Hope Is Contagious: Emergency Learning’s Small Moments of Success

On the third day of official ‘Distance Learning,’ which we all know now is better referred to as ‘Emergency Learning,’ due to the unfortunate situation at hand, I posted this on my personal social media channels:

I’m missing lunch box notes... I’m missing so much that I won’t let myself make a list. I need to focus on the positive, the happy little faces in my zoom conferences, the sweet little comments all day long from my students and their families, and the awesome people in not just my school community, but nationwide who have lended an ear and helped me out so much in these past few days. And, of course, the parents who this entire ‘Distance Learning’ is very much dependent on, especially for early childhood. Those are the positives. Today I am especially grateful for the big brother of one of my students, who took the time to talk to me, helped the brother join my google classroom, made sure he was present for Zoom, and helped him get every assignment completed and submitted. A high school student, who had his own studies to focus on, made sure his second grade brother was not left out. I’m also grateful for the entire St. Rocco School Community who are going out of their way to make ‘Distance Learning’ work but also giving families patience and flexibility, because, really this is not ideal for anyone involved.

And here I am, two week later, still getting through by focusing on the positives.

I have to admit when I woke up this morning, with the prospect of having this day somewhat to myself, since my children have ‘distant learning’ obligations, but there is no ’school’ in my district, I decided I should be writing a blog post full of do’s and don’ts.

I was going to talk about the different sources that I’ve found helpful, the power of collaboration and communication, and how important it is to give kids choices and allow them to be creative, think critically, and learn at their own pace.

I was going to point out all the things that really shouldn’t be happening since this is not ‘Real Teaching.’ Children are not getting the education they are entitled to at the moment and we must accept that. 

I was going to point out the obvious, that health and safety should be the priority, and teachers should not be piling on too much work, providing only digital work options, using random worksheets and mindless busywork, attempting to follow the actual real school day schedule, giving any work at all without offering feedback, or giving actual grades in this inequitable situation.

Instead, I really want to highlight what I’ve found to be the most important lessons throughout all of this:

Children need hope. Adults need hope. We need to know we are not alone, and now more than ever we need each other.

I’ve found that while social media can be a great way to share ideas and connect with like-minded people, it’s never been so important to me as right now. I especially love the energy and positivity of one particular Facebook group called, The Distance Learning Group.

Christopher O’Brien began this group because he recognized a need and wanted to provide a safe place for educators. He explains, “I saw a lot of similar conversations happening between educator friends on social media, so I thought we needed a place to centralize those conversations. More importantly, I wanted a place that would be positive and solution oriented. Not only did we have to figure out how our jobs were changing, but needed a safe place to support the emotional health of educators as well.”

I’ve really enjoyed helping out as an administrator, because the people in the group are truly inspiring and also, just really really nice, supportive people. We share ideas, but we also share worries and concerns and are not afraid to admit to failure. We are truly learning together.

Today Christopher, as he does on a regular basis, asked us (the group) to reflect and share what we are grateful for. I was just looking back at the post and reading what everyone wrote just makes me smile.

From Paula Martin Gibbs: I am thankful for this group! I am so blessed to have a wonderful family and they are all healthy and well. Blessed for sure. Have a blessed Easter weekend all.

From Rhonda Lawson: Thankful I woke up., for my daughters and our good health during this time. Thankful for the opportunity to reflect and regroup. Thankful fo all educators and parents trying to row this boat of on-line education. Have great day everyone!

From Savannah Parks: Thankful for a healthy family and that my husband and I are both continuing to be paid for now. Many are not as lucky.

And the group has added lots of humor along with the positive vibes and support, with posts asking for favorite ‘COVID19’ memes and song parodies.

Most of all the what group has given me is hope. The hope that we will actually be able to teach remotely without a great deal of needless worry and stress, the hope that we will be able to stay safe, healthy, see better days, and the hope that we are not the only ones feeling what we are feeling.

Hope is what we need to give our children. We need to make this ‘Emergency Learning” as positive and as safe as possible for all children and their families.

This morning I was thinking about something Dr. Brad Johnson said. On his twitter account today, he posted these words, “The hardest part of this for most admin is not being in the schools with staff and students. The hardest part for most teachers is not being in the schools with staff and students. The best and most important parts of education are relational and affirmational.”

We’ve spent so much time building relationships, learning about kindness, and working hard to foster a healthy growth mindset every day, all year, in my second grade classroom.

I’ve taught by example, by providing an environment where children felt comfortable and loved. We spent a great deal of time talking, really talking to each other, forming bonds I really miss right now.

How can I provide for and maintain these relationships, these bonds with my students, without that environment and without being able to be there? How can I listen, answer questions, provide them with self-regulation and calming down strategies when anxiety sets in? How can I give them opportunities to laugh and play and help them challenge each other?

The reality is is that it isn’t the same. But can we maintain a little of the best and most important parts? I believe we can.

Many of my students were also my students in kindergarten, two years ago, and their families have become a much treasured part of my world. I really feel I need to offer more than a google classroom and zoom conferences for these families. I feel we have to try to maintain a little of the best and most important parts.

I’m working on ways to truly engage the children and their families. I’m not trying to ‘keep them busy’ or ‘keep up with the standards.’

Those of you that follow me on social media have most likely already seen a lot of the activities and projects I’ve worked on during this time, most of which have come from Educate the Heart, and you may have even seen some of the families from my classroom who have been so supportive sharing their projects and learning through pictures and videos.

I’ve really appreciated each and every picture and video that the parents send and consider these beautiful moments to be the biggest positives in this ‘Emergency Learning.’

Last week we ( the SEL Committee at Harry Kizirian) asked our school community to focus on the quote, “Kindness is Contagious.” We also challenged our students to spread kindness at home and share pictures so we could celebrate the collective efforts as a school.

The Laurenza Family was one of the families happy to participate and I was grateful to receive these pictures from them. They have three children in our school and I’m so fortunate to have Landon ( big brother) in my second grade class. Landon and his brother Lincoln helped dad with yard work and they both worked with their sister Livy to beautify their neighborhood colorful sidewalk chalk drawstrings.

Seeing pictures of what the families are doing at home is wonderful.

The reality is is that it isn’t the same.

I still appreciate these beautiful little moments so much.

I’ve often felt like little moments are the most important. Not just right now, but I always have.

Being supportive to a colleague or a friend in the kindest way possible, so they are not afraid to ask for help, getting to know the families of your students so that you have built a true community, and brightening up the world with sidewalk chalk to make others that walk by smile are special moments I appreciate.

All of these things give me hope. Hope that we are all going to be ok, and hope that my students will look back at this time and remember the cheerful moments, and the ways we’ve connected, through phone calls, texts, lots and lots of comments in the google classroom, and through the the confidence of knowing I’m with them, even though I’m not ‘with them.’

I hope all children will look back at this time and have fond family memories to share. Memories of lots and lots of stories being read, and memories of drawbridges made out of cardboard boxes, and memories of time to imagine, time to focus, time to create, and most of all, memories of time to be kids.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog today. I certainly hope you found this post worthwhile and I’d love to hear from you.

If you would like to connect further, please feel free to leave a comment, message, or reach out via any of my social media channels.

Please stay well.

Yours truly,

Jennifer

#KeepYourHeadUp 🌈☀️ https://youtu.be/ILtDs0MmRHE