Our school dismissed students early on Friday afternoon. The idea was to give teachers additional time to prepare for remote learning after it had been announced that our district would close to students for at least two weeks of at home instruction.
After an extremely busy day, preparing for what seemed like an inevitability of schools closing, dismissal provided one of the weirdest feelings I’ve ever felt as an educator. When we normally break for a school closing like a planned Spring Break, I think most educators have a sense of relief.
What happened on Friday was a combination of a sense of relief along with a sense of complete dread and uncertainty. Teachers didn’t know what to do or how to feel. I talked to some parents at dismissal who felt the same way. A lack of meaningful words other than the singular question:
What do we do now?
For me, I’ll try to support students, teachers, and families in our new world of remote learning. As something we’ve never done before, we will all try to navigate this new reality together. I’ll worry about our students, at home with varying levels of support. I’ll be with my own family, trying to support them in this new environment and uncertain world.
Amidst all of the confusion, anxiety, and unpredictability, I will try to maintain my sense of HOPE.
Hope that things will get better quickly.
Hope that all of our kids will be ok over the next two weeks.
Hope that we will all be ok.
I’ll close with the only words I could muster as I met with staff one last time before we closed for a few weeks on Friday.
Good luck. Be safe. Take care of your families.
Let’s all do the same.
Rich (@RACzyz)