Self-Care

In the midst of the Corona Virus outbreak in our country, schools have closed and teachers are providing remote instruction to their students. We are being told to take care of ourselves, to be well. I’m doing my best to stay physically and mentally healthy. I feel fortunate to have a job where I can work from home. My online instruction keeps me very busy during my normal working hours and the new technology I am learning to use is exciting and helpful. The many resources that are available online could—and sometimes do-- fill many, many hours. But, sitting behind a screen for too long is certainly not healthy for mind or body. At other times of the day, I have found lots to do to fill my time. In my quiet house, it’s always conducive to reading and writing! I have stacks of books at the ready and they are calling me! My mind is filled with lots of thoughts and ideas waiting to be written down. I’ve cleared out some room and set up an old table in my basement so that I can keep my messy paints and brushes handy. An old hobby I’ve recently revived, painting is very relaxing and rewarding for me. Whether it’s painting on paper, canvas, or wood, whether it’s painting a scene that is whimsical, realistic, or classic, I tend to become so focused on what I’m trying to accomplish, that the problems of the world are set aside temporarily.

When my eyes and hands have had enough inside work or play, I grab my hat and jacket and venture out to walk in the fresh air. I often listen to interesting podcasts or lively music to accompany me, as there are few, if any, other walkers or runners in the neighborhood now. If I happen to see a neighbor out for a stroll with the dog, we simply wave and continue on our separate ways. It feels strange, but we all understand the need to protect our fragile health. Self-care is important to our overall wellbeing. What are you doing for yours? Now, in these extraordinary times, it’s wise to heed the sage advice to ‘take care!

Remote Instruction and Learning

We are all now in the midst of providing remote instruction to our students. Fortunately, our students are very familiar with lots of technology platforms, devices, and programs. They also are assigned their own laptop and, with permission from parents, can take their laptops home to use for educationally appropriate work. This past week, they have been logging in to check their teachers' emails and assignments. We have been available to them online if they have questions or need support. So far, so good. Of course, there are a few students who, for whatever reason, may need to have their assignments in hard copy format. That, too, has been provided for and delivered to them. It all seems so strange--working and learning from home, but I think that we are all discovering that this format can be effective and, with time, we can all succeed. There will be glitches and there may be some adjusting that needs to happen, but in the long run, we will have triumphantly salvaged the lost time from our classrooms, gyms, labs and libraries. Teachers are understandably overwhelmed, yet appreciative, of all the available resources being provided by just about any organization or company that is in any way affiliated with education or technology. The generosity of authors, teachers, bloggers, librarians and others has been mind-boggling. I'm awed at the amount of information and resources that are being shared for use with students while they remain at home to continue learning. Our students can be exposed to the best of the best. It is up to us to curate these timely treasures and to prioritize them. We know our students and our curriculum well enough to decide which lessons and activities to post to their list of assignments or alternative activities. When it is all said and done, I think we are going to appreciate each other and the work that has been done and will continue to be done to overcome any obstacles to student learning. We'll appreciate our disinfected classrooms and schools and, hopefully, will not take for granted the privilege of teaching and learning in a 21st century environment--whatever that may look like.

Book Club!

Yesterday was Book Club at our middle school! What a privilege it is to be facilitating questions and concerns about books from these young, avid readers. It's so rewarding for me to see students so excited about books. Our book club routine works like this. On the first Wednesday of every month during the school year, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who love books meet together after school in the library. We usually all read the same book and we try to select a different genre to read each month. I agree to provide the books, the place, some healthy snacks, and often a related, fun activity. Students agree to read the book and participate in the discussion. We all agree to be respectful of each other's opinions and to keep an open mind. I love witnessing the exchange of ideas and perspectives that these students love to share. We begin our meeting with students telling about a book they are currently reading so that their peers can be exposed to a variety of books from our library. Students who have attended book club meetings for all three years have become good friends and know each other's book preferences. We discuss our current book while we eat and drink. Our snack is usually tied in to the book somehow. We all pay attention to any food that is significant to the story. That food is likely to show up on the snack table. Yesterday, a student baked and frosted a cake and brought it to celebrate her 14th birthday. The sweet butter cream frosting was a hit! By the end of the 90 minutes, students are eagerly anticipating the new book they will be given to read before next month's meeting. I give a fairly comprehensive introduction to the book and read aloud the first few pages to build motivation, then I send them on their way. We all look forward to our Book Club meetings!