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    • ESOL >
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Jobs I Never Thought I'd Have

9/18/2020

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Part IA

Part IB

Part IIA

There are some jobs you know you'll end up doing as a teacher, even though they aren't teaching. Elementary school teachers often serve as nurses. We all serve as custodians at some point. It just comes with the territory. But, in this pandemic, there are a number of jobs I now serve that I never thought I'd have to. 

In the spirit of these posts, I am limiting this list to five. It is not exhaustive. And, to brighten it up, enjoy some bitmojis. 

1. Biohazard Capable Custodian

PictureMiriam's bitmoji sweeping the floor.
This applies to a lot of staff at schools right now, not just teachers, but let me say that it is NOT a role I expected to fill, nor one I fill well, depending on the piece we're discussing. Sure, every teacher has wipes, disinfectant, etc. But this year, in addition to regular straightening and cleaning, we have various cleaners to help slow the spread of COVID and our custodians are also deep cleaning as well (although I don't know the details of that). A quick list of things in my room: four types of hand sanitiser (2 provided by the district and 2 I bought myself), extra masks (provided by me), paper towels (district), three types of cleaning solutions (1 provided by the school during the last major flu season, 2 provided for this year in specific), and perhaps other things I'm forgetting. We are supposed to clean as often as possible, but it is impossible. Some of the cleaners we cannot use if students are coming within 15 minutes and most of the cleaners have a smell that we cannot stay in the room for. 

2. Tattle

PictureMiriam's bitmoji leaning on a sign that says News Flash
I am a rule follower. I am not a tattle or a snitch. There are some things I feel aren't my place or I feel put me in a bad position. I am NOT saying that it is required of me by my superiors, school, or district to do this. What I am saying is that stories are appearing from across the country of these unspoken expectations. If you hear things of positive cases, close contact, illness, blatant disregard for safety rules, you might be expected to report it. I should not have to (a) report an adult for anything, but also... (b) I should not have to justify something to a student because Mr/Mrs/Ms/Mx/Dr. X says its okay. 

3. Pandemic Therapist/Protector/Parent

PictureA close of up Miriam's bitmoji wearing a mask that says BLM.
One of the jobs teachers fill increasingly is the role of protector, therapist, and parent all at once. Especially now that we do tornado drills, fire drills, and lock down drills. And, while I don't feel we should have to do at least one of these (wink wink), I have accepted that in those situations I must take steps to protect the lives of my students. Now I have to add to that pandemic expert. When students have questions, they often go to their teachers. They are scared. They are confused (especially when parents, teachers, and admins are not all on the same page). Especially with the politicisation of this situation (science y'all), students aren't sure what to do. Now I somehow have to meet those needs. I am not a scientist. As I told one of my classes today when COVID came up, "At the end of the day, there are a number of things we can do to protect ourselves and those we love and care for. We can wear masks, wash our hands, use hand sanitiser, social distance, and more. So, at the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves if we did our best." They didn't train me for this in college. 

4. Truancy Officer

PictureMiriam's bitmoji dressed up as a tabby kitten with the sentence "You gotta be kitten me!" above her head.
Okay, I'm exaggerating a little here. I am not responsible for bringing charges against or serving paperwork regarding truancy. However, teachers across the country are suddenly responsible for all sorts of things that, in the past, they received help for from parents, counselors, admins, etc. This isn't to say that those parties aren't doing their jobs, but the rhetoric increasingly is that if only teachers would do X or Y or if they "just did their jobs" then a whole slew of things would or wouldn't be happening. Be assured, we are doing everything we can. We are emailing, recording all classes, calls, contact. We are calling home. We are engaging with families, students, counselors, and case managers. 

