Teaching By Design....Teaching Buttheads Daily...Tortured But Determined...Tiny Bit Dorky...Totally Brain Dead...Too-busy Disorder. You can decide what the TBD stands for. Visit my old blog at http://tbdteacher.tumblr.com/
Middle school story:
A girl asks to use my classroom phone after school.
Girl: Ms. Holst, I misdialed. What do I do now?
Me: Hang it up and try again.
Girl: How do I do that?
Me: I walked over and push down the hang up button.
Girl: Really? It’s that easy? I’ve already learned so much from you today.
Saving one child at a time. Ha
I don’t know about you, but I have two favorite kinds of icebreakers. The kind I don’t have to prep for as a teacher, and the kind I don’t have to do at staff meetings. Ha! Here are some great icebreakers that you can use quickly this year.
It has become a tradition that I always start with this activity on the first day of school. When I was younger, I had all kinds of questions about the teacher, the class, and the classroom, but I never had a chance to ask them. The teacher would go over the rules, and then I would leave frustrated.
This is such an easy icebreaker, right? No prep! Kids don’t have to get out of their seats, but they do have a chance to get to know each other. I also put up sample questions on the overhead, in case they can’t think of any. I use my attendance questions. You can read more about my attendance questions here (with the questions attached) here.
If you would like to get your kids up and moving, but you still don’t have time to prep for it, I would recommend, “Blobs and Lines.” I have a 6th grade gifted and talented advisory class, and they had a great time with this today. There are many examples on Teachers Pay Teachers. My favorite is by Cult of Pedagogy, but it isn’t free. You can find it here. If you are looking for a free one, however, you can find it here by Alexis Winn.
One of the reasons I like this icebreaker is because it causes the kids to talk and work with each other without my help. It also lets me know who the leaders are on in the classroom. That can become handy later on.
This semester, I have over 190 students. That is a lot of different personalities to get to know. I make it a goal to know every student’s name by the end of the week. (Honestly, I’m starting to sweat about this one. There are a lot of names that start with E, and it’s confusing.) That being said, if I didn’t take the time to get to know my students, and let them get to know me, our semester would turn out differently. My lessons can wait. Creating a positive and safe climate in our classroom can’t. Even if you don’t like icebreakers yourself, take the time do them.
By the way, my students begged me not to do another worksheet about their summer or about them. Try some new ideas to hold their interest, and don’t waste time prepping for them.
Do you ever think about your purpose, your reason, and your fun when it comes to your job?
A while ago, I had a principal that told us not to answer the question of, “What do you do?” with “I’m a teacher or I teach 8th grade.” She told us to think about our purpose. What do we DO? This lesson always make me think about my role as a teacher in the beginning of the school year.
I started answering this question with, “I help teenagers to gain more confidence in themselves and in public speaking.” When you set your purpose, it helps you to stay driven in your job. When I taught 8th grade language arts, my purpose wasn’t to help kids learn to read and write. Surprising? I know.
I felt my purpose was to help kids LIKE to read and write. This isn’t always easy in middle school, and I figured it was important before they reached high school. Of course they learned skills along the way, but nothing made me feel better than when a student, who normally hated to read, would tell me they actually liked the books that I picked out for them. Or when a student would work hard on their Nanowrimo book and end up publishing it on Amazon; I knew they realized that writing can be fun. Here’s a past blog post about Nanowrimo.
My best friend in CA decided to start her own cooking business in which she makes delicious homemade meals, freezes them, and then delivers them to her customers. I know if I asked her what her purpose is for her business, it wouldn’t be to make dinner for people. I think her answer would be to make people happy.
So, what is your PURPOSE in your job?
I believe for most teachers, the reason they are in that school building, day in and day out, is because of the kids. The kids are the reason we show up each day. It definitely isn’t for the money! As you start this new school year, pay more attention to your reason.
This summer, I started coaching four kids on their public speaking skills. The kids created their own product for Destination Imagination, and it was such a hit that they turned it into a real business that is going global! (Side note: If you have kids that ski, you will want to check out their product called the Ski Pack. It was made for kids, by kids! It is like a backpack that lets your kids carry their own skis and poles, but it folds up small enough to fit in your pocket. Cool, right? You can buy your own pack for your kids at this website: https://www.puremountainfun.com/). Make sure you check it out when you are done reading this blog post, of course!
Back to these amazing kids. Since their company is taking off, they are going to present at a conference in Boston this November, and they need to be ready with strong presentation skills. This is where I come in; I am helping them learn to be more confident and poised. It is because of these kids that I was reminded of my reason while starting this school year. I am lucky enough to have a job where I know it will make a difference in the lives of each student in my class. At the beginning of the year, I make a promise to them that they will be better speakers and more confident than they are on day 1 of my class. They are my reason!
