Teacher Inspiration During COVID 19

         Are you feeling anxious about the 2020 school year? Need a little teacher inspiration during COVID 19? Every teacher needs this pep talk right now. Share this post with a colleague, a teacher, or someone who needs a little inspiration.

HURRICANE ISAIAS HAPPENS

         Hurricane Isaias barreled through eastern NC early Tuesday, August 4, 2020, as a Cat 1. My family first learned about the storm Saturday evening. Whenever there’s a storm, we always get a little excited because we know we will get to hunker down together.

         That morning, we prepared by making sure we had enough supplies. We purchased flashlights, candles, nonperishables, and lots of water.  Then, we cleaned the yard by pruning dead branches and cleaning up trash. Finally, we safely tucked all our outdoor furniture in the garage.

         Later on, we dog sat and brought the sweet pup to our house. He’s a sweet boy! We played fetch, took him for a bike ride, and gave him lots of snuggles. We were trying our best to wear him out so he would sleep during the storm.

         At night, Logan wouldn’t leave me. He didn’t want to sleep by himself, and I can’t blame him because I didn’t want to either. So, we let him sleep with us. He was precious.

         I finally went to sleep around 11 PM. It wasn’t long before I heard a LOUD pounding on my window. I jolted out of bed.

         I breathed deeply as my heart raced, and soon I calmed down. Somehow, I managed to doze off again. This time, I had my head snuggled into my arm. I had my arm mashed against the wall. Suddenly, I felt the entire wall move! My eyes were wide open.

Going through the eye of the storm

        It was 2 AM, and I tried to keep calm by pacing my hallway. My children were sound asleep, and that put my nerves at ease. The eye of the storm was passing over us. Then, I decided to sleep in my son’s bedroom (my husband was keeping him safe in our bed). I played some soft music and left the door open so I could listen to my kids. I finally fell asleep.

         7:30 AM Koko began barking. He was ready to go outside and relieve himself. I got up, went outside, and began to inspect our house. I was nervous. But to my surprise, we had NO damage. I couldn’t believe it.

         I looked around at my neighbors’ houses. They both had broken fences. One of my neighbors even had her siding ripped off her house! Soon after, a friend texted me to tell me that her 100-year-old tree fell. Everyone was going through something different.

         I share this story with you because it illustrates our emotions and the different perspectives we go through during traumatic events. Teachers need inspiration during COVID-19.

COVID 19 HAPPENS

         On March 16, 2020, COVID-19 began to spike. Our lives changed forever. My family first learned about schools shutting down on March 14, and I’ll admit, we got a little excited because we knew we knew we’d get to spend time with each other.

         When I learned of the news, we prepared by making sure we had enough supplies. We purchased food, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and lots of hand sanitizer.  Then, we kept masks in our cars and purses in case we went inside any store.

         For the next few days, I created tons of resources for my kinders. I felt like I kept creating and didn’t receive much work in return.  

Click HERE to learn about some of the digital phonics games I created.

         Several weeks passed, and my kinders worried. They didn’t want to do the work at home, and they didn’t understand why they couldn’t see their friends and teacher at school. So, I began doing weekly virtual meetings with our students.

Our students are affected by this too!

         Like adults, our children have different perspectives too! They’ve been through a lot!

         2020 has been a tough year for our students. They didn’t get to say goodbye to their teachers and friends. That end-of-year party never happened? Yearbooks had no signatures. Friends have been absent for months.

Every Teacher Needs This Pep Talk Right Now

         Here’s the thing, humans are always adapting and overcoming obstacles. I’ve learned a lot going through multiple hurricanes. Right now, I want to inspire teachers during COVID-19.

The most valuable lesson is that we will get through the storm – this is true for COVID-19 as well.

         Doesn’t it feel like you’re paddling up a creek, blindfolded with one paddle? We are all learning how to navigate this unknown together. There’s never been a better opportunity to model the growth mindset! Make mistakes and make discoveries!

         You may be worried that you are going to get yourself sick. I am too! You’re your best advocate! You know what you should do to keep yourself healthy, so do it! Hold your students accountable by making sure they clean and dispose of things properly. Practice self-care!

         You may be worried that you are going to get other people sick. You might. But let’s remember that your students and their guardians made a choice. They decided to go back to school in person. With every choice, there is a consequence, whether it be good or bad. Some things are out of your control.

What can you do?

         Focus your attention on your students. They have tons of uncertainty in their lives right now. They’ve had little structure, and they’re craving guidance from influential leaders like teachers. Be that teacher!

         Go to school, whether it be face to face or virtually. Make those mistakes, show them what it means to persevere. Show them how to problem-solve. Model GRIT. You don’t need to be perfect!

         Most importantly, I want you to know that you’ve got this! Stay positive, and remember that this is everyone’s first year! This school year will not be easy. Keep your chin up, and have faith. You WILL get through this storm.

Looking for some ideas on setting routines and procedures during this time of uncertainty? Tap this link to read more about going back to school after COVID 19.