5. Customer Service, Tech Support

PictureMiriam's bitmoji sitting a desk with a laptop looking upset and confused. The letters asdfghjkl;kvjiad;lkdf are above her head.
Again, to some extent we either do this or are treated this way. I am going to address this in my next post, but I truly believe that teachers and parents could work together to stop treating grades as an exchange for service and more like a conversation. However, as I stated in Part IA, this is wholly uncharted territory. Not even the schools already set up for digital learning could have predicted or prepared for this. Technical problems are bound to happen. Grading issues will occur. But there is little in the way of support for teachers due, in part, to the fact that we are all figuring this out as we go. As an example.... Today during a class, I was late due to the one way hallway rule. When I arrived to the room shortly after the bell, I had three messages from digital learners asking where I was and another two saying they couldn't get into the room. I started the digital room up and began printing paper copies for those who needed them in the room. Then I took roll... twice. When I started class, digital learners reminded me that I need to share my screen for them to see the video. After we started our dictation, one student had trouble accessing the document. Another needed help finding the document. A third didn't understand the directions. A fourth wanted to discuss grades during class. All of this was happening over my computer and speaker in a room of about 10 face to face learners. We need the answers, but we don't have them. I don't think anyone has them all. 

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Filling Jobs I Never Thought I'd have.

9/17/2020

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Part IA

Part IB

Part IIA

Part IIB

Biohazard Capabale Custodian

  1. Everything is available FIRST digitally. For some activities, particularly for disabled students/students with disabilities, I will offer to print. 
  2. I laminated seating chart cards for each chair. They can be sprayed down, although they aren't water proof (yay home laminating). 
  3. I keep a shelf with hand sanitiser and extra disposable masks by my door. Some teachers put their hand sany deep inside the room. I don't. I want them to think about it first thing. Some still don't, but many are beginning to reach for it as soon as they come in. 
  4. If I am spraying things down (which I admit I'm not great about remembering at the end of the day), I leave, immediately. The smell is awful and dangerous. 
  5. I keep hand sany wipes, paper towels, and some other stuff at my desk, at arm's reach. This is perfect for quick clean-ups. Perhaps I'll share a mini tour of my desk to show you these things. 

Tattle

  1. I don't, at least not names. It is above my pay grade and, having been bullied before in some pretty toxic ways, this is NOT something I am going to deal with because of this. My mental health is important. 
  2. I do, in that I make a point of saying that things aren't right. I talk to my colleagues and superiors and students about the importance of following protocols. With students, I can tell them to turn around. With teachers, I cannot. If a student argues with me, I try to remember that they are doing what adults have allowed. I don't have to allow it and they can be angry with me, but safety is important. 
  3. I model. I am disabled. This week my right ankle has been REALLY sore and weak. But, I still walk the long way around when I need to go somewhere based on the arrows. How can I speak to others about the issues if I don't model what I speak about. I also hand sanitise, wear my mask properly, etc. 
  4. I don't engage. When I hear adults speaking about things in a way that, even if it recognises the facts and science behind this pandemic, calls for laxity with the rules and mocks the situation, I disengage and leave. (1) It's above my pay grade to deal with that attitude, and (2) my mental health and safety matter. If people are going to talk like that, chances are they aren't taking full precautions. 
  5. I watch. I may not tattle with names and I may disengage when appropriate, but I also watch. (1) people watching is fun. (2) I am great at mental notes. ;) I watch and make notes on things to change about my behaviour and trends to report. 

Therapist/Protector/Mom

  1. My classroom is a safe space. If students need to express fear, upset, or panic, they can. I hate these signs... but in this (aka my) classroom, we (in no particular order)... 
    1. accept science
    2. show compassion
    3. listen
    4. belong
    5. care for ourselves and our comrades.

      okay.... maybe I could use that sign...
  2. I set boundaries. Students are always welcome to talk to me and I often invite conversation, even the difficult ones. But... I also set boundaries. Unless specifically stated, I do not respond to messages and emails after I go home. I arrive early, so that I can have quiet, peace, and respite from everything going on. There are others, but this post could get HUGE. :)
  3. I make regular use of Social Emotional Learning. nota bene: I do not mean the kind of twisted SEL where students learn "appropriate behaviour" and how to be more extroverted. I use SEL to create safe space where students can share, if they want, be upset if they need to be, and find, hopefully, their own bit of respite. I do this through such things as vents and brags, a little video, a quick mood/emotion check, and regular communication with students and families. 
  4. I send home weekly newsletters. I create these in Canva and create them slowly over the week so it's not overwhelming. I provide: general updates, a quick update and grade update for my preps, and a way to contact me and get more information. 
  5. Follow the law. Students know that I am a mandated reporter and I share that any time I ask them to share something serious. I also share that, though I have to say something to the proper person, I am still there for them and happy to talk whenever. 

