During National Teacher Week, our hearts and minds have gone to ALL the many factors that encompass ‘being a teacher.’ The spotlight on educators is brighter than ever, as we face what it means to teach a child in today’s world.
Every day, I hear another story. The images sometimes bring me heart ache, sometimes make me angry, but usually lift my spirits and bring me hope.
It can be so overwhelming. But, there is ONE THEME which seems to prevail.
One day at a time.
Funny, we’ve all heard that motto before. Live in this moment. Be present. Today is the only guarantee…
It’s as if LIFE is offering the platform to practice this message at a whole new level.
Even as administrators and school boards scramble to look forward with all the ‘what-ifs’ of the next school year… we in the trenches, have the luxury, of staying true to NOW.
There are so many beautiful acts of kindness going on around us… Communities coming together, to feed, acknowledge, celebrate and suppport. People are seeing each other.
We have been slowed down. We have been given a chance for something awesome.
I wanted to pay forward the volunteer hours that were offered to me when I had my own elementary class. I met last week in Google Classroom with my ‘one’ student. We had a great lesson and he produced some quality work! We both committed to “see you Friday…!” But Friday brought no student.
Broke my heart, for all the children who do not have the resources to follow through. An hour later, his dad was calling, apologizing and asking if I “might still have time?” I did! But would a teacher of 20 some students?
A temporary disappointment, turned into an awesome lesson… I love challenging children, especially when you have the tools to do it!
My student teachers are wrapping up their graduate semester. They ‘graduate’ next week. I am completing their final evaluations and writing letters of recommendation. How different these summative reports are this year… as I spot light the incredible challenge THEY too have had to face, learning how to be a teacher while also thrust into the throes of a technological classroom!
Remote teaching at it’s best!
Tensions run high these days, as innocent (though naïve) comments hit hard when the soul behind the classroom door gets left out of future educational equations.
Let us not allow ourselves to go there… We need all our energy to BE the change we wish to bring to our children. We are the role models, the support systems, the hearts of education. Sure, we may need to defend the front lines in the days and weeks and months ahead, but right now, our future lies with our children, just as it always has.
We have today. So they will have tomorrow…
Blessings on all who strive to make learning the catalyst of change for a better tomorrow…