These past two years, I admit, I forgot what it was like to have fun at work. I went to work, taught my classes, ate lunch in my classroom, and went home. I have decided that I need to find my fun again. This week, I ate lunch with my friends, and I had a blast by going axe throwing at Primal Axe House (I highly recommend this place), with my colleagues. I laughed so much, even though I was terrible at in the beginning, and it felt good to just have fun with the people at my work.
How are you going to create your own fun for yourself and for your students?
This week, the staff played an icebreaker game called “Dude, More Dude.” You can find the cards for it on Amazon here. Our admin wanted to remind us that we are one big family that supports each other.
Basically, you get these cards that have different characters on them. Mine was a pirate. (That was funny since my classroom is decorated in a pirate theme.) You walk up to another person and say “Dude” as if you were that character. I struggled because the pirate was tough without using actions or extra words. If the other person has your same character, you join up to start forming a family and find more members.
I could see using this in class to form table groups. You would have to make sure there are only four of each character (or multiples of four), if you have table groups of four. I think the students would like this unique way of forming groups.
My teaching tip for this week is to take a moment to think through these three questions for your own job. What is your purpose? What is your reason? What is your fun? As a teacher who highly believes in self-reflection, it may just help you to take that first step in being more prepared for the school year.
Retirement?
It’s official. This will be my year of “lasts.” This is my 32nd year of teaching, and it’s time to celebrate my last year of teaching. I’m excited to spend it teaching my favorite subject “public speaking.” Teaching language arts was fun, but public speaking? Oh man, it is so gratifying to see the confidence grow in kids. They go from being terrified of my class to actually thinking that getting on stage is fun and powerful. I truly believe that public speaking strategies should be taught in every class.
My Plan
I would like to share a lot with you throughout the year. What warm-ups did I use? What funny things happened in class? What lessons of classroom management did I have to engage because it can look different on a daily basis? What lessons worked well that you could use in any content area? So, yes, I will share the good, the bad, and the ugly at times. Do you have subjects you would like to learn more about? Feel free to email me.
Subscribe
Make sure to subscribe if you want to stay updated on this journey with me. You can find it to the right under my picture. I plan to use it as a “journal” of my last year of teaching. I’ll be that old lady in a rocking chair one day, just cracking up while reading my own blog. Although by that time, my personal robot will read it to me, I just know it. If you’re interested in reading about the trials of my first few years of teaching, you can find it here: My Story: Trials of a New Teacher
Good luck to all of the teachers this year. We need each other and definitely can’t do this profession alone.
As the last week of summer is upon me, I started thinking about what I wish I had known at the beginning of the year as a new teacher. What are those top 5 survival items that every classroom needs? If I was to create an Amazon Wish List as a new teacher, here is what I would include. By the way, Tip #1, create a wish list of your own on Amazon and share it with your family and friends. You don’t even have to wait until the holidays!
1. WATER BOTTLES– Not only do you want your own cute small water bottle (trust me, kids look at these things, so have one that shows your personality), but you also want back-up water bottles to keep in your room. I keep a few of these in my room for many reasons. First of all, you can never be sure when you will have time to refill your little bottle during the day. Heck, half of the time you will spend that time between classes waiting in line just to use the bathroom. The other reason I always keep extra water in my room is because we live in the age of lockdowns. I always picture being in my room with 30 students and only half of them have water bottles of their own. Can you imagine your students not having water to drink for hours on end?
I like this bottle because not only is it big, but it tells you how much water is in it. If you want to be conscious of how much water you drink a day, this will be helpful. Link to Amazon.
2. ELECTRIC PENCIL SHARPENER – I don’t know about you, but hearing the grinding of pencils being sharpened in the manual one, provided in the classroom, is enough to make me want to poke my eye out. Sometimes, I picture kids using it, while just smiling at me, and watching me twitch from across the room. In my classroom, I also have to have a student chair by the manual pencil sharpener. I get it; it’s a fun toy. It also dumps the pencil shavings on the carpet when you play with it. Right now, Amazon is having a big sale. This one is a must for me!
3. LAPTOP BACKPACK –Yes, there are cute teacher bags out there. I used to have one. That is, until I started attending conferences and meetings. I quickly learned that carrying around my laptop, notebook, water bottles, snacks, etc, became very heavy throughout the day. Last year, I bought this backpack, and I love it. I thought the price made it too good to be true, but it is sturdy! It has a cable organizer bag and a USB charging port. On that note, it is perfect for your own kids too. It is my favorite bag that I have ever carried to work each day.
