I never thought I'd be teaching elementary and middle school students 100% online within my career. But here we are. As you can tell by the date, we are officially in the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in America. Two days ago, my district abruptly announced that students and teachers would leave at 3:00 and not be allowed back in the buildings for at least three weeks. We are trying to help flatten the exponential growth curve of viral spread, but no one knows how long this could really last. In fact, just yesterday, the Kansas governor announced the closure of all K-12 schools for the remainder of the school year! Teachers across the country are beginning to grieve in a very real way.
My heart breaks for those Kansas teachers because I can't imagine leaving my students in March with no indication they would never be my students again. The farewells are important in education. Real familial relationships were built over the past seven months between those classmates and teachers, and they never got to really say goodbye. For our ever-growing population of kids who already struggle with abandonment issues from their biological parents, we teachers consciously work hard near the end of the school year to let those children know they are loved. We make sure the last day of school isn't "goodbye" but "see ya later." Teachers tirelessly work to make sure our children (because each student becomes one of our children for life) have a stable summer environment and guaranteed food through June, July, and August. Those chances have been stripped away for many teachers (and probably more of us to come). We give meaningful end-of-year gifts to send students off into the world, so they know how valuable they are. I myself wrote a full-page personalized letter to each of my fourth graders telling them all of the strengths I saw within them and how much I believed they could overcome any situation life had thrown their way. I have hand-painted rocks with student names and positive personality traits for each of my eighth graders. I send them off to high school reminding them to glance at that rock on their shelf every once in awhile to remind themselves it's a Wishing Stone: my wish for them to stay grounded, to use their giftedness for good, and to develop their talents; and that I will always be a steady, firm adult in their lives if ever needed. I truly appreciate the public support I see pouring in for teachers across the social media world. However, most posts I've seen focus on our joint effort to keep education happening from afar, and people's admiration for a job well-done. It's so nice to hear those words in a profession that is so often undervalued. However, the stress of successful virtual learning is not what most of us are trying to cope with. It is the deep, honest way we miss our kids, especially with no definite reunification in sight. You give us your own children every day, and they become an extension of us. We are a family, and right now, we just really miss our family. So please, if you are connected with your child's teacher on any platform, don't just turn in online assignments. Send in video responses, so we can see our kiddos safe and well. Send a picture of something your child is enjoying during time at home that has nothing to do with school. Those are the reassurances teachers need to see right now.
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AuthorSophie -- a teacher, mother, wife, traveler, reader, camper, and Mizzou Tiger Archives
July 2022
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