Amused by Amusement Parks
Memories of my childhood include trips to amusement parks with family and friends. It would either be an amusement park that had a specific, stationary location (e.g., Canada’s Wonderland) or a small carnival that would be set-up in a mall parking lot for a short period of time. Whenever cousins from abroad would visit, I would always look forward to putting one on my list as a “Place to Go”.
I recall going one year to Canada’s Wonderland with a group of cousins. One was adamant about us going on a roller coaster. I wasn’t so thrilled with the idea, but agreed that I would try going on one of the smaller roller coasters. So, we went, and once the coaster got to the top of the first drop, I remember the intense fear I felt, the loud screaming (from myself and others), and my glasses having difficulty staying still on my face. There were even moments of laughter as I began to enjoy parts of it…until it started going down a steep incline once again. At the end of it, I was thankful it was over, yet amazed by the array of emotions from start to finish in the short ride.
Once Upon a Time…
Fast forward to March 2020.
Prior to that point in time, working in education always had its unique challenges. When I reflect on classroom experiences from prior to March 2020, I catch myself thinking about them as the “good old days” when we could do this or do that at school.
So much was taken for granted in those much more simple times. Who would have thought that we would even consider that short while ago as much more simple times?
We took so much for granted. Once upon a time, we could…
- be in our school and classroom without masks
- smile at others while showing our teeth (e.g., a mask-free smile)
- share materials with peers without a second-thought
- sing songs during class time
- give a High-Five or fist bump without immediately thinking about sanitizing or washing hands
- put desks in groups of 2 or more
- attend whole-school assemblies in the gym
- have group games or clubs after school
The list goes on and on.
As I said before: those were much more simple times, yet ones that were actually really special. I truly treasure those experiences now more than ever.
The pandemic has caused education to rapidly change (and it continues to do so each day). Post-Pandemic (whenever that will be), our classrooms, schools, and approach to teaching will permanently be different, too, compared to our Pre-COVID-19 world. We just have to keep riding out this roller coaster-of-an-experience to see what it will look like for teachers, staff, students, families.
A Roller Coaster Ride of Epic Proportions…
Every educator will surely have their own unique story to tell from this experience of teaching during a pandemic. In short, this is how my 2020-2021 school year has played out so far:
- In-Person (September to December)
- Online (January to Mid-February)
- In-Person (Mid-February – Early April)
- Online (April to whenever more details are available)
Switching from in-person teaching to online teaching has been interesting. So many things that can be done rather quickly or easily in-person, needs to be adjusted to fit the various media being used online (e.g., laptop, iPad, cell phone, etc.) Just the same, there are many things that can be done while learning online, that would be more difficult to do in-person.
I never imagined my particular situation this year would include switching back and forth twice (so far).
It truly has felt like being on a roller coaster of epic proportions.
So many highs, lows, a range of emotions, moments of fear, excitement, and more.
It would be easy to focus on just the lows and moments of fear, yet, I choose to focus on some of the highs because it has helped me to learn so much (and also facilitate learning for my students).
Perseverance: Moments of Growth During the Ups and Downs
Here is just a small sample of the amazing things that have come out of this difficult time of a global pandemic for my Grade 1 students and me:
- They love reading and continue to show growth in their reading!
- They are all Rock Stars simply because they continue to show such resilience each day. They are my heroes as they tackle this challenging time and adjust as needed. Side note: A favourite word in my classroom is flexible. We use it daily!
- I have learned how to maximize my teaching time even more. Following all of the important and necessary health and safety protocols takes a lot of time out of our day. Mini lessons are powerful!
- I have learned how to set-up and teach in a virtual classroom setting. There has been ample time to practice, refine, and practice some more.
- My students, although just 6 years old, know how to navigate many platforms such as Zoom, Google Classroom, Google Slides, and more!
- We focus a lot on the 4 C’s in my classroom (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity). My students have surely been strengthening their critical thinking skills and enjoy doing things creatively simply because we sometimes don’t have a choice but to be creative!
I smile as I think of other Ups during this time of so many Downs, but I will share more another time.
One of the most important things my students and I have held onto this year is having a Growth Mindset. It has helped us, and continues to help us, persevere and not give up when things get tough. We recite a Growth Mindset pledge each morning and I truly hope they will remember it for the rest of their lives because it’s simply powerful Self-Talk.
Hold On! We’ll Get Through This Together!
This pandemic has been totally challenging for every one experiencing it. Despite it all, we can still find some beauty in our experiences. There are glimmers of hope and new learning that has emerged as a result of this time.
I know it’s been hard and continues to be tough, yet you have made it this far. This Pandemic Roller Coaster is one that has squeezed us and exhausted us in ways we never imagined, yet we are here.
Let’s continue to hold on because there are brighter days ahead. We will get through this together.
Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.
Walter Elliot
