This week was crazy. Students and staff were back in the building. There were many emotions.
For one, seeing students for the first time in months caused some first-week-of-school jitters. There was a newness present throughout the building that was undeniable. Excitement and hope filled the space between us as I sat with students during their lunch and bantered. It was fun, but also awkward. I didn’t really know what to talk about with them given how synthetic our interactions have been. Some students expected me to instantly recognize them, although I’ve never seen them before. It’s odd feeling to be standing in front of someone with whom you’ve had daily interactions with online for months, whom you’ve showed parts of your apartment, family, and home life…yet whom you’ve never seen in the flesh.
Those jitters were mixed in with thankfulness as I reunited with colleagues. Almost every day Brother D and I went for a walk during our prep period for coffee and tea. I didn’t tell him, but I didn’t care much for the coffee or tea. I just wanted to share the sidewalk with him and listen.
Then there was the access to a whiteboard that made doing an example on Zoom so joyful. It made teaching and learning tangible again, things I could grab, hold, erase. I didn’t realize how much I missed getting marker smudges on my knuckles.
For the first time in my life, this week I was faced with the fact that I’ll be teaching math in a gym. With glistening floors and sports banners and locker rooms nearby, I was thrown for a loop. Interestingly, there is a whiteboard there that I used, which makes the experience even more bizarre. On multiple occasions I grabbed a basketball and made layups when a student gave a correct answer. That was a blast.
And speaking of the gym, this week also brought about pain. Physical pain. I enjoy playing basketball so I spent a few of my mornings before school throwing up some shots in the gym. Well, on Thursday, feeling high off of a week of being back in building, I did a wicked spin move in the lane and tweaked my back. I hobbled off the court. Ugh.
On top of all that, there were parent-teacher conferences. This was the cherry on top. When meeting to parents, I found myself reaching for moments that weren’t there. I think I was searching for meaning. I know my students’ experiences with me have been largely transactional, focused mainly on submitting assignments and me attaching a number to their work. But I tried to escape from this fact at conferences and found myself believing that this year has been more than that. Sadly, it hasn’t. Parents and their kids — my students — came and went hurriedly. I was left stranded, wanting more.
Come to think of it, I suppose many weeks over the last year have brought about roller-coasters of emotions that were similar to the one I rode on this week. Maybe this week wasn’t that crazy. Maybe I just decided to write it down.
bp
My two cents (Week of Mar 22, 2021)
For each school day of the 2020-21 school year, I will be writing two sentences to capture some of the impressions, feelings, experiences, or thoughts I had that day. This is the 24th post in the series.
Monday (Mar 22)
Today was the first day back at school with students present. Out of nowhere, access to a whiteboard and dry erase markers launched me into a dizzying state of excitement while introducing my students to complex numbers; at the end of one of my classes, a student remarked sarcastically, “Mister, this was one of the best lessons ever!”
Tuesday (Mar 23)
The whiteboard action was so infectious today that, when 5th period opened with a lack of engagement, I held down a playful, two-minute conversation with my whiteboard; I told it how much I missed it’s these last several months and promising to reunite as much as possible with its marker friends. I also had pleasant lunch outside in the courtyard with a bunch of students who opted in for in-person learning.
Wednesday (Mar 24)
Because of in-person scheduling headaches and space constraints, I’m now teaching my ninth period class in the gym. Today, after HR (who hasn’t given one answer over the mic all year) voiced several correct responses in a row, I ecstatically grabbed a basketball from the utility closet and made a layup at nearby basket in her honor (not going to front: I was so happy that it took me two attempts).
Thursday (Mar 25)
After FD left his pod to walk by mine (they were next door to each other) to giggle at me while I was teaching his class, I bee-lined into his room to steal his tablet (he was in the bathroom). I brought it back to my pod, changed his screen name, and turned on his camera; after several minutes he eventually discovered it was me — thanks to his friends who dimed me out — and came into my pod laughingly to retrieve it.
Friday (Mar 26)
In preparation for an AP exam, a colleague had her students come to school for some actual in-person learning (no screens) in the courtyard; having taught many of her students before, I paid them a visit. I was excited, but also awkward; it felt weird to be sharing the same air without two laptops and a slab of plexiglass between us.
bp
My two cents (Week of Mar 15, 2021)
For each school day of the 2020-21 school year, I will be writing two sentences to capture some of the impressions, feelings, experiences, or thoughts I had that day. This is the 23rd post in the series.
Monday (Mar 15)
I played a scintillating couple of games of blackjack in ninth period; I’m still searching for our daily “thing”…maybe this is it? Our collective struggle was on full display in our grade team meeting after school; an extended moment of silence swept over the group as we contemplated next steps in helping our most struggling students.
Tuesday (Mar 16)
This afternoon was the second part (of four) on CHRE featuring Gholdy Muhammad. Hearing her speak was insightful and helped me understand CHRT as an “instructional response” to an oppressive and unjust educational system that was never designed for Black and Brown students (where you start matters).
Wednesday (Mar 17)
Tried out an exit slip today that asked students to rate their emotional state at the end of class. I stole it from a ELA colleague; instead of doing a “check in” at the beginning, it was helpful to capture this info at the end to take with me to my post-class reflections.
Thursday (Mar 18)
Today was the first day back in the building since late November; getting ready in the morning triggered some “first day of school” vibes; Seeing colleagues in the flesh filled me with a renewed sense of hope and positivity. The second student-led peer tutoring session happened today between 4-5p (I guess my MfA PLT on building peer-collaborative spaces wasn’t in vain.)
Friday (Mar 19)
I was fairly alone in my choice to come into the building today; after months of solitude, I needed the change of scenery. A subdued day in my classroom was filled with an awesome cogen and the delicate tappings of my keyboard throughout the afternoon.
bp
A week ago, one year later
A year ago, exactly one week after my school shut down because of COVID-19, I wrote a blogpost. It attempted to capture “regular” moments from the week leading up to what resulted in schools closing down for the year. The moments were small, innocent, and utterly unspectacular; they were clueless as to what was about to happen only days later. After a year of remote learning, so much has changed. Similar to what I did last March, I wanted to reflect on the past week to see how.
A week ago, my student AP organized and led a peer tutoring session from 4-5p. It was really something when she shared the screenshot of who attended with me. My students don’t attend my office hours, so supporting students so that they can support themselves has been a goal for a little while.
A week ago, I developed two new virtual handshakes with students. One was with RV and based on the Anime character Bokuto (part 1: Hey Hey Hey, Part 2: Hey Hey Hey). The other was with MB and based on Harry Potter (Part 1: Expecto, Part 2: Patronum).
A week ago, I moved my hodgepodge stack of books and puzzle boxes — which I place my laptop on when I teach (standing) — to a new area of my small bedroom so that I wouldn’t need to dismantle it every time I want to get into bed.
A week ago, NA made my day when she showed our class a unique cutting utensil used by her family. It was like a knife, but in the shape of a crescent moon.
A week ago, I met with colleagues on Zoom after school to discussion how compassion is showing up in our teaching. It’s an ongoing project. At this meeting, we each shared something compassionate we saw in one another that may help us better reach our students.
A week ago, I met my co-generative dialogue met for the 16th time this year. We discussed the possibility of allowing some students to leave (or not attend) class once a week for independent study. Meeting with them this year has been a transformative experience for me and my practice.
A week ago, I asked my students to complete a form soliciting ideas for playful, 5-minute debates that we could have in class (e.g. which flavor of gatorade is best?). I’m also interested in collecting some data for some potential statistics lessons.
A week ago, a bunch of teachers from my school gathered after school to discuss chapters 10-14 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. We’ve been meeting every other Wednesday to discuss a book or podcast since last summer. I look forward to these professional dialogues, their mood-lifters and thought-provokers.
A week ago, I still hadn’t given an exam in remote learning. Exams on Zoom have always seemed unrealistic and unnecessary. Leaning into the uncertainty that circles assessment these days is more my style.
A week ago, in a private chat my colleague BD and I acknowledged just how much we can’t wait to shoot around in the gym when we get to school. I asked him maybe we could do it on Saturday mornings this spring.
A week ago, MM, who for weeks had been mourning the deaths of two close family members, caught me in a breakout room and said that he was finally starting to feel better. He had found closure. I had excused most of his work up to this point. He was thankful…and ready.
A week ago, I met with the Future Educator’s Club after school. It was only three students, and has been the same three students for months, but they still wanted to meet. I applauded them and we made plans to have guest speakers at the next few sessions. If I’m honest, I’ve been disappointed in my ability to find direction and recruit members for the club.
A week ago, I recorded the 15th episode of the “staff podcast” that I started with a colleague on a limb in September. It consists of informal conversations with staff members at our school. We just get together, hit record, and talk. In a lonely school year, the podcast has been therapeutic. I’ve really enjoyed our conversations.
A week ago, I learned that schools were opening back up on March 22. After reopening in September for a couple of months, we have been closed since November.
A week ago, I signed up to get my vaccine. It was a symbol of hope that I will soon be waking up from this nightmare of a year.
bp
lazy 0ch0 