4. BLANK SPIRAL JOURNAL – A good friend and colleague showed me how she used hers to stay organized, and I never turned back! At one point, I thought I would go totally paperless, and for the most part I have, except for my favorite journal. I take it with me to meetings, but mostly I use it to create a “To Do” list at the end of each day. I leave it on my desk or put it in my backpack, and then each morning, I go through my checklist right when I get to my classroom. It’s also a great place to doodle during those dreaded, I mean exhilarating, staff meetings. I just looked through mine from last year, and it made me giggle. It’s like a teaching journal of what I thought was important each day.
5. PRESENTATION CLICKER/REMOTE – This is snobby, I know, but it drives me crazy when teachers walk over to their computer just to switch to the next slide on their presentation. Clickers/remotes are cheap and fit to almost every computer. Mine is old, so I can’t post the exact one, but this one looks similar. It makes you look more professional, you save time, and you can also let your students use it when they present to the class. My students think they are very cool when they use the remote, and it has helped many a nervous student get to the front of the room, just so he can use the clicker.
Of COURSE there are other items that every teacher needs in their classroom or desk (deodorant, mirror, chapstick, directions to the nearest liquor store), but just remember, you’ve got this! You don’t have to start out with the most beautiful classroom in your hallway or have your lesson plans completed before the start of school. Figure out what you need for your classroom to make you and your students happy, and you will be ready to go! Good luck this school year. If you would like an idea of how to start the school year, check out my post, “TEACHING TIP: MAKE YOUR CLASS THE ONE THEY TALK ABOUT FROM DAY ONE!
It’s been a month since I wrote my blog post about safe tips for returning to school. (If you want to check out my previous blog post, you can find it here.) It’s also been a month since I have returned to the school building. I thought I would revisit my tips to let you know which ones were realistic, or not, and to share what I have learned so far. I know many of you are just returning to the classroom, so I hope this helps.
Before we get started, you should know that we started back in the hybrid model. This means that kids are separated into two cohorts. Cohort A is there on Mondays and Wednesdays, Cohort B is there on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we have virtual classes at home every Friday. Students also had the choice to do 100% virtual learning.
TIP #1: FIND A CLEAN, ISOLATED AREA FOR YOUR BELONGINGS
I thought I wouldn’t carry a purse anymore, but that didn’t go well. I was constantly switching from my backpack to a purse. Instead, I keep my purse in my desk, and my backpack sits under a table behind my desk.
TIP #2: LEAVE THE BUILDING WITHOUT TOUCHING SURFACES
I still stick to the this tip as much as possible. However, I do keep hand sanitizer in my car, so I use that as soon as I get in the car. I have heard that keeping hand sanitizer in a hot car isn’t a good idea, though.
TIP #3: KEEP YOUR CAR DECONTAMINATED
This lasted about one day. I am the only one that uses my car, usually, so I do put my backpack on the backseat, but I don’t put anything in a trunk or way in the back like I had planned.
TIP #4: CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES
You would think I have a major disease each time I walk in the house, if you watched my husband. However, I can understand his feelings. I do change my clothes right when I get home, I wash my face, and I put my clothes in a separate closet or hamper until the weekend. I also put my purse and backpack on a chair that no one uses. I keep everything in there until the following morning.
TIP #5: HAVE A SAFE WATER BOTTLE
Boy, did I have high hopes when I thought I could drink a gallon of water a day! Who was I kidding that I would actually have time to go to the bathroom that many times? I am glad I bought a gallon water bottle, though, and I keep refilling the water bottle I keep on the desk throughout the day. It felt funny using a huge water bottle every time I wanted a sip of water. A colleague bought this instead, and I would recommend it.
TIP #6: KEEP FACIAL WIPES AT WORK
I have used my facial wipes once or twice during the day, but it’s especially nice right after work. I feel like I am scrubbing the day off of my face.
TIP #7: YOU MIGHT WANT TO SHOWER
I don’t shower when I get home. It’s takes all of my energy to just change my clothes and wash my face. Ha.
TIP #8: IT’S OKAY TO HAVE A RE-USABLE LUNCH BAG
I heavily recommend an insulated lunch bag, if you normally don’t use one. This always keeps my food cold, and I can just keep it behind my desk. That way, it isn’t in the refrigerator with everyone’s bags. I also keep my hand sanitizer in there, so it’s easily accessible each time I eat lunch.
If you really want to get fancy and keep things cold, you could even get one by Yeti.
TIP #9: WIPE DOWN THE INSIDE OF YOUR CAR IF OTHERS ARE USING IT
I have yet to do this. Enough said.
