In my ever-loving imagination, did I ever think that I would experience a school year like this one? Where my commute is drinking a cup of coffee while I walk up my stairs, where my dog is my co-worker, where I sit in a tiny room all alone and am basically talking to myself for 8 hours day, and where my every teaching move is dictated by four monitors and 2 iPads. Today is the last day of school and I am reflecting on the most unique year that I know I will never experience again.
When it was announced on July 13th that all Empower, ISC, Reading,
and Math Specialists, would need to go back to the classroom to support smaller class sizes and a remote elementary environment, the adventure began. I was watching the Board of Education meeting live and as the words came out of the announcement, an email popped up to confirm. I have never received so many text messages within one hour in my life...Shock, anger, sadness, excitement, anxiousness; we were being told to pivot again and with only one month till school started it was...emotional
Volunteer teachers were then asked to teach remotely and choose a grade. When I applied I stated that I was pretty versed in technology and also that I needed to be home for my girls since they would be doing half days at their school and half days from home. I wanted to be home for them to save us, what would have been a small fortune or a lot of Grandparent help if I had to go back to work in a building. I was accepted to teach 4th grade Remotely from home along with the most amazing 4th-grade team, filled with LRC directors, ISC's, 4th Grade teachers, all of us bringing in expertise that was needed for a successful team. I was given a very fortunate experience to work with that great team and be home for my family, along with not having to worry about masks, and sanitizing, and 6 feet apart...
The month leading up to school was a whirlwind of emotions, and worry, and excitement for this new challenge; by me, my colleagues, parents, and I am sure everyone behind the scenes in IT, Admin, and others. As a tech-savvy person, I was contacted often by fellow teachers that had very very little tech experience and had also not been in the classroom for many years. My heart broke for them, and many of them honestly believed that this was not a possible way to spend a year. I think many of us look back today and think about that first day of school and believe that we would never reach the last...I know that I didn't.
Although I did feel that I was prepared tech-wise, nothing could prepare me for full-time synchronous teaching with 26 students (and their parents) on that first day. I clicked Start Meeting with butterflies in my stomach. Every single first day of school is a day of talking and talking and talking by the teacher. Setting up rules, and directions, and how-tos and routines. Then the next few weeks are reinforcing those rules, and expectations, and how-tos. This first day was no different. Lots of teacher talking, lots of showing them how to use the chat, and email me, and get to the correct platforms. The biggest issue that we had was glitchy computers, and navigating the use of the mute button..."No, you can not unmute anytime you want 4th graders" "Please keep your camera on, so I know you are there".
Most of the students I had were pretty tech-savvy, but since they were all from different schools, I was not aware of how different our schools had evolved their students into different platforms such as Google Classroom, Seesaw, Docs, Flipgrid, Epic, Nearpod, and other...It was starting from scratch to get them on the same page. I know that these kids will go back to in-person 2-3 years advance in their tech skills and that makes me proud. ;-)
We got through that first few months on Google Meet, where they had not yet created break-out rooms. My goal was for me to get my 26 students talking to one another. Listening to me and a few students each day is not a way to learn or grow. With my fancy 6 monitors/devices, I set up separate codes for them to be able to meet and talk to a small group of friends each day. Luckily for us, our district did purchase Zoom for our use, and after a few hiccups, and about an hour trying to get every kid into Zoom, we were then successfully able to move in and out of Breakout rooms for class discussions, games, activities, sharing. All an essential part of elementary students need to connect for their learning and social-emotional needs. I honestly feel that Zoom was the best tech tool this year because of that feature.
After our routines, expectations, and tech glitches were straighten out, it was time to liven it up a bit. They were getting bored with the routines, and honestly so was I! My favorite thing about D303 is the fact that innovation and thinking outside the box is encouraged. So...I gathered my pile of hats and got started creating gamified units to support their learning routines. We started with a Regions Airlines game, where we discovered different regions of the US and each activity that was completed was a point earned. After that, we moved into a Pirate theme, where I, Queen Hernandez was in charge of the pirate ships and each task allowed your ship to move into the different islands. Finally, with motivation from the student's obsession for Roblox and the book the City of Ember, we created a "Brookhaven" type of world which included tiny houses, mansions, and farms, student-owned businesses, along with a suspicious "Mayor" that would visit and motivate them to complete their work. Honestly...whatever it takes!
A favorite aspect of 4th grade that I love is the fact that they are becoming little adults. I repeatedly told them that they are beginning to have "Big Ears"; where they are listening to their parents, and teachers, and the news/ world and starting to have an understanding, an nd opinion of it all. So many of the events we talked about such as the Dust Bowl, the American Revolution, The Chicago Fire, and Nazi Germany, we were able to reflect on those major events and compare them to our experience during the Covid Pandemic. I always told them "Remember this, cause you will have to tell your grandchildren about this experience one day".
I certainly don't think that anyone will forget this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
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| All Vaxed up! A few of the 4th grade Remote Teachers |
As I read the last line of my "Last Day of School" book, Oh the Places You Will Go, I busted out my tears even more blubbery than usual, cause this truly will not be a year that is never forgotten. As I told my students, today is bitter-sweet. We are sweet for going into the world without masks, and summer adventures, and going back to school next year, but we are bitter about leaving this comfy environment; with our dogs, new friends, and way of learning from home with no shoes on.
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| The Last Pledge |
4TH Yearbook:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jxznZW9TdiuFUDVSDkvtSYH2ctDcyxFXXLqG2yYNJ5A/edit
