Week 4 update

We have now been home for 4 weeks.
I haven't seen my students in person in 4 weeks.
I did start to have them turn on their cameras a little this week just so I could feel more connected to them. I don't think I'll make that a habit, but it was a nice treat to get to see their smiles.

This week we were told we wont be going back to school for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
This means I wont go with my Olympic Group of Seniors to prom.  Normally a final celebration in our autism program.
I wont get to scream obnoxiously as my students who I have spent 3 years with walk across the stage and get the diplomas that we have ALL worked very hard for, especially now.
I wont get to hug all the students who have made my life better a tunnel of tears- a tradition in our school where in we say goodbye as a staff to the senior class.

But I can still control some of my traditions.
I will still write every Senior I work with a letter.  I will spend a little more on stamps and envelops, but they will all get their notes.
I will still continue to thank the people I work with when I catch them doing both the big and the small stuff- I may not have my post cards, but I can send you all emails.

As we end week 4 we go into our spring break- which honestly I have no idea how I am going to spend it other than to work.  I'll get the rest of the year set up and then actually hibernate. Yeah that sounds good.

To take care of myself I have been video chatting with family and friends, enjoying happy hour more frequently and taking naps.  I have also started to sit down and play piano again and sing.

When we come back it will be the start of week 6 of quarantine.  This is not anything I ever thought I'd go through as an educator.  I hope to never go through it again, but I'll be a better teacher because of this.  I will continue to put students' mental health and social emotional well-being first, because I know the academics will follow.  We'll get there, together.

Signing off for now
-C