FINAL TIP: FIND YOUR FRIENDS
I would not have survived the start of the year if it wasn’t for my friends at work. The first weeks back were filled with, “But how do I…” In fact, that still happens on a daily basis. There were constant conversations about how to set up our rooms, do we clean desks between classes, how do we grade assignments that students have completed at home, etc.
LEARNING #1: SMALL CLASSES DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
I don’t know if I am just lucky this semester, or if the kids are so thankful to be back, but they are on their best behavior. They have been wonderful about their masks too. Some could find a mask that fits their face better, though. Those masks that are too tight against their mouth makes them sound very muffled. Those that are too loose tend to fall down more easily. That being said, I LOVE being in class with my students right now.
Here’s the thing. Even though I only see my students in person twice a week, I feel like I know them better than when there are 30 kids in there at one time. We have time to chat and get to know each other. They know each other’s names because they only have so many to learn. Friendships are starting to flourish, and we are already starting to feel like a family, even at the secondary level. They cheer each other on and there is a positive energy in each class.
LEARNING #2: FIND A MASK THAT IS COMFORTABLE
I have found that the non-surgical paper masks are the most comfortable to wear for long periods. They also seem to fit the kids best and you can understand them better. The prices have really come down, so if you want just the basic ones, you can find a good deal. Otherwise, they also come in colors, if you want to get fancy.
Luckily, I also had a parent of a past student make me some masks as well. When the paper masks start to burn behind my ear, I use the masks that she made since they wrap around the back of my head, instead of behind the ears.
LEARNING #3: YOU WILL CONSTANTLY REMIND KIDS TO SOCIAL DISTANCE
You will have to constantly remind the kids to keep social distancing, especially if they are middle schoolers. I think they automatically have magnets on their bodies. If we didn’t have the smaller class sizes, we wouldn’t be able to social distance. Period. The kids have figured out how to social distance on stage and in groups. Since some of my classes have a pretty small cohort or two, the girls are learning that it is okay to talk to the guys, and vice-versa. The 6th graders shoot daggers through my forehead each time I tell them that, though.
LEARNING #4: GOOGLE CLASSROOM AND COHORTS
Since I teach six classes, a big decision to make was whether to set up my Google Classroom groups by cohort or keep them together in one period. I decided to divide them up by cohort, which means I have twelve cohort groups in Google Classroom. I did this so it was easier to post assignments for the group at home, without confusing those in class. I’m not sure this was the best idea. It also means that EdPuzzle assignments would be divided up by class, and it takes more time to post when I use Flipgrid. Doing it this way definitely has its pros and cons.
LEARNING #5: GET A GOOD AIR FILTER IF YOU CAN
Just hearing the sound of a good air filter makes me feel safer. Plus, it blows out cool, fresh air, so when anyone needs to cool off their face from their mask, you can see one of us standing in front of the air filter. If you teach choir, drama, or band/orchestra, push your district to supply one for you. It is for the safety of everyone. If not, maybe try setting up a Go Fund Me account and see if others will donate to your cause. Here is the one I have in my room. It is actually on sale on Amazon right now. I like it because it has a light that shows the HEPA filter is still strong and working.
LEARNING #6: TELL YOUR STUDENTS TO DRINK WATER
On the very first day, I asked the students if they now felt funny drinking water because they have to move their mask to do so. Most of them raised their hands. I told them that they HAVE to drink water to survive the day. I felt funny the first day back to work with just teachers. I came home with a terrible headache because I was dehydrated. I showed them the best way to drink water, since they are sitting in seats that are socially distanced, and I took away the feeling of uneasiness.
LEARNING #7: BE PREPARED TO BE EXHAUSTED
They say there is no tired like the beginning of the school year tired. However, add that on to all of the extra planning, grading, and breathing through a mask for 8 hours, and you will now really know tired. Find ways to take care of yourself. I’m lucky that my husband takes care of so much around our house because I am extra exhausted at the end of the day. I warned him that this year will be like no other for me. I’m a very lucky woman that he understands.
LAST LEARNING: BE OKAY WITH JUST DOING OKAY
To be honest, I’m still working on this one. I won’t even tell you how many hours I worked this weekend, but I know I will get in my groove soon. Parents appreciate what you are doing for their kids. Stay off social media, and don’t read more into those that are loudest. Know that you are doing your best…for right now. It won’t always be this way, and you can’t teach the way you used to before March. Just know…”You got it, dude.”
As teachers across the country start returning to the school buildings this fall, we are worrying about how we will stay safe from COVID-19 and protect our families at the same time. I have seen teachers post everything from wearing scrubs (sounds comfy), to cutting their hair (not going to happen), to sleeping in a bedroom by themselves. (Sorry, hubby, but you are stuck with me each night.) Here are ten tips on how to keep yourself safe.