Truancy Officer

  1. Ya, above my pay grade. There are things I will and won't do. Contact parents daily with singular attendance for their child? Ya, that's a hot no. Send home a general email saying that your student missed class and the materials are online? Sure, most days. Call and email repeatedly when I do not see a student at certain prescribed points? Yes. 
  2. Daily general emails. I send home a "absent from class" email using a template that is short and sweet: So sorry we missed you in class, please look at the materials on Google Classroom. I record that contact in the contact log.
  3. Weekly newsletter. I create weekly newsletters in Canva and send them home to all parents and students. It actually helps me a lot to (a) stay organised (b) record grading regularly, and (c) keep families informed. I find that doing this keeps emails out of my inbox that ask what we're doing, when grades are being updated, etc. which lets me focus on the other issues. 
  4. Always answer with compassion. During this time... we all need a little more compassion in schools: students especially. Whenever I have to call home or speak to a student about missing work/absences I never approach it from an angry standpoint. I always approach, or at least I try, to with compassion and productivity: Hey X, we've been missing you in class. Are you okay? What can I do/we do together to help you get back on track. 
  5. Keep records. I know this is a pain, but already multiple times this year I've had to back up things with paperwork or records. Taking a few minutes to write a note, add something to a spreadsheet, or click that little "add to teacher log" button is a gamechanger. 

Customer Service, Tech Support

  1. Play with the tech yourself. I swear by this method, "click and see what happens" (except of course when dealing with spam). As a teacher, we should be playing with tech. Click. See what happens. Then you can at least know what not to tell your students to do when they freak out over tech. 
  2. Always... ALWAYS have a back up. For you and your kids. Just yesterday I got knocked off the school wifi 4 times in one class. When I finally got back on the third time... I told my kids, "if this happens again, leave this meet and move to asynchronous work" and less than a minute later, I was gone. My kids knew what to do... Plan B. Similarly, if a student can't access something on a PC, suggest a tablet, a phone, and always allow things to be turned in.....
  3. LATE. ALLOW LATE WORK. DO NOT PENALISE LATE WORK. Ya, I don't know how else to say this. Teacher up. Stop penalising late work. Next!
  4. Know your computer and know the basics about the opposite system (windows, chrome, apple). The biggest issues I run into are sound, video, and connectivity. These are often easy fixes or just simple require waiting. I can quickly walk a kid through some trouble shooting before I say, "watch the recording later" or "time to call the real tech support".
  5. Don't be afraid to say I don't know. I do not have a degree in computers. What I do have is a mother who taught me all the basics as well as skills to deal with computers and changing technology, and a partner who knows a lot more than I do about tech (He is not afraid to actually take his PC apart and make mods). But..... if I can't find an answer quickly, I tell the student to ask a parent or guardian or reach out to the real tech support. I do not have a degree in this. Time to get help. 
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Dealing With Stuff I Thought I'd Never Have to Deal With

9/13/2020

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Part IA

Part 1B

​

Anxiety.

I've already written on this some, so I won't repeat everything, but here is a quick list of 5 things I do to combat anxiety. 
  1. Hold all the stuffies. There is NO shame in enjoying a soft texture, especially if you get overwhelmed by physical stimuli.
  2. Have an extra cup of coffee, tea, water, whatever.
  3. Carve out specific time for loved ones: family, partners, children, pets, etc.
  4. Practise saying "No". Say it. 
  5. Be honest with someone about your anxiety: your partner, a parent, your therapist, your BFF. Someone trusted. 

Never ending Brain

Keeping with the theme.... 5 things:
  1. When you get home, take a break. Sit down with something to drink or eat, pet an animal. 
  2. Do not check email except when you purposefully decide to. (e.g. I know I have to wash my hair in the morning which will add time to my morning routine. So, I purposefully checked email tonight for 5 minutes). 
  3. Turn off text notifications. 
  4. When you first wake up, take a moment and just stretch each body part intentionally. 
  5. When you go to sleep, take a moment and relax each body part intentionally. 

