considering what our friends in Louisiana/Texas have just endured...this is just so trivial. Truly. Lifting up those who have lost so much... 

Next week, I am wearing the medical masks, more specifically the KN95 masks...I think.  In other words, my battle with them continues, but I want to be in school more than I do not; therefore, for my students' safety and mine, I will continue to battle the masks...knowing...that, yes!...I will win!

My advice (which I read several times...back in the summer...and did not heed):  wear the masks at home and talk...and talk...to determine which style you prefer, for you will talk.  Much!

Second, blended learning.  At our school, the online students are listed in whichever class they would be in should they (at any time) return to face-to-face.  I would prefer they all be in one class in the grading system.  I assume that is a computer nightmare.  So I am adjusting and learning where each one is.  Doable.  Just more work.

Also, we have been asked/told to have online learning posted on the Friday before so online may have ten days or so to complete.  Having now lived this schedule for a week, I know this results in frustration, as I reaffirm that I do not always cover what I had planned, so what would have been Week Two is truly Week Two for online, as I just have to post what I have ready, but Face-to-Face will work in real time = not quite with Online Learning, which is okay; just one more thing to keep my mind busy!

Online students email anytime, all the time.  Even though the teacher has a full load of face-to-face teaching...and records videos to post for online students.  Yikes!  Consider posting office hours.  That said...I have a hard time not responding, as I assume if they are emailing me, then they are working, and I want them working, so I should respond...right then or in a timely manner.  

BUT.  I only have two classes for which to plan and prepare.  Some teachers have four and five.  I can only empathically sympathize. 

BUT.  We got this!

Third, block scheduling.  I have taught block before...loved it...and still do.  The format the admin adopted to decrease traffic throughout the day is odd/even, which means, as in Monday and Tuesday (August 31 and September 1), we will meet with odd numbered classes back-to-back.  Not a big deal...teachers just have to wrap their brains around odd and even classes not being together for a few days (in our case, next Friday and the next Tuesday will both be evens, so by September 8, the classes will be back in sync.)  Doable.  Just another thing teachers have to consider.  

On odd days, this past week, I had morning duty and classes from 8:00 until 3:12, with a 35 minute lunch, the only time I could remove the mask.  Again, doable.  That is just a long time to teach and breathe in a mask!  Doable. Note:  refer to my advice about wearing that mask now...practice! :)

Your schedule will not look like mine, nor will your schedule roll as last year's did.  Teaching in a Pandemic requires such changes.  Good luck!

Fourth, my attitude.  I left Friday tired, overwhelmed and head spinning.  Very.  Much.  Then, yesterday, my daughter and I took most of the day for a Girl Day.  I just needed to walk/drive away for a while. As the day passed, I relaxed, regrouped, rejuvenated.  Just bless her for putting up with me!

Teaching in a Pandemic, both face-to-face and online, is doable.  I, too, read the memes and messages about giving teachers grace as we returned to a situation unlike any we have ever faced.  My Advice:  Give yourself grace.  I appreciate the gift of grace from parents, students, peers, admin...BUT...I need to give myself grace.  Sometimes, just a few seconds, sometimes a lunch period, sometimes an evening off, sometimes a day off.  Just grace.  This is doable...with grace. 

Rona is a beast.  Beasts, though, are meant to be conquered, maybe even tamed.  Not an easy task.  But doable.

Doable.  My theme for Week One.

We got this.  I wish you the best year ever as 2020-2021 becomes our year.

In 1.5 Days...Yay!

 After the longest Spring Break in the history of teacher-kind, I am 1.5 days away from beginning Year 30!  Yay!

Am I excited?  Yes!  Of course!  Nothing like the first day of school!  Yay!

Am I a bit nervous?  Hummmm...not really!  I got this.  Seriously...see previous 29 years of experience!

Here in no certain...yes, quite random...order, are my thoughts on 2020-2021:

1. My Room:  Almost ready.  I need to spend a chunk of time there tomorrow...finalizing and picking up the Gillmore vibe...trucks, bees, teal...just me.  Almost there!  Challenge:  social distancing.  Needed.  Necessary.  BUT...no more group work in a face-to-face setting.  Back to desks in a row.  Yes, I taught that way for years.  I got this. (Thank goodness for technology!  See 2, 3, and 4!)
2. Curriculum:  Ensuring everything is ready to go digitally...that takes time, friends!  I know you started even more ahead of time than I did.  But...again...that 29 years of experiece is kicking in.  AND...this is an absolute (sorry!):  I enjoy talking to kids...are you listening?!...time just flies!  In case you are curious, here's the first day of class for Eng 11/Oral Com and Teacher Cadets.  NOTE:  these lessons are very subject to change as my brain is popcorning all over the place, and I keep having ideas!  Stop me!
3. Technology:  I have kept some tech tools...and added some apps.  This I know:  One may quickly become overwhelmed with technology tools.  My advice?  Choose one...or two.  Master those.  Become friends with them.  THEN, add another.  Do NOT allow technology to not be your friend, as technology is the way to 2020-2021!
4. Favorite Tech Tools:  All things Google.  Of course!  This week, I created two graphic organizers using Google Drawings.  A first for me...I like!    My go-to Google apps are Classroom, Docs, Slides, Sites, and Blogger (glad you stopped by!)...and Gmail! :)  Use every day.  All day.  They make my life happy.
5. Going-to-Be Favorite Tech Tools:  Pair Deck and Automagically!  Thank you, School Leaders, for thinking of us!  Yes!  I am still on a bit of a learning curve.  I know...do what I should do when driving....slow down!  Ease into them.  Then, speed up!  (Just have to love an extended metaphor!)  OH!  I now have my very own YouTube Channel!  Congratulations, Tammy!  Houses one video.  Success!  Hopefully, more on that soon!
6. Amazing School Family:  These people have spent hours...yes, hours...working, plotting, planning, getting ready for our kiddos.  My Suggestion:  Set up a group text with your hallway or PLC or those that have become your besties across the building...and share, lean on one another, support...prop up, if needed.  Just be present in others' lives.  On March 17, our hallway started a group text...what an empowering group!  SIDE NOTE:  Well, we occasionally strayed and vented...BUT the next round of 100 texts (women have much to say!) would be full of memes and just-learned info and jokes...not always in that order!  HINT:  Beginning Monday, save those texts until after hours!  :)
7. Added Job Responsibilities:  This year, I will become even more adept at the cleaning of desks and administoring basic medical advice and such.  Happy to do so, for our students need the routine of school. Supplies are ready, and I might...could be...facing a learning curve as dusting is just not my favorite...BUT...I am sure cleaning desks will be much more fun.  Right?!  :)
8. My Students:  I have read a plethora of comments from teachers who are not ready, scared, apprehensive.  I have chosen to not go there.  I am resting in my Faith that these students are the mission field to which I have been assigned.  Yes, you are so right...mission fields can be dangerous places.  Very.  BUT.  The rewards are immeasurable.  There is where I rest.  I FIRMLY believe that students need school...mentally, emotionally...some even physically (food and such).  Simply put:  We are #BetterTogether.
9. COVID:  Rona is a beast.  One to whom I have nothing good to say.  BUT.  We have faced other beasts; yes, I have faced a few throughout my years of teaching and learning with thousands of kids (those numbers do add up over 29 years!)  Whatever COVID brings...we will handle each situation in the professional manner in which teachers and administrators rise to every day. (Stop...no finger pointing to the few times we failed...humans, we are!)  I work with amazing people who love our students.  They are better with me...than not.  Does that sound conceited?  I hope not.  I am just confident that our intentions are true.  
10. PRAYERS NEEDED:  If you are a praying person, then I ask that you pray for each on the mission field of education; that each will fulfil his/her calling this year...with smiles and positive attitudes abounding...all the while impacting your child's future story.

We got this.  I really believe you do, also.  Happy New School Year!  2020-2021 is here!

Thank you.

Playing in the Digital World

Please tell me...do you have a Bitmoji Classroom?

I watched and learned and wondered...and then dove into the creation of my own.  Yes, can be quite addictive!

First, I created a new header for this blog (Sure...scroll back up!)...and probably will for my TG Book Thoughts blog...and began building one for my classroom.  Fun!

Honestly?  I don't know how developed mine will become, so, yes, mine remains in a work in progress!

I began with a pic of my "real" classroom (photo 1)...and then digitally added to create the "Bitmoji" version:

So interesting!  How clever is this?  AND so cheap to create!  Point.  Click.  Insert.  Magic.

Yes, any changes you see between the two photos are simply digital enhancements.  I like!

I follow a group on Facebook and am ever amazed at the creativity there.  I know...I should NOT be amazed.  Teachers are the ultimate!  Absolutely!

I will update as I create more!

This, also, begins a series on digital tools with which I am playing!  More updates soon!