I tried - to stay calm {COVID19 educator letter}

Deep.
Breaths.
In.
Then.
Out.

Okay, here we go!

Currently, my husband and I are watching Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist episode 6. It's a pretty normal night. But it's not.

Today we got an email from both the school I work at and another school our boys go to. They are cancelling school until April 6th. Spring break is now 3 weeks! Some close by schools, well states actually, are closed for the rest of the year.

CHAOS!

This break is different. It's a little longer than winter/Christmas break. Yet, it's shorter than summer vacation.

CHAOS!

How will our little people learn?

CHAOS!

Here's the deal. It's all going to be okay if would just stop, think, and take a moment to remember what's important - taking care of people.

People are stressing out about their kids' academic education. Here's the deal. It will be okay. It will not be okay if we don't calm down and take care of people.

I assure you, as an educator and as a parent, what our students' need right now is not worksheets, websites, tours of museums or zoos, doodle videos or yoga lessons.

Our kids need us to love them, be stable, and show them how to care for others (including distancing ourselves).

I assure you, as an educator and as a parent, our students aren't going to rapidly loose their knowledge or fail to be successful adults.

Our kids need safety, security, food, and hugs (which some only got at school).

I assure you, as an educator and as a parent, our student's don't need strict schedules and progress monitored emoji trophies popping up on screens.

Our kids need us to sit and read with them, make a blanket fort, have them cook with us, and initiate impromptu dance parties.

I assure you, as an educator and as a parent, people are doing their best to produce quality activities and learning opportunities. Yeah! Our school is not 1:1 with technology and 1/3 of our students do not have internet. Creating remote online content isn't going to bring academic success, but create more hurdles for youngsters to navigate.

Instead, our kids need to learn from us how to handle stressful situations with as little anxiety as possible.

I assure you, as an educator and as a parent, these next few weeks are going to be hard.

Our kids need us to be calm, have open communication, and be there to help each other.

We need to teach our kids how to take care of each other. We need to be doing the teaching. Not a wesbite, or a pin from pintrest or a worksheet packet.

Be present. Take care of each other. 

PS - I already miss my students, and it's Tuesday. Oh - I don't expect parents to teach the quadratic formula.  So you are safe there... you're welcome.