We Don't Scare That Easily

 

Tomorrow is the last Monday of the final week of school. If I had to name the year which was the toughest for me in this career, it would be this one. Now, before you begin dissing on teachers and how they know what they are getting into or any other negative comments, just scroll on to another story because at this point in the year, I really don't want to read it. 

Covid 19 threw a big wrench in most teachers year. Although I am only discussing me, I, as always, have a few thoughts on why I admire teachers and the work they do. 

Last year, when teachers were asked to remake their whole teaching strategy, we did it. Teachers did whatever was necessary to make sure our students had the opportunity to continue to learn. Given that many of my students had no computer or wifi access, and either no parents at home to help them or parents who did not have the knowledge of whatever subject their kids were having problems with. We called and emailed, had Zoom meetings and touch base Wednesdays. Some teachers printed out packets of information to send home and the parents could pick it up at the school from their cars. We had parents who we never heard from; parents who we heard from on a daily basis; students who continued to flourish and ones that fell behind. We did not stop trying to continue their education.

When this year began, it was a new experience for most of us. I, thank God, am very well versed in computers due to my previous employment in print media. I did not struggle to get lesson plans up, communicate with students and parents and in that area, my job was easy.

The hard part came with the students, many who were used to doing what they wanted while at home. No accountability on the parents part. Want to play video games on your phone? Go ahead. Want to continue talking over the teacher? Sure, no problem. The issue with missing the last quarter of school was what little respect we had as teachers went out the window. So on top of teaching lessons, we had to teach classroom respect again. 

We dealt with cleaning and wearing masks so we were not exposed to the virus. We had to struggle with overcrowded classrooms and still try to keep the students apart. In my case, I changed from desks to tables because they were easier to space apart. We had no computers for our classes because they were checked out by online students. Our computers in the library and computer labs were in constant use by testing, which although cancelled in the spring, all had to be done this year. (they didn't forget about them) I had kids who came to school with masks that were so dirty, they looked like they had been laying in a garden. I had kids who fought wearing masks because they are teenagers. I had kids miss 14 straight days because of exposure, not once but several times. Many kids were consistent in asking for food. They were hungry. Add that to the ones who were constantly interrupting the class to go wash their hands or get water and teaching falls short.

I tried. I used every teaching tool I am equipped with. We had gallery walks and video clips. (more on that later) Classroom discussion where not one child had an independent thought, which means no discussion. I had students who refused to read, refused to work, simply wanted to be on their phones. 

I wrote students up, one who told me to go F*** myself after I had woken him up for the third time because he was snoring so loudly. I had one who informed me that he didn't have to do his work because I knew he was the smartest kid in class and he really was only going to school because his parents made him. (he was listed as gifted, but we know what that means)

Add to the mixture no way to play any video clips that are not included in the online textbook unless it has been pre-approved. Which sounds great except I use a huge number of video clips when discussing WWI and WWII, the Holocaust, the Renaissance and numerous other periods of history. I cannot stream a movie, even one which has an inspiring message because my district has blocked all that. I must write every clip or video down, give it to my principal and if he approves, he will send it on to the district. So this almost broke me this year. It didn't and I am figuring out workarounds, but talk about stupid. Don't our district people have more to worry about than whether I am streaming Amazon to show The Freedom Writers' Diaries?

So with all that on a consistent basis, I am tired. I am ready for this year to end with the hope that next year may be more normal. I am also lucky. I live by myself and my dogs are easily pleased. I don't have to worry about kids or a spouse or any of that. So I worry about my kids.

This year my kids have been challenging but I have had so many bright spots. The first time one of my ESE students who is non-verbal, participated in a gallery walk and completed the questions. An email from a student who consistently makes great grades but never says a word, which read in part, "I would just like to tell you that I really appreciate the subjects that you teach us and how much effort you put into the lessons, I look forward to going to your class everyday as it is one of my favorite classes, Thank You." A sign one of my students who takes Spanish placed in my classroom which reads, "Please stop talking so the teacher can teach." Finally, a student who really struggles in school who told me I was her favorite teacher. 

So now I am getting ready. Ready for at least two weeks after the end of school where I can sleep in, lounge in the pool and hang out with the dogs. Then I will begin again.  I will check the first month of lesson plans and try and find all my old journalism things because that is a new class I will be teaching next year. See if I can raise print money because I believe in print newspapers for students first, before we tackle online. Make sure my dates are noted for the online professional development I do each summer to keep up with my history classes. 

You tried this year. You started by telling us what a great job we were doing but ended by going back to the same old crap. We don't scare that easily. You threw the worst at us and your kids did okay. Most of us love teaching and the students. I can't think of anything you could do that would make me leave. Except the videos. Can you do something about that?