Into the Unknown

  1. Don't go down the rabbit hole as best you can. If you find yourself going down it... distract yourself. I have a desktop water fountain, some stuffies, a rock garden, and a water bead bottle to help me. 
  2. Take the precautions you can. 
  3. Do not be afraid to be honest. I turned down an invitation to a football game and I was honest: I am so sorry but I won't be going to the game. It isn't safe. Here are the reasons. Also, I am a high risk individual. Having said that, I will watch the score online and be rooting for you. 
  4. Take in information with purpose. Choose a reliable news source. Only discuss with reliable family members. Etc.
  5. When you feel overwhelmed by potential dangers ask yourself three things:
    1. Have I done what I can do?
    2. If I am exposed, do I know what steps to take?
    3. Do I have someone I can talk to?

Uncharted Territory

  1. Chart it. What steps are you taking? What steps is your school taking? Your district? Your place of worship? Your friends? Be proactive in knowing what you can know. 
  2. Breathe. Breathe again. 
  3. Be honest with yourself and your students when you don't know. I remind them that we are literally doing this together for the first time... ever. We are all bound to make mistakes. If we trust each other and work together, it will be okay. 
  4. Always answer with compassion. 
  5. You don't have to be the absolute best at what you do right now. That's okay. What isn't okay is taking out the very real and legitimate anger on students. 

Taking Care of Us All

  1. Three words: Social Emotional Learning. Okay, STOP. Don't go and click the first Google item you see. Understand me when I say that Social Emotional Learning isn't forcing kids to share or forcing them to be social or extroverted. It is about accepting them for who they are and where they are on their journey. It is about creating a safe space so that if/when they want to share, they can do so. 
  2. Stand up between every single class. Tell your kids to do so as well. Just that simple thing can be the difference between so much, including a good night's rest. 
  3. Model good practice. Wear your mask. Use hand sanitiser. Wash your hands. Follow one way hallways. Respect do not enter signs. Social distance. etc.
  4. Listen. That's all you have to do. Listen. Students are having it rough too right now. They don't need anyone to fix it sometimes. They just need someone to listen. 
  5. Listen.... to yourself and your body. When it's done, it's done. If you feel yourself tiring, readjust that to do list (I'm NOT perfect at this). When you are hungry eat. Sleep. Watch another episode of Criminal Minds. ;) 
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Things I'd never thought I'd have to deal with

