We ended the school year online due to COVID-19 closing Ohio schools for much of March through the remainder of the year. Our students missed out on spring sports, prom, awards assemblies, etc. Our seniors ended up having a socially distanced graduation that I decided to watch online instead of attending due to the risks of COVID.
Because I have decided not to travel due to the risks of COVID and I'm keeping my distance from friends and family, I've used my free time in June for a lot of online classes. It has been neat taking classes online through ZOOM. I've finished 17 hours so far and earned one graduate credit. I have at least 7 more hours of classes coming up so I'm making a dent in the hours for my IPDP. The classes have also helped give me some new ideas for if and when we do go online again.
Meetings! This is the big difference this summer. Instead of teachers and administrators relaxing and resting up we are now having to hold meetings and plan what the upcoming year may look like. Our Governor still has not put out guidelines for schools so we're just waiting to see what gets announced. In the meantime we have to develop several plans. Plan A is how to return to school safely if we're allowed. There are so many things to consider... wearing masks, hot classrooms with no windows, how to limit class sizes, how to keep students apart, what to do for students who need to stay at home, etc. The logistics of it seem impossible! Plan B is for 100% online instruction. In March we found out on a Friday that starting Monday everything would be online. It was a challenge but we did it. We knew our students though and they knew us and how our class operated. While we have some time to prepare now, we don't know our students yet, we don't have any relationships or routines established with them. We also don't know when or if an outbreak will happen in our community. It is hard to plan without knowing the details. And finally, there is also a Plan C needing developed for hybrid instruction. There are so many possibilities of what that could look like it that I have no idea where to begin. We're all looking for guidance in coming up with plans, but no one has the answers. It is going to be an interesting year!
Are you a teacher? I'd love to know what your school district is planning for fall or what you are doing to prepare for your classes.
In thinking about how I can start to get ready for the year, I realized labs will be challenging this year. Is it safe for students to share lab supplies, microscopes, etc.? I haven't found that answer yet so I've looked to Donors Choose and created a project to get some additional online learning tools.
My last challenge I should mention that I'm dealing with this summer is the escape of one of my classroom pets. As schools closed for COVID, I had a parent volunteer to take home my crayfish, hissing cockroaches, and millipedes. I brought home my fish and turtles. My classroom turtle tank at school was too heavy to easily transport home, so my two little turtles have been in a much smaller temporary tank. Well, this weekend when I went to visit my dad for Father's day, one escaped! My boyfriend and I have looked everywhere and cannot find it! This happened with my former turtles several years ago, one escaped while I was on a vacation. I couldn't find it and thought for sure it must have somehow escaped my apartment. After 10 days it decided to come out of hiding! So, knowing this happened once before I'm trying not to panic yet. While I have looked everywhere, like I did back then, I realize it could just be hiding really well. Last night I decided to build a ramp to try to lure it out of hiding while we slept. No luck. Anyways, I hope my turtle decides to come out of hiding soon and does not die!
Well, that is it for this update. Stay healthy this summer! Don't forget to wear your masks and sunscreen :)
