I see you and I hear you, my colleagues. This is a wild year and things are ... unusual to say the least. As Bill and Ted used to say, “Strange things are afoot at the Circle K. And ... everywhere.”
Which of these Pandemic Professional-educator Profiles are you?
(PS: I put Pinellas geography in these teachers' pseudonyms merely for the alliteration of it. I am not referring to any actual person by their location because you are multitude. I could not possibly refer to a single teacher if I wanted to. There are too many of you and anyway, that would be insensitive and rude of me. And for every profile below, there are a dozen or two people who probably fit the description)
Sleepless in St Pete (or anywhere): Trying desperately to keep up with the Most Amazing Lessons Ever (!!), even though they are teaching simultaneously all day and still figuring out Canvas, these teachers are still bringing their A+ game. Since Simultaneous Teaching has been described by many teachers as having “two very different preps at the exact same time” (especially when the Online kids don’t have your in-class materials and your in-class kids don’t have or aren’t allowed to bring devices), Sleepless in St Pete (and her brother, Sleepless in Safety Harbor) are literally working around the clock, working harder and longer hours than they did in the BC times (Before Covid) and are therefore not sleeping. Or eating. Or going for runs. Or hanging out with their friends or families. Or watching TV. They are neglecting everything including their own physical and mental health chasing down the perfect simultaneous lesson for next week. These folks are in danger of burning out by Halloween.
Lonely at Lake Seminole (or anywhere): Some of our colleagues are working from home. OR some of our colleagues come to school each day only to lock themselves in their classrooms (or their closets?) and not see another live human all day. This is hard to do. And lonely. And weird. To know that some of us are feeling like the students are too close and too many and others really miss those loud, smelly germ factories. And are feeling lonely and forgotten and lost and like an afterthought. It’s hard to collaborate from your living room. And it’s hard to be a part of things when you’re literally apart.
Digitally Drowning Downtown (or anywhere): Some of us can barely keep up with the tech. Just when we got Teams down in the Spring, they sprung Canvas on us. It’s all we can do to get the calendar set up. To heck with the rest, amirite? Except ... It’s the fourth week of school and everybody is expecting all this cool stuff from my Online classes and I am LOST. I don’t know half of what they’re talking about, let alone how to DO what they’re talking about! Canvas is not easy and I think I still have all that Latin stuff that came on there. And I know it makes my life more complicated. If I just knew how to make things easier on myself, well, things would be easier. Uggghhh. Can’t we just go back to a projector?
North County Newbies (or anywhere) These folks might be new to teaching or new to your school. Everytime they turn around, there’s a new THING they didn’t know about -- a new procedure, a new acronym, a new tradition, a new meeting, a new part of things they didn’t know about -- ON TOP OF learning Canvas and teaching in a pandemic and all the things we are ALL learning together. A lot of veteran teachers say they feel like they’re first year teachers again this year -- but these folks are ACTUALLY NEW. And exhausted. And overwhelmed.
Loner in Largo (or anywhere): Some of us don’t have time for anyone else. Some of us just need to close our door, take our Teams “off the hook” and get stuff done. There’s a lot to do. Online live teaching is new, simultaneous teaching is a hot mess, and it all takes focused time. We just don’t have time to deal with all these extra people if we are going to get stuff done. If I ask for help, it will take too long. And I’m sure they would do it differently than I want to anyway. Plus, I might look dumb. I’m sure they’re all fine. I’m fine too. I just. Need. To. Get. This. Thing. Done. Can we get a raincheck on this conversation? Cute mask! Bye!
Panicking in Pinellas Park and Palm Harbor (or anywhere): It’s so hard to know where to start. Do I plan for my virtual class first or my face-to-face one? Or do I clean my classroom, again? Do I focus on my standards or the social-emotional learning first? Should I give a traditional assessment or something more project-based ... or just, nah? Can I open a window in here or is it going to rain again? Should I figure out how to have kids collaborate even though the face to face kids can’t get near each other and a bunch of the online kids don’t have cameras or mics? How do I do that? Especially at the same time? Arrgh!!! What materials can I use that my face to face can use Analog and my Online kids can use digitally that doesn’t have me reinventing the wheel every period of every day? And what do I do when schedule changes make me restart all my classruum culture stuff? AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!! Can I take a day off yet? What if I get Covid and need the days off?
This is a friendly reminder that 1) the best “dumb” movie in the world is Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (and no, I haven’t seen the new one, but I will) and 2) Bill and Ted have exactly one piece of wisdom.
“Be excellent to each other.”
There is absolutely NO reason to do everything yourself. There is no reason to be lonely. There is no reason to panic alone. There is no reason to go through the Newbie Learning Curve alone. There is no reason to be digitally drowning.
You have colleagues and they are awesome. (I actually know almost all of the middle school social studies teachers and a whole lot of the high school social studies teachers and I can say that with confidence and authority). Let me say that again.
You have colleagues. Your colleagues are awesome. (truth)
Please go find your colleagues (either masked and socially distant OR via Teams meeting) and be excellent to each other. Help each other out.
Don’t have a meeting that is useless. Each of you can bring a problem you need help with. And then... help each other. Many hands make light burdens.
If one of you is Sleepless in St Pete (or Safety Harbor), one of you knows a great resource or shortcut to help sleepless work a little less.
If one of you is Lonely in Lake Seminole, talk to that person while you plan. Bounce your ideas off them. It will make your lesson plans better and will do wonders for the person who doesn't’ see humans all day.
If one of you is Digitally Drowning Downtown, one of you knows how to do some of that. Help that person. One trick or process or application at a time.
Please find that North County Newbie and help that person. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if you have time or not. Remember when you were new and remember the colleagues who had time for you and the colleagues who didn’t. Some people make a difference in the lives of their colleagues too.
The Loner in Largo thinks they can do it all by themselves but honestly, their lives would be a whole lot easier with a “divide and conquer” strategy, too. Fine them and divide some work. You take this task and you take that task and everyone has less to do and our stress levels decrease. And maybe we take a deeper breath tonight and relax more.
And our colleague who is Panicking in Pinellas Park and Palm Harbor also needs ... a friend/colleague to talk it out with. Because who can better help you prioritize than someone making the same decisions. Who may have figured out one of the problems. Who may have a good idea. Or who can talk it out with you.
Be excellent to each other. It’s a little harder now with social distancing and masks and teachers working from home and Teams meetings. But it’s crucial for OUR OWN mental health and professional well-being to find our colleagues and work together, safely.
In Bill and Ted, Socrates told them “The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing”. Bill and Ted replied “That’s us, dude!”. Of course you don’t know nothing, but recognize that you have things to learn from a colleague.
Find your colleagues and work together. Find the ones you like and the ones you need specific skills from and the ones who need something from you. Socially distant or virtually, but don’t let this slide. It is so important to your stress levels and to your overall wholeness.
And ... you can always call us here at the district SS office if you need us. We are happy to help with the panic, digital needs, overachievers, newbies, and EVERYONE!
This is hard. Don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t. Make it easier on yourself by letting many hands make light work. And then, enjoy a virtual happy hour to celebrate actually having some free time when that happens (hey, it will!)
As always, I love to hear from you! Email me at newmantr@pcsb.org
-Tracy
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