Distance learning will continue for the remainder of the school year.
Unfortunately, our fear of not being able to return to the classroom for the remainder of the school year has now become a reality, but fear not! Your teachers are working harder than they ever have for your kids. None of us want to lose the progress your children have made this year in the classroom and we want to push them to achieve even more knowledge and skills. We are here for you.
I’m not going to lie, not being able to return to school and be with the kids is making me extremely sad today. As a teacher, my job is to teach and reteach until a concept is learned. My job is to teach students the skills they need to learn and succeed not just in school but in life. My job is to empower students to become independent learners. My job is to share my excitement about learning with my students and pray they latch hold of that excitement in their own lives. My job, while not taken away from me, has just been severely hindered by not being in the actual presence of my students. So much of what we do as teachers has nothing to do with our lesson plans and everything to do with the love we have for our students. We want them to achieve new understanding about not just academic subjects but about God and other people and themselves. Distance learning doesn’t make my job impossible but it is a challenge for sure.
So, if I’m sad, how are you parents feeling? Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Stressed? Perhaps not, but I’m guessing you are experiencing some emotions you weren’t expecting. We are here for you. We want to work together to create a learning environment for you and your child that will foster growth and happiness. Is something working really well? Please let your teacher know. Is something an impossibility for you and your child? Please let your teacher know. While we can’t work miracles, we will do our best to make distance learning a success.
This week has been hard. I don’t know if it will get easier or harder but I do know together we will rise to the challenge. Reach out to your fellow distance learning parents. Support each other. Affirm each other. Affirm and acknowledge your teachers. Last night, a parent sent me a picture of a bunny giving me a hug. Totally made my day. During these next few weeks, it will be the little things that lift us up. The challenge will be not allowing ourselves to wallow in negativity during the next few months. Rise up, friends! And lift up those around you!
We rise by lifting others!