Instead of going to extremes because someone posted about it online or asking Dr. Google, I decided to reach out to an expert. Luckily, Dr. David Beuther, MD, PhD, FCCP, a renowned pulmonologist at National Jewish Health, is also a dad at my middle school. I sent him my questions about how to stay safe, and he kindly responded with incredible detail and thoughtfulness. These tips are based on his information, along with my own thoughts. If you are a parent and wondering how to keep your child safe, you might be able to use some of these tips as well.
If you can, keep your personal belongings, such as your teaching bag, in an office, closet or desk. I don’t think I will bring my purse in each day anymore. I plan to put my wallet and keys in my backpack, and keep the backpack away from other humans.
Before you leave the building, wash your hands in the bathroom, and use a paper towel to touch all door handles on the way to grab your things. Use hand sanitizer as you leave the building (there should be some supplied on the way out the door).
Keep your car as reasonably decontaminated as possible. Have a special place for your mask, possibly in a paper bag, and keep it away from everything else. You might want to keep a designated area for your items that have been exposed throughout the day. The trunk of your car would be great for your teaching bag, if you have one.
It is a good practice to change your clothes when you get home, especially if you live with high-risk people. I loved when Dr. Beuther said, “You do not need to do what the ICU doctors and nurses do, which is to strip naked in the garage and run up to the shower and just about light your clothes on fire afterwards.” He recommends taking your shoes off as an extra precaution before entering the house (possibly leave them in the garage, if possible), but you can change your clothes in your house and launder them with everything else. He also recommends finding a place for your teaching bag that is away from everything, and then washing your hands.
I cleaned out our hallway closet, so I will hang my clothes in there for at least 3 days, especially if it’s a sweater or blouse that can’t be laundered each time or put in high heat. (If you have kids that refuse to change their clothes all of the time, this might be a good way to get them to put on a new outfit for school. Ha) I also put a separate clothes hamper in that closet. Truthfully, I still like my work clothes to not be so cozy with my other clothes for the time being, even though I know this isn’t necessary.
I don’t know about you, but I guzzle water throughout the day. I’m like a sea sponge that drinks water about 20,000 times their own body volume. (Yes, I looked up to see which animal drank a lot of water for my fun fact.)
At our school, the drinking fountains will be turned off, but the water bottle refilling station will be on. As far as I know, we have only one or two stations, and even though I’m much taller than most middle schoolers, I’m pretty sure some of them could take me out if I cut in line.
I will need to make sure that I have a huge water bottle with me each day. I just ordered this one because it is a gallon, a past student posted one like it on her Instagram, it’s pretty, it has motivational sayings, and there are two different types of lids to use. Dr. Beuther said that he doesn’t recommend one with a fixed open straw. It’s better to have one with a lid you can unscrew or one with a straw that collapses in on itself. I plan to keep it up on a shelf, away from humans, but so I can still have easy access to it.
Speaking of cleaning, I also had purchased this fun item, the PhoneSoap 3, two years ago when a mouse was in the ceiling vent above my desk. It helps to disinfect your phone. If you’re interested, you can read about my adventure here. https://judiholst.com/18x-dirtier-than-a-toilet-my-new-favorite-gadget-phonesoap/. I plan to use this on a daily basis when I get home. If you don’t want to splurge on this device, Dr. Beuther uses a light coating of alcohol-based disinfectant gel or wipe on his phone, but you might want to check to make sure this works for your own phone first.
I read this in an article, and it sounds like a great idea. I am not able to open a window or go outside from my classroom during the day, but it sounds very refreshing to use a facial wipe when I take off my mask to eat lunch. Having had acne all of my life, I seriously feel like a pimple is popping out each minute that I’m wearing a mask. “Don’t ever touch your face,” my dermatologist would tell me. Ummm…..I will try to just say no to “maskne” with my facial wipes.
Dr. Beuther felt it isn’t necessary to come right home and shower. Confession: I told him that if I had to come home and shower right away, then I would never work out in the evening. He did say many people do this if they have a high-risk family member, and it also feels good at the end of a hard day. I will, however, definitely wash my face when I get home before kissing my hubby hello.
I read that you should use a disposable lunch bag each day. Then I remembered that I eat lunch with a friend who is very much into saving the environment (not that I’m against it), but I pictured her shooting a dart at my forehead if I threw away a plastic bag each day.
