Starting Year Twenty-Three... Let's Do This!

As I reflect upon the start of my 23rd year of teaching I have so many thoughts. What will this year bring? What challenges will I encounter? What challenges will the students encounter? How can I support my students with so many unknowns coming up in the next few weeks.

But as I thought of these questions, I realized something. These questions are not unlike any other school year. Each year I start with my roster and my student profiles. I look at their strengths and where they need some gaps filled. I look at teacher notes from previous years and some advisory strategies that have worked in the past.  

Covid, distance learning, routines, tech... all of these things are obstacles. Obstacles to student learning. Obstacles to me being able to present information. Obstacles to building relationships.

Or is this just the perspective I've chosen to take? Are they obstacles? or are they opportunities?  When I started teaching (yes, back in the 20th century....) I worked in a third grade classroom with many students that had just arrived to America from Mexico. Many of them didn't speak English. Fewer of their parents did.  I was told that these were some of the obstacles I would be facing in the classroom.

However, I looked at it a different way. I used these 'obstacles' as opportunities. We had daily circle time. We talked about the calendar, weather, and school day. They all had to speak in English. When it was my turn I had to speak in Spanish (background: I had taken Spanish in college, but was nowhere near proficient.) It was probably the first time in their young lives they had an opportunity to correct an adult.  I still remember, many years later, the relationships and trust that was built. 

I had a student from that 3rd grade class 'find me' on Facebook a couple years back. She said to this day I was still her favorite teacher and that was her favorite school memory.  I had to remember that she was was almost 30, not the 9-year-old girl from my memories.  She explained how she was so scared of coming to a new school, but I made her feel safe and happy... and I made her laugh. The 'obstacles' I was told would get in the way actually helped build a successful relationship which lead to a successful year and a more successful long-term school experience for her. 

So as we trek into the great unknown that will be the 2020-2021 school year, I plan on keeping my perspective in check. There will be frustrations and difficulties. There will be anger and disappointment.  These feelings are real and valid. But there can be opportunity in challenge as well.  

I know I won't be 100% successful this year, but I can also say that I've never had a year that felt 100% successful. Tech will get in the way. Internets will drop. A student will miss a class. It's ok. Keep Maslow in mind. Work on the size of the problem. Keep moving forward.

To those starting up in the next few days or weeks, good luck. Whether you are virtual, hybrid, or in person. Whether you are happy or disappointed with the choice that has been made. Once those students are in your classroom, you have control over the perspective and the narrative.