A Teacher's Valentine Reflection During Quarantine

 This year I've been focusing more on my YouTube channel than this blog, but I feel that this is better communicated in writing. As a person at high risk due to medical conditions, I've been fully in quarantine. After surviving cancer, I know that health is something never to be taken for granted.  I joke with friends about being in my "bunker," but I've never felt trapped. I want to highlight the people that I'm grateful for that have made teaching in quarantine bearable.

I'm Grateful For:

Paraeducators:

Paraeducators are incredibly helpful in the "in-person" classroom, and have gone above and beyond during distance learning. I've been blessed to have two amazing women in my classroom this year and honestly I can't imagine this year without them. From noticing which students seem down to asking questions that will help students understand the lesson, these professionals add so much to our classroom community and provide much needed support. I also appreciate having an adult connection to commiserate or giggle at different situations. Shout out to Mary and Kelsey!

Special Education Teachers:

My husband started as a preschool special education teacher and as such I've seen the behind the scenes in how much goes into this challenging position. I know I still have no idea what goes into the excellence I see daily. During distance learning our inclusion teacher has set up weekly meetings. This has been so wonderful! I feel like we have a clear plan and path to supporting students. The weekly meetings mean that when our plan needs to adjust we can do it. I'm impressed with the data collection and thoughtfulness that goes into seeing our students as a whole child with individual needs (especially in quarantine). I also appreciate the collaborative process that our inclusion teacher leads in our meetings. She helps make inclusion meaningful by adjusting my schedule and lesson plans to better serve all of our students. Our collaboration has allowed me to learn new things I hadn't considered before, and I am so grateful for the feedback. 

Librarians:

One of my favorite non-tech distance learning activities has been literature circles. My students are currently on to their second book read through literature circles. This would not be possible without our amazing librarians. They helped students to select the perfect books based on interest, reading level, and availability. Their next challenge was getting these books into those eager tiny hands, and they have have been wonderful partners. Librarians have also worked to support all students, locating audio versions of books and helping students access them.

Positive Parent Emails: 

I'll admit to happy/ugly crying when seeing a positive message in a never-ending mailbox of demands. They have been the kind cool breeze that has lifted me up and made me feel like I am doing something right. I can be pretty tough on myself, and getting positive feedback really feels good. When a parent shares a dinnertime anecdote about that day's lesson, it truly brightens my week.

Professional Learning Networks:

This is my sixth year teaching. While I've learned a lot over six years, I still rely on veteran teachers for guidance, support, and feedback. I'm so grateful for the amazing teachers that have been there to help me pick up the pieces when I've made a mistake, plan when I'm not sure the best strategy to use, and reflect on how to grow as an educator. Shout out to Hilary, Noelle, Ali, Nikola, Laura, Sue, Maria, Nadine and so many more incredible women.

Speech and Language Pathologists:

Our SLPs have a wealth of knowledge about how to support students They have always been willing to meet and plan how I can better target my students individual needs. Their expertise has given me guidance that can seamlessly be added to lessons. I also appreciate their "out of the box" thinking in how to do this without it being obvious to the kids.

Students:

This list could not be complete without my students. They come to class each day with a brave and kind heart. They do their best despite al the challenges they face. They have set alarms, learned new skills with technology, and opened themselves up to learn in new ways.