Hi everyone. I thought about calling this post back to school, since it is on my mind this morning.
Yesterday I spoke with a couple of friends from work. Boy are things different this fall, well beyond what I expected. I almost don't recognize the job. I know this might not mean a lot to you, as you didn't really know about a typical day for me before, but I am going to share because you might interested in all the changes in this one school district.
Starting next week, classes are cut in half, with half the kids Monday and the other half Tuesday. Then the rest of the week is online with teachers in their rooms, kids at home. That sounds good for at least some face to face time, but not too much face to face time. Sounds like there are now more "rules", for lack of a better word, about what will be expected of the kids when doing online classes. Things we definitely needed last spring.
And the school day has changed. Lunch has gone from 1 lunch for all to 3 lunches with students eating only in the cafeteria. Before students could eat in a teacher's classroom if the teacher said OK. From a teacher perspective it was nice bonding. (I had a small group of girls who would eat with me and I got to know them pretty well.) Juniors and seniors will get off campus and leave for lunch if their parents approve. There is no passing time between each class. Kids go from class directly to class. One at a time. The desks need to be cleaned after each class. Every teacher in the same subject must be doing the same thing each day. No labs-tough for a science teacher, and no bathroom break time for teachers either. on in school days. Only at lunch, during their prep block or if someone covers them. No lunch duty or no work days during the year as they are all being stacked in the front. No fall sports or theater either. It is strictly school for learning and then home. Masks are mandatory. No congregating. They have hired lunch monitors for lunch. (That is something I wish we had before.) All desks are on spots that the school has measured out so teachers can not arrange their classrooms to their liking. Teachers are in school all 5 days as well as some students who need more one on one learning over the remote will be in all 5 days, maybe not for the whole day, but at least for part of it. And the school library is closed too. At least for now. My friends also said 300 students at the the high school where I taught are choosing to do the state-wide online school for the fall semester and are not coming in either. That's about 1/4 of the student population. And I have left out a whole list of new changes, but since I was told things are still changing on a daily basis, I am not sure some of these will even be in pace next week when the kids arrive. Eeeks.
Retirement looks pretty sweet for sure.
This new school plan is hopefully going to keep everyone safe. I hate the idea of my friends, former co- workers and students ending up sick. It's been a tough summer for the community with covid and some deaths. A teacher with cancer passed away, a former student of mine as well as another teacher both committed suicide within the last 2 weeks. Talk about tough on top of all the changes.
I had to stop by the school offices yesterday to pick up the school board and district retirement gift which had finally come in, (a very nice clock), and I saw the superintendent. He was trying to talk me into subbing, and they are so desperate for those right now. I told him maybe after the covid gets under control. I'm sure he doesn't remember about my husband being immunosuppressed from his kidney transplant. I wonder what will happen if a teacher ends up or need to be out.
The good thing to hear though was that I am missed by my friends. As my friend D said, "Your replacement knows what she is doing but she is really quiet. No hopping in and out her classroom to talk over school things or just to share something." And I thought when I went into her classroom with something to say I was just being annoying. Smile. I guess not.
OK, totally changing the subject, but when I just went to put labels in on the new blogger I didn't get all the check off boxes. It actually was easy. I HOPE this is a permanent fix!
And since I have babbled on about back to school, let me show you a few photos from recent walks of some late summer nature details! It's that time of year.
Have a great day-or evening-or night, depending on when you read this.
And thanks for visiting.
6 comments:
I know you are thrilled to NOT be going back this year to teach. And I'm thrilled for you, too. Never in a MILLION years when you decided to take retirement last year, did you see this virus coming, but at least retirement worked out great for you.
Do you like the new blogger. So far, I haven't had to use it, but I may this week.
Your photos from your walk are great, too. That was a nice photo of your old "home away from home."
Phew! It sounds like you took retirement just at the right time. It all sounds very complicated. I hope your ex students and colleagues keep safe. Very sad to hear about the suicides.
Your photos are beautiful Erika, I love the puddles too.
Happy Friday,
Alison xx
This is plain crazy. Crazy.
I will call my Brother to ask if Niece (10-y-o) is back to school and how.
Nice to hear you were so loved. Tough job for your replacement!
Ohhh, what a cutie-pie you captured there! The reflectopns are great, too, still sad summer is over.
School sounds unrecognizable. I'm glad they're taking such care, but it'll be a huge adjustment for everybody.
The changing of the seasons is a special time. I like those parts of the year better than any one season :)
It IS nice to be missed, and those sound like good changes. I hope they are good enough and that things work out for you, but ever so glad that you are retired!
I'm so sorry you've had to deal with such loss and very hard loss these past weeks. It's especially hard with a young person, but really, it's hard no matter who. Sending big hugs.
I bet you are pleased that you don't have to go back. It certainly sounds very different. Also for the kids it sounds like not much fun. You go to school to learn and nothing else. No socializing, no getting to know your teacher, no practical lab lessons. Oh well....
Very interesting.
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