I don't know what to say at this point. I'd accepted a long time ago that this day would come, and now that it is here I honestly feel a little indifferent about officially having the mischievous virus inside my body. I've built a big fire in the woodstove and made broth and tea...and M and I are watching Boba Fett and Mandalorian.
But we are also doing work. One thing I am not indifferent about: This pandemic is still hard. And I don't want to get all "woe is me", but one of the frustrating parts about being a teacher is the expectation/necessity to work, even when you are out sick. We need to provide sub plans, learning materials, links, and keep our online plans updated, even while we are away. Sometimes making plans to be out sick is harder than just showing up to work in the first place. So while we did make time today to watch a show together, I also spent hours making plans for tomorrow, finishing recommendation letters, and responding to emails. Special shout out to all the teachers out there who work hard, even while out sick fighting covid, to make sure their students have learning opportunities everyday. And another huge shout out to anyone out there substitute teaching right now. It isn't easy, and this whole system would collapse without out you!
Also, today is "International Day of Education"! We should all take a moment to thank the educators in our lives. Beyond thanking, how can we focus on teacher well being and sustainability? Teachers Without Borders shared some interesting resources for teacher well being today to celebrate the day, and I'll paste a few I found interesting below. Some days, I feel like we can do this, especially when I consider my teaching context and all the resources we have in this part of the world. And some days, the whole system seems so broken, I want to give up and run a smoothie truck in Maui.
Teachers are not OK, Even Though We Need Them to Be
5 Ways School Leaders and Work to Prevent Teacher Burnout
And via social media I came across this satirical one, which really made me chuckle, and also cry because it was so relatable. If you are not a teacher and want a small window into our experience this year, check this out:7 day average:
Vermont positivity rate: 11.2%
US Positivity: 30%
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