Missing children
A few children have been missing from our remote learning and teaching efforts. We do not stand by silently as we witness this. Instead as a teaching team, we discuss the issue, reach out to families, write letters, make calls, and try a number of other avenues to touch base with the children and their families. We speculate on why the children may not be attending online classes or keeping up with the assignments. While I don't expect every child to be able to give 100% at this time for many, many reasons including economic struggle, everyday family issues, illness, worry, and more, I am worried when a child hardly shows up at all or a family does not communicate. What's a teacher to do?
Going forward I will be more explicit during fall family conferences about expectations, communication, and resources. Generally I have been explicit, but not with the expectation that we would transition to remote learning during the year--I never dreamed this would be a scenario that would happen. We do not have clear protocols and expectations for attendance, involvement, parent meetings, and student performance or learning in the remote world. Overall I think the entire learning community of family members, teachers, students, and community members have done a great job--our attendance rate hovers around 85% for any given meeting and our contact rate comes close to 100%--this is all good, but a few children are mostly missing in action when it comes to remote teaching and learning, and I worry about those children. I will continue to think on this topic with colleagues, and I will continue to reach out to the children and families that are not showing up. I'll seek support in these situations in other ways as well to make sure families know the resources available at the state level for support and help too.
Challenged colleagues, friends, and community members
Some in my midst are challenged with health and other issues at this time. It is a lonely time to be ill, distanced from loved ones, fearful, jobless, and facing economic/social hardship and uncertainty. Frightening and heinous scenes such as the murder of George Floyd and the teargassing of peaceful protests fill us with anguish, fear, sadness, and anger. Most of us want a peaceful world, a world without hateful divide, suffocating self-serving behaviors, and economic injustice. Yet, sad and worrisome events occur and are magnified during the pandemic limitations and unknown. Life has changed in so many ways in short time, and we have to coach ourselves forward daily to be positive, caring, and making the best of a situation that wouldn't be our choice--we have to continually look for the silver linings, and we know those silver linings exist.
As far as friends who are facing illness at this time, I wish them good health. No one likes to see people face illness and the worry and anguish that goes with that. I will do what I can to help out. As for those who are lonely at this time, I will also try to be there for those people--the only reason loneliness is not worse than grave illness is that there is generally an end to loneliness--generally people do find good companions in time if they continue to seek those relationships. The best we can do is to help out in ways that we can--we can contribute to help funds, invite people to spend time with us, send a card, write a note, make a phone call, give a gift--reach out and be there. "Do unto others as we would have them do unto you."
Confounding processes and oppression
As I watch people make decisions on local and national fronts, I am aware more than ever that poor process and communication often stands in the way of good action and result. When processes for communication, analysis, and decision making are not thoughtful, lots of time and energy are wasted--time and energy that could be spent towards personal or collective positivity and good.
I sat in on and listened to several meetings in the past few weeks where it was clear that there wasn't a clear vision at the helm of the meeting or processes used. The lack of a clear vision wasted time and found people veering off track in countless ways thus confounding any good process or ultimate decision making. Sometimes banter is just what we need, but in changing and challenging times like these, it is best to review the vision statement regularly in order to bring people back to a common set of expectations and goals.
I will be part of a number of meetings in the days ahead that will involve decision making--decision making related to family matters, professional work, and community decisions too. How will I be positively involved in those conversations, where will my focus be?
With regard to family, my main objective is not to rush people--family members don't have to choose any job, return to school right away, react quickly and thoughtlessly. By taking their time, my family members can adjust to the new reality we are living in. The added time most people have because they can't travel, they are working at home, jobs are scarce and entertainment minimal is a silver lining and a chance to think deeply about what life's next steps will be. It is a time to develop new passions, interests, and skills via reading, online courses, at-home making/doing, and outdoor activities.
Professionally, I want to keep in mind the following priorities with regard to my work and our collective work with children:
- safety first
- positive, helpful, productive, and enriching teaching/learning relationships second
- developing a strong foundation of academic, social, emotional, and physical fitness skills and abilities third while prioritizing best identified standards/goals for the children we teach
- building a modern, engaging, and forward thinking learning environment online and offline fourth
In the professional sphere during this time of dramatic response and change, I don't want to get caught up in efforts that don't matter a lot, but instead keep my focus on the overarching behaviors and events that do matter. What does matter to young children whether you are online or offline is the following:
- positivity, kindness, helpful support
- careful, thoughtful listening and response
- engaging, enriching, empowering learning experiences with substantial coaching and support
- working as a team to meet the needs and interests of students and their families
Speak up against lawless, corrupt, prejudicial, and harmful words and actions
Sadly, beginning in the White House, corruption, greed, and hate are blatantly obvious and harmful in today's world. We have to stand up, speak out, and act against behaviors like these at home, in the community, and throughout the world. I was so sickened by the murder of George Floyd and so many innocent people who have been murdered and harmed before him and still today. I could not watch the video--murder in front of a camera while people including the victim himself cried out for relief. That was abominable, inhumane, and deplorable. I have been inspired by the countless people who are standing up and speaking up to end this racism, hatred, and violence. I am glad that people are speaking up and standing up, and as these people are crying out, we can't be complacent. We have to work for greater peace, greater respect for all lives, and economic, social, health, environmental, and academic justice in every corner of society. I want to think deeply about the changes I can make in my life to serve this end more powerfully too and will begin this process with greater education and deep reflection and decision making on my own and with others as we engage in the White Fragility book group.
Personal health and happiness
We have to attend to our personal health and happiness too. If we are unhappy and unhealthy, we will not be able to help others. This is important.
I am sure that I am not the only one up in the wee hours of the morning contemplating life's call and challenges. I welcome this time of reflection--time that will direct me well in the days that follow.