Dr. Beuther said that disposable would be safer, but it isn’t necessary. One of the most contaminated places could be the staff refrigerator at work, so unless you are cleaning the bag after you touch it, it won’t make a difference. He said he takes everything out the bag, and then he uses hand sanitizer before eating. So smart! I think I will pack a paper towel or something to put my lunch on each day.
He said to keep the bag away from humans in the classroom, and when you get home, don’t put it in the sink where you wash the dishes or on the counter. Leave it with your teaching bag until the next morning when you are going to repack your lunch. It might be a good idea to clean the fabric or metal on your lunch bag beforehand.
I am usually the only one driving my car during the week, but if you have other members, such as your 16-year-old who just got her license and is waiting to use your car when you get home, you should wipe down the main contact points. This could include your keys, steering wheel, door handles, gear shift and seats. Otherwise, keep your keys in your bag until the next morning. Also, remember to keep hand sanitizer in your car to use before you touch anything else in it. This will help to keep your car decontaminated as well.
To me, staying safe also means keeping your mental health on an even keel. Have those friends around you that will make you laugh either by text, phone call, video, or from six feet away. We will all get through this together, if everyone plays it safe.
TEACHERS: What other tips have you learned to stay safe this school year? Feel free to write them in the reply section below.
*Thank you, Dr. Beuther, for alleviating many of my fears for staying safe this school year. The only way to be 100% safe is remote learning, but since we are doing the hybrid model, I will take his advice to heart. There will be times of panic that I just won’t be able to help, but it does help to have some tips on how to be safe as a teacher.
If you would like to read how to decrease your child’s anxiety about returning to school, check out this blog post: https://judiholst.com/10-tips-to-help-your-anxious-child-return-to-school/
Is your child starting to feel anxious about returning to school? Here are ten tips on how to help them!
The email from my past student (C.B.) going into high school read:
“If I’m being honest, I was already nervous for high school before the pandemic, so I’m even more nervous now, as are a lot of my friends. It’s scary because we’re starting over at the bottom of the food chain with new people and new teachers that we haven’t even seen before, and we’re in a different building with different rules, and everything seems uncertain and confusing. We’re losing the team and pod structure that we’ve found safety in for the past three years, and instead have to figure out new schedules and systems in a time where we can barely even hang out with friends to at least feel less alone. I know that I’ll be fine and high school will be fun, things will work out, yadda yadda, but I’m not going to deny that I’m anxious about it. I’ll try to come visit you when I can!”
First of all, I think she is more mature than I am. I love how she is so in touch with her feelings. If you know me personally, had I been speaking to her in person, I would have rushed over to give her a big hug at this point. But you know, there is this thing called a pandemic going on, so I couldn’t. Having taught 8th graders for over 25 years, I know that going into high school always causes some anxiety; now we add all of the nuances to this situation, and kids are experiencing a lot of anxiety. (Note to self: keep this in mind for your incoming sixth graders too.)
Start that discussion with your child now. What are their fears? Listen. Let them know that feeling anxious is normal. If they are going to a new school, let them know that the high school seniors will be anxious (or the 8th graders) as well, so now the playing field has been leveled. (Thanks, KS, for that tip.) Don’t ask them in front of their siblings. No way would I have talked about my fears in middle school with my siblings around. Find a private time when the two of you can just chat. Ask them what they know about Covid-19, and make sure they are getting the correct information as well.
Share with them exactly how school might look when they return to the building. For those of us that need to see the “bigger picture” before we experience something, help your child to create that picture in their head.
Will they have their temperature taken as they walk in the school door or will you do it at home? Will they need to follow signs on the floor and stay six feet apart? Will they be able to carry their backpacks? Will they only be able to touch their own computer? What should they do if they forget something at home? What will lunchtime look like? What should they do if they sneeze in their mask? (I still wonder about this also.) Will they carry a water bottle since drinking fountains will be shut down? Should they carry an extra mask in case something happens to the one they are wearing? How often should they wash their hands? Now, you know your child best. If all of this information will stress them out even more, then stick to the basics.
Remind them that teachers will be trained on how to help them and keep them safe as possible.
Let’s be honest, some of us haven’t seen our friends in four months. The same goes with kids, and they are anxious that they won’t be able to “hang out” like they normally do at school. Encourage your kids to find ways to bond with their friends, if it won’t happen during the school day, and with social distancing, of course. (This will be especially important if your kids are doing eLearning at first.) I know some kids struggle with this on a good day. Talk about ways they can join activities after school, or set up times for them to talk with their friends online. You’d be amazed how many kids talk to each other through their video games.
Telling kids that it is silly for them to worry or that they are just being dramatic is a recipe for failure. If you’re raising a teenager, this is about the time that they will go stomping off to their room mumbling that adults just don’t understand. Back to tip #1, just listen.
Remember that your child will wear at mask for at least 7 1/2 hours (minus the time for lunch). It’s not a good idea to wait until the first day of school to strap a mask on them while pushing them out of the door, I mean…telling them to have a good day. You want to make sure it fits well, doesn’t itch their face, and doesn’t hurt them behind the ears. Some kids have sensitivity issues to different materials. You don’t want your child to figure out that the mask is driving them crazy while in the middle of class. Don’t forget to teach them how to wear their mask the right way.
Speaking of spending an extremely long time in a mask during the day, encourage your child to get outside when they get home from school. I know many parents want their child to finish their homework before they can go outside to play, but you might want to change up this routine. Some schools are keeping the students in the same room all day, even at the secondary level, so kids will need to get some energy out (or take a nap) before they can focus on homework. I’ve already told my husband that I am heading outside to watch the birds or heading to the bedroom to listen to my Calm app when I get home from work.
Definitely encourage them to not use any technology for a certain amount of time, since chances are that technology will be used more instead of passing out paper in class. If you have introverts returning to school, you might want to check out this post on my previous blog. I have tips for parents if you scroll down to the bottom : https://tbdteacher.tumblr.com/post/148606897009/teaching-tip-take-care-of-the-introverts
You probably had a routine set up while your child was headed out the door in the morning from last year. This year might look a little differently this year. Try putting a checklist of what they will need by the door. Include everything that they should have with them such as a mask, their own lunch, hand sanitizer, their computer, their own book, binder, writing utensils, etc. For our district, you will want to take your child’s temperature before they head out the door, so they aren’t sent home when they get to the bus or at the school door.
Celebrate the positives with them, but be prepared for them to be a little more emotional than normal. They are going to experience losses this year. There won’t be the normal field trips, dances, assemblies, etc. You know, all of the fun parts from school that we remember. Yes, they may have to whine about it to get it out of their system. I know I will. My husband keeps hearing me talk about not being able to hug or high five my kids. This is a huge loss for me this year as a teacher.
Your kids won’t be able to share a seat with their friends, crack up while watching a video together on the computer, hug their friends when they see them, etc. In middle school? Boys put their arms around each other or push and shove, even more than the girls. This won’t happen anymore and it will be a loss for them.
Kids watch the adults in their life constantly. Each year, I ask my students if they look at the body language of their parents and teachers when they walk in the door. Most of them say yes. (It’s a lesson about your body language when you walk on the stage before speaking, but you get the point.) Kids will need to see that we are acting safe and calm (teachers, take heed of this as well). They look to you for security. This isn’t the time to share all of your fears about having them returning to school. My students? They won’t know that I will be feeling anxious unless they want to talk about it.
Chances are that we will end up at home doing online learning at some point during the school year, according to the experts. Prepare your kids for this as well to help lessen their anxiety. Have a space set up for them ahead of time. Get their feedback on what worked for them and what didn’t at home last spring. Were there too many distractions? Do they need to be closer to someone that can help them? Do they have friends they can call for help if they have questions at night? If someone in their class tests positive for Covid-19, each student will be quarantined for approximately 2 school weeks starting the very next day. Don’t wait until this happens. Your child will feel better knowing that there is a plan in place.
How did I respond to my past student to help with her anxiety? I put in some tips about what I have already shared with you, but I also wanted her to know my standpoint as a teacher. Here is a part of the response:
I can tell you this as a teacher. My time right now is spent trying to figure out how to make my students feel as safe and connected as possible when they return, especially my 6th graders. This year, more than ever, time will be spent on making sure kids feel okay about school. Yes, it will be weird at times. Yes, it will be awkward at times. Yes, it will be frustrating at times. However, everyone will be in the same boat. You just have to make sure you know where to go or who to talk to when you need support. You can always send me emails of just yelling if you need to get it out of your system. Ha. Think about it now…what will you do at the end of the day when you need to get rid of some high school stress? Walk? Talk with friends? Eat ice-cream? (ha). It’s good to have that plan in place. 🙂
Last year, when my mom was in the last stage of Parkinson’s Disease and then passed away right before Christmas, my sisters and I came to an agreement. We were going to give each other some grace. We each handled the situation differently: one of us was the crier and one wasn’t, the other one sang opera at the memorial service to break up the tension. (Lord, if I die before my sister, please encourage her to sing a funny song at my memorial service as well.) We decided that we would not get angry at the other sister for being who she is because we all handle things differently.
Right now, my school district is still deciding upon the best method for school to start, and teachers are to return on August 4th. I appreciate their willingness to decide what is best for the students, staff and parents. With that, though, comes a lot of anxiety on all parts. As of this moment, we are supposed to return 100% in-person, 5 days a week, to a building of over 1200 students. Wait, what?
As teachers we are normally spending this time planning and planning…along with restoring our energy for the upcoming year. Yet, we don’t know what to plan for right now. Do I plan for in person, hybrid learning, or starting remotely? Parents are usually planning on how to get their child back on track and off to school, but they can’t do that either. With this anxiety comes anger and frustration; you want to be heard and your needs met.
(Update: 7/26/20 – Our district has decided to use the hybrid model this year. A/B/A/B and Friday is remote. Teachers will still teach lessons all five days, but two are synchronous in the classroom, and three are asynchronous out of the classroom. Otherwise, parents have a choice to send have their kids do 100% online.)
I’ve been teaching a long time, and I’ve been through a lot. I’ve been through having some of my past “kids” shot while at school; I’ve asked drug dealers to leave bathrooms, so my students could play at the park; I’ve experienced racial discrimination as a teacher; I’ve cried over student suicides and abuse. Heck, I have even taught over 20 kindergartners in the women’s bathroom, in the church across the street, for a month when our school flooded. I have survived all of that, and so have my students. What I haven’t been through is starting the school year during a pandemic. I have never had to have my students wear a mask, stay 6 feet apart (have you met kids?), and not be able to give them high fives or hugs when needed. (Believe it or not, teenagers still need a lot of this from teachers.) It’s the unknown that becomes scary.
Parents: Some teachers and staff are scared to return to their “home away from home.” We aren’t scared of hard work, we aren’t scared of being flexible during these times, but we ARE scared of dying from this pandemic or giving it to our family members. I’ve heard a lot of parents say that teachers can choose to teach remotely or go back to the building. That isn’t true. My understanding is that we have to supply a medical note as to why we can’t teach in the building and then priority is given to those teachers based on how many are needed for eLearning. According to ADA, being scared to be in a building where windows don’t open and the airflow isn’t great, without the ability to social distance doesn’t fall under their guidelines to teach remotely.
Parents, I understand that your child might not have done well online or that they weren’t getting the thorough education that you feel they needed. Please understand that we were doing “crisis teaching.” We were told to make sure the students didn’t become stressed. We needed to provide less work, not give anything lower than a B, and if the work didn’t meet standards, then we left a blank in the grade book. We were told that it was okay for students to not “show up” for class anymore. We got it, and we gave our students some grace. However, that isn’t what it would look like if/when we do remote teaching this time. We will work hard to make sure your students have their needs met as best as we can, just like we do when we are in the classroom with them.
I’m torn on this issue because I WANT to be in the school with my students. They crack me up. Every. Single. Day. I miss them. I want to teach them how to have more confidence in themselves by being better public speakers, but I don’t want to do it until it is safe according to science.
Parents, you might want to check out my other blog post about how to help your children with any anxiety that they might have about returning to school: “10 Tips to Help Your Child Be Less Anxious About Returning to School.”
Teachers: Parents are scared about making the right decision for their kids. I can’t even imagine what that feels like right now.
Keep in mind that the parent’s lives have become more difficult as well. Some don’t know what to do if their kids aren’t in school five days a week, and some are scared about choosing eLearning for their kids and having them miss out on the school experience.
One of my favorite times during “crisis teaching” was the one-on-one Google Meets that I did with parents. I started 4th quarter with two brand new sixth grade classes that I had never met before, since I am an electives teacher. I offered up some times that parents could meet with just me. They shared personal stories about their child that they would have never told me in front of the rest of the parents at Back to School Night. They were scared for their children as well.
Parents: Please show some grace, and when we do return to the building, ask us how you can help. We want what is best for your kids, and so do you. It might come in the form of cleaning supplies, or air filters, or extra masks, or a gift card to Starbucks to start our day. 🙂 Please practice with your kids about how to wear a mask correctly, and have them get used to wearing one before we do return to the building. (I have to practice this one myself.)
Teachers: Please show some grace, and if we start out remotely, ask parents how we can help their child to become more successful this time. What worked for their child last spring and what didn’t? Let’s ask their kids too! If we are in the building, know that parents will be worried about their kids and everyone around them. Be sure to communicate what you are doing for their children, especially when it comes to their social/emotional learning.
I’d like to imagine a time when the whole country comes together like we did in the spring. This is probably the reason that my sister likes to call me Mary Poppins. If we just add a little sugar, then everything will be okay. However, it will take every single one of us to make this happen. Give each other grace. Stop with the arguing, and figure out a plan that will be best for everyone involved, as long as it’s safe to do so.
