Dear Lydia
Help … It’s starting to feel like March 2020 again. My school system just went back virtual learning temporarily. I could use some advice on how to deal with teaching virtually again!
Help … It’s starting to feel like March 2020 again. My school system just went back virtual learning temporarily. I could use some advice on how to deal with teaching virtually again!
I’m just gonna say it: I’ve been pretending to know what SEL is, means, or looks like. For years, every time I heard the term, I broke out in a cold-sweat and felt like I’m a teacher imposter.
Our homes used to be our sanctuaries. During the pandemic, much was asked of them. They were tasked with being our refuge, our workspace, our gym, our cafeteria, and our play space. With a lot of virtual teaching behind us, it’s time to reclaim our home spaces for grading, relaxing, and planning for the next day … It’s time to rebuild our sanctuary.
I have recently been exposed to techniques for a more student-centered education and the concepts instantly clicked. PBL, experiential, simulations ― the stories all warm my heart and reinvigorate me about this career. The problem is, most of that stuff doesn’t work when you’re responsible for teaching sentence structure, or reading classic texts, or writing essays. It feels like I finally found my calling, but I’m trapped just inches away from it.
I’m a 25-year-old female history teacher, and I feel like I sound like a Boomer for what I’m about to say… but it’s true! Many kids these days (see how it starts?) face very few obstacles from the moment they’re born until they get to my 10th-grade history class. Parents seem fixated on removing barriers, knocking down hurdles, and coddling kids when they run into discomfort.
I’m entering my third year of teaching ELA in a public high school here in Maine. I’ve tried every strategy I learned in college, but there are always four or five kids who just aren’t motivated by grades. They’ve probably spent their whole school career discounting themselves, or they just don’t see how grades meaningfully impact their lives.
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As I sit to write this, we are nearing the one-year anniversary of when life, as many of us knew
The story of a small midwest town embracing education to tackle some big problems.
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