I always tell my preservice teachers that a successful teacher is one who can be FLEXIBLE. No, I don’t mean they can touch their nose with their foot (but that is definitely a sign of flexibility!), but instead I want them to know that at any moment everything that you have planned can be turned upside down and a new path must be forged.
The past few days have stretched teachers like no other time in their teaching careers. I want to applaud each and every educator who was given 24, 48, or possibly 72 hours to transform a physical classroom into an online learning environment. This was NOT an easy task, and the learning curve was steep. But you did it!
Here is where I am amazed at how the educational community has come together for the good of the students. My feed on FB is flooded with resources that teachers are sharing with each other. Educational companies are providing free resources that can be used in the online learning environment. Authors of children’s books are giving online read alouds. Artists and illustrators are providing drawing classes online. Weathermen are giving online science lessons. Museums are giving virtual tours. There are so many links to educational sites that it makes my head spin. These are just a few of the ways in which the educational community is helping out and supporting teachers and students while they are at home.
Teachers spend hours preparing to teach their students face-to-face but going to an online environment in a matter of days is a beast. So THANK YOU to all who have had to be flexible and to all who are helping during these school closings. May we continue to work together and when all is said and done, may we continue to support one another. The teaching profession is like no other profession, and teachers have shown how a profession can unite, move forward, and be the best one can be when faced with adversity. What greater lesson can be seen by our students?