• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Yesterday, I visited my school. I was alone. Sanitizing my keys and my hands were not the usual ways I entered the school. Things were different. It was eerily quiet for this time of year. The hallways were empty and dark. The sounds of clanging lockers were not there. St. Patrick’s Day decorations still hanging on the office windows. The smell of disinfectant filled the air.

I entered my classroom. Everything was where I left it. Thoughts of that ominous Friday filled my mind when we were to have all counters and desks cleared off so our amazing janitorial team could disinfect EVERYTHING. I was loading my suburban in the snow with the things that I might need for the next week or two.

I sat in silence for a few moments. Taking it all in. Wondering what is happening to our world. Wondering if we will ever be back at all. Wondering what is going to change once we do come back…will it be May…or August.

It’s been two weeks since that day we were to move out and unsure of when we were to come back. As of this posting, our governor says May 1. And things haven’t been easy for us as teachers, even for a computer teacher. We had three hours to change from in-person learning to online learning.

My teaching style is one of “watch first, then you do it”. I have the students do the lesson right along with me as I teach them different apps on the devices and tips and tricks to make things easier. The students are able to ask questions as we are working together on their assignments. I am very hands-on in teaching and helping my students.

Now I need to make tutorials and walkthroughs and step-by-step instructions on every assignment for the students (and the parents) who are working from home. It has been overwhelming and my brain is on overdrive. I feel every day that I am making a thousand decisions all before noon.

There have been moments this week of sadness and despair. There are times where I think I am doing things wrong with the barrage of emails I am receiving. I am heartbroken thinking about my students and not being able to see them or give them hugs or candy. I am disappointed that we never had time to say goodbye.

But every cloud has a silver lining. When thoughts of anxiety start to creep in about this quarantine of the coronavirus we need to think about all we are thankful for. Stop and take inventory of what we have.

• Time with family.
• Food on our table.
• Shelter
• Technology to be able to connect with others.
• Our health. As long as we stay away from the virus.

It is a new normal. Our world is changing. We just have to take it one day at a time, be there for each other, support each other, and we will all get through this together.