9/8/2020

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Picture
Miriam's bitmoji in a pale blue shirt with a somewhat shocked look and text that reads: read first
I have to admit this is going to be a tough post to write. I will put these disclaimers out: all names have been changed, relationships have been changed, and no locations are given to protect anyone who has shared with me. But, these are all real things. 
There are posts all over that say that this time is hard for teachers. Sometimes the response is that we are being insensitive to first responders who have been on the front lines since March. Sometimes the response is that we are first responders. And, sometimes, the response is that we are complaining for no reason because, well, "COVID isn't real". Today's post is to assure you that it is, indeed, real. This is not an easy post to write and it won't be an easy post to read. But these things need to be said because we are exhausted in a way we never have been. We are struggling in a way that only teachers can struggle. 
I've decided to keep this list to 5. There are more than 5. There will be a follow up post.
  1. For those of us diagnosed with anxiety, it is worse and crippling. Anyone with an anxiety condition (everyone feels anxious; this is not what I'm talking about) knows that when situations call for anxiety for everyone things get worse. In addition to the anxiety everyone is feeling right now in our field, we are dealing with compounded features of it. I am not the only teacher who has to deal with this, but I can only speak to how it exposes itself in my situation. Normally when my anxiety creeps up, any number of physical symptoms may show. The worse the anxiety, the more symptoms come up. Before a presentation, for example, I get physically ill sometimes, I get itchy, sweaty, and shaky. But this is a whole new world for us. There are some days when I am physically ill, my whole body itches, I shake, my stutter comes back, my brain doesn't stop. Sometimes I cry. By the time I get home, I am physically exhausted just from the nature of working as a teacher, but because my anxiety is fully blown right now, I am thoroughly exhausted. There is no "me time" on days like this. There is "survive" and "collapse" time. 
  2. Our brains don't stop. Generally speaking teachers make around 1500 decisions during a 6 hour work day. I've also seen the statistic that teachers make around 400 decisions an hour. These don't match up, but the second statistic didn't specify during what period of time. Our job is unique in that in addition to having to be academic experts in our field we also work with a variety of contexts that other jobs don't: working with adults, working with children, working with other experts, research, cleaning spaces, etc. And, for those of us with more than one prep, we have to change our brain every hour. In our district, teacher are supposed to get one planning period (around 50 minutes) and a lunch (around 20  minutes). That time can also be filled with meetings, supervisory duty, tutoring, etc. During COVID, I know that myself and other teachers are literally working from the moment we get to school (some of us before that) to the moment we get home (some of us after that). One of these days I'll post a day in the life, but for now here's the gist: I get up at 4:00, do some household and animal care things, do some school work prep (about 20 minutes this morning), get ready, head to work, work all day, come home, care for animals, collapse if needed, and then work more if needed (can be between 0-1 or 2 hours). During COVID I usually have meetings during my planning either with my colleagues or to ensure I get all the professional development mandated by the county done. During my lunch, I scarf down my lunch while doing things like grading, planning, or answering emails. Our brains literally don't and cannot stop at work. This is generally true, but now it is true in a whole new way. I ate lunch, without working, for the first time this year last Friday (that was the end of week 5 for me, and week 3 for the kids). Starting Wednesday, kids are allowed to eat in our rooms. I'm not quite sure when I will eat. 
  3. The element of unknown things. Arguably this is always true. I don't know where someone has been or if they are sick. But, during this time, there are supposed to be extra precautions. Again, I am not speaking about any specific school or district, but teachers have been told things are happening, but with often little follow up. We are put into the hands of administrators, boards, and parents, and we are told things are happening. But, as is the norm, kids come to school sick, students want to socialise, clubs and sports are continuing on. Some things I know from reputable sources: even though students are not being allowed to hang around on campus after school in some places, they are, without masks, without social distancing. Even though sports are supposed to be practised safely, sometimes they aren't, with no masks. Some teachers are allowing students to take masks off in some places. Some teachers aren't wearing masks or wearing them correctly. Cleaning is often done after teachers leave campus. Some teachers are getting PPE supplies, some aren't. This element, whether the fear is justified or not, by its very nature, is scary. 
  4. This is literal uncharted territory. This is a post of its own... but to give you an idea, we are dealing with questions like:
    1. How do we keep the students socially distanced, masked, and safe when some of the parents and some of our own colleagues do not believe this is real or who are not practising safety?
    2. When there is an emergency (or a drill), how do we keep everyone safe.... and.... safe? 
    3. How do I teach online and in person at the same time fully engaging all students providing proper supports to each student and appropriate materials be it digitally or in paper. And, how do I do all that while solving technical issues for students, keeping in person students safe, and meeting expected standards and curriculum goals?
  5. How do I take care of my kids and myself? This may be one of the hardest ones emotionally at least. There are days where I'm working from the moment I walk in around 6:15 to the moment I go to bed around 8 or 8:30. I try to set boundaries, but sometimes a student messages you in a panic. You answer. I don't know a teacher who wouldn't. When I wake up at 4 or 4:15 I always check work email while drinking my coffee.... why? Because (1) I get overwhelmed if I walk into school and find 10 emails that need answers NOW when I also have to do 10 things before students arrive, and (2) emails often sent at night are the ones that need an answer quickly. If I can answer one before a student gets to my class and save time because they have what the need, it's worth it to me. But, boundaries have to be set. How do we set them in a way that takes care of everything that needs to be taken care of, including ourselves? Before COVID, I think we could easily justify work hours. It's harder now. 
We are navigating uncharted waters and as soon as we think we've figured out one wave, we see the one behind it. There are always aspects of teaching like this, but right now, everything​ is like this. 
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    Author's Note

    This blog is dedicated to my reflections on teaching during COVID. These posts are my own thoughts and reflections and DO NO represent anyone else's opinions or policies.

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