During this teacher appreciation week I wanted to take a few minutes of reflection, some deep cleansing breaths, and extend a huge thank you and shout out to our teaching staff! Suffice to say we are having quite the second semester. In my mind I am now viewing these times as BC/AC. [B]efore COVID-19 and [A]fter COVID-19. Right before spring break I recall a conversation in the high school office with staff who were sharing their plans for spring break. Although coronavirus was on all our minds and part of our conversation, we assumed all would be just fine in Iowa. (Although they had just fielded a phone call from someone in the state of Washington who was trying to get to the bottom of a rumor that we had a case of coronavirus in our school. Why on earth someone from Washington state was concerning themselves with a school roughly some 1700 miles away was beyond me.) Prior to all of this our primary focus was on hiring new staff for next year (luckily we now have that done), finalizing the teacher contract, and keeping up with policy discussions that were ongoing in the state legislature. We were also ramping up preparations for the administration of our spring battery of state testing, finalizing plans to replace our fleet of computers, and reviewing rubrics that would be used in assessment. These were all the normal, run of the mill things we would typically doing during this time of year.
Meanwhile, our teachers were carrying out the primary mission of our school, and really of schools everywhere: they were teaching students. That week they had just finished up their final round of parent teacher conferences and they too were looking forward to spring break. It had been a long winter, and while I typically refer to the period of time from the holiday break to spring break as 'the long stretch', it was particularly long this year. During a normal winter we generally have a snow day or two to break up this long period, to at least provide a brief respite from the intensity and daily grind of classroom teaching. But this year it was not to be. We had enjoyed a relatively minor winter with few interruptions. In fact, up to that point we had missed only one day of school for weather, and had not even had a late start yet. In all, the school year was progressing nicely. Our very highly trained teaching force was operating like a well oiled machine and we were hitting all our targets. With statewide testing right around the corner, it appeared that all systems were go for a smooth glide path into the final weeks of the school year. They were certainly deserving of a few days off!
Then of course it wasn't. All of a sudden everything changed when the lights on the instrumentation panel started blinking red. That smooth glide path for a soft landing was no longer a viable option because the wings started coming off the airplane. The metaphor of 'building an airplane while flying it' doesn't seem to accurately portray what we are experiencing right now. Oh no, quite the contrary. We still have a plane, now our goal is just trying to keep it from coming apart any further. Continuous learning models were quickly developed and put into practice and school districts were now forced to choose whether or not they would offer voluntary learning options or required learning options. Choose wisely we were told, because the distinction is critical. Except that it really isn't. At least from my seat on the plane. As I look around the state and compare what we are doing with what our colleagues around the state and Cedar Valley are doing, I really see very little difference. We aren't providing voluntary education or required education. We are providing emergency education!
A highly trained and well oiled machine indeed! Except that everything our teaching force knew about teaching and learning, particularly as it relates to this new methodology is no longer relevant. Instructional strategies that work well in the classroom don't necessarily translate well to online or remote learning. Lessons in math that utilize small group instruction with manipulatives aren't possible from a distance. Classroom management and maintaining focus and structure is a challenge even during regular in classroom instruction. Imagine the challenge now when the teacher is unable to redirect or refocus the students, especially when they are separated by a screen miles apart!
Yet in spite of all those challenges and unknowns, our teachers have risen to the challenge. Every single thing that we have asked our teachers to do, they have stepped up to the plate and exceeded our expectations. The challenges, and even fears they had about our continuous learning model are now distant memories. All of this, everything they have done has been accomplished as a team in the spirit of cooperation and sharing. Additionally, all of this has been done without an ounce of formalized professional development. Talk about on the job training! Each week they add a new component to their lesson plans and their instruction gets stronger and better.
But they also realize that what they are doing right now is no substitute for the classroom. They miss their students terribly and want so bad to see them return to their classrooms. Thank you to our teachers, and teachers everywhere for what you are doing right now. Keep generating that spark, and before you know it, the kids will be back with you in your classrooms, right where they belong.
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