Week (I've lost track)

March 24-May 21 - Quarantine

It seems like the world is in a state of crisis. Things are closed. Everyone is being asked to stay home. There isn't enough toilet paper. It's a really bad out there. It's so bad, that the governor officially closed school for the rest of the academic year.

I listen to a podcast by Craig Groeschel. In his latest talk, I latched on to this quote: "Every major crisis also creates unprecedented opportunities." Everyone is very focused on our current problems, but what about all of the opportunities that we have to come out of this better than before.

For example, it stinks that we don't get to see our students. Teachers, for the most part, want to be around kids. We enjoy interacting with them and teaching them, and probably more than anything, we love to see that "aha" moment when they learn something new. That's hard to do when we are all stuck in our houses. Our students, if they are doing any work, are only doing review. There aren't a lot of "aha" moments when a student is doing a review packet of skills they already learned.

I would propose to you, that this situation has provided an unprecedented opportunity. We don't have to take grades. We don't have to take the MAP test. We have an opportunity to do some things with our students that we normally wouldn't be able to do. We have been given license to experiment and try new things. We have been pushed outside of the box.

So, what are you doing that is outside of the box? Because if you are doing the same old stuff, but doing it from the comfort of your own home, then you are missing out on a real opportunity. Are you using FlipGrid to teach your lessons? What about screencastify? GooseChase? Are you using video in any way to teach your students?It's going to be hard at first. It's going to take time. But, if you keep after it and find what works for you, you are going to add new tools and techniques to your bag of tricks that will make you a better teacher for when we do get back to school.

So, here is the challenge. Pick a priority standard. Create a lesson using some of the great online tools that are out there. Work with your team and create one lesson or split the ELO's up and each of you do one. I don't even care if you list the "I can..." statements. Send it to your students and see how it goes. At least you will be home in your pajamas if it crashes and burns.

The point is, we have never had an opportunity to teach how we want without worrying about assessments or grades. Take advantage of that. Use it to grow yourself and improve your teacher bag of tricks.

Another great side effect of the quarantined life is time. Use this time to take care of yourself. Spend time with your family and do things together that you don't always have time for. We have broken out the old Wii and I have introduced my younger two children to the joys of Super Mario Brothers. Between that and a couple of board games, we have enjoyed our time at home together.

Use this time to work on something you have always wanted to get done, but never had the time. Pick up a passion project and do that thing you have said you were going to do if you ever got the time. At my house, we have built bird feeders with the kids, worked on our house, and even taken up some hobbies that we had before we hadn't done since before we had kids.

I know it's a stressful situation, but recharge your batteries and make the most of it.

While I am sure that we will see each other before the end of school, I wanted to take some time to thank you all for making the last five years such a great experience. We have definitely had some ups and downs and I know that I haven't always been the easiest to work with, but my time at Poplar Bluff will definitely be something I treasure for the rest of my life. You have all had a tremendous impact on me as a person and you have helped to shape me as a leader. I love you all and wish nothing bet the best